P-Dub Wrote:
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> Funny Cide Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > smalltimer Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > That\'s a great concept. The idea that a
> > horse(s)
> > > should be weighted according to their body
> > weight
> > > is likewise worth a chuckle, no offense taken
> > > Funny Cide.
> > >
> > > FYI, Zenyatta weighs 1,300 pounds. So, she
> > > carried 10% of her body weight.
> > >
> > > Strength does not precipitate speed.
> > >
> > > If you give me your personal email address in
> a
> > > private message, I\'ll send you a picture I
> took
> > of
> > > her last year from about 5\' away.
> > > Physically she is a monster.
> > >
> > > Peace out...
> >
> > It\'s a logical concept. Size has nothing to do
> > with talent or speed, but it obviously affects
> the
> > ability to carry weight. If Zenyatta is 1300
> > pounds (that would\'ve been my guess as well),
> then
> > she carried 9.9% of her body weight when
> carrying
> > 129 pounds. Her competitor who weighs 1100 and
> > carries 120 is carrying 10.9% of its body
> weight.
> > If the competitor weighs 1000 pounds, it\'s
> > carrying 12% of its body weight.
> >
> > There are few studies on weight-carrying
> ability,
> > but not surprisingly, all talk about weight as
> a
> > percentage of the horse\'s weight - not random
> > weights with no care for the horse\'s own
> weight:
> > -------
> >
> >
> > While most healthy horses can easily carry a
> rider
> > and saddle, they do have their limits. Now
> > researchers have identified a threshold for when
> a
> > rider is too heavy for a horse to comfortably
> > carry.
> >
> > The scientists base their findings on detailed
> > measurements taken of eight horses that were
> > ridden while packing anywhere from 15 to 30% of
> > their body weight. The horses ranged in size
> from
> > 400 to 625 kilograms (885 to 1375 pounds).
> >
> > When carrying 15 and 20% of their body weight,
> the
> > horses showed relatively little indication of
> > stress. It’s when they were packing weights of
> 25%
> > that physical signs changed markedly, and these
> > became accentuated under 30% loads.
> >
> > The horses had noticeably faster breathing and
> > higher heart rates when carrying tack and rider
> > amounting to 25% or more of their body weight.
> A
> > day after trotting and cantering with the
> heftier
> > weights, the horses’ muscles showed
> substantially
> > greater soreness and tightness. Those horses
> that
> > were least sore from the exercise had wider
> loins,
> > the part of a horse’s back located between
> their
> > last rib and croup.
> >
> > Based on these results, the study’s authors
> > recommend that horses not be loaded with
> greater
> > than 20% of their body weight. A 545-kilogram
> > (1200 pound) horse, then would be best off
> > carrying no more than 109 kg (240 lbs) of tack
> and
> > rider.
> >
> > Interestingly, this research from the Ohio
> State
> > University Agricultural Technical Institute has
> > concluded with the same weight guideline that
> the
> > US Calvary Manuals of Horse Management
> published
> > in 1920.
>
> This is all well and good.
>
> But weight assigned has to do with performance,
> not size. So a big, slow horse should carry more
> weight than a small, fast horse??
>
> Unless you have a big fast horse, they would carry
> more than a small slow horse.
>
> A big fast horse should carry more than a fast
> small horse??
>
> And finally if we have a big slow horse going
> against a small slow horse......nobody would care.
And Zenyatta\'s a fast big horse, so we\'re not concerning ourselves with burdening her with bigger imposts than her talent deserves, are we?
The point is that she went against a horse who was inferior to her while carrying less as a percentage of body weight then her competitor. So making a big deal of the weight she carried or gave makes no sense, not given that fact.
