Well Sprung Ribs

Hello,

I've tried googleing about this, and can't find anything, so I'm hoping one of you might know :P

My new horse has very 'well sprung ribs'....

Is it bad? Will it effect her? Make her weak? Or strong? Heavy!?

Anything?!

Or is it 'normal' and won't effect her at all?! Performance and health wise?!

Thank you!! (:

Well-sprung ribs are great. It means that the horse's ribs are rounded outward from the barrel, providing lots of room for lung expansion. With strenuous activities like racing and jumping, this is a huge advantage over "slab-sided" horses, whose ribs are flat and don't provide enough room for the lungs to expand.

It's just another type of body conformation :) Nothing bad about it- a lot of people prefer it actually. My mare has well sprung ribs, it just means their barrel (mid section) is wider than their chest and hind quarters. It can sometimes make a horse look a little thinner than they actually are in my experience though. (It doesn't excuse a thin horse, but it has a habit of making them a little *ribby*)

So it's nothing but a benefit?!

And I'll be doing eventing with her (:

Thanksss!

Yeah, Mim (the horse) is on the thinner side at the moment, as she was a paddock horse etc. fattening up now, and her ribs aren't showing that much (:

Hahahah - it's really hot here, so I have my bikini on, and I just realised I have well sprung ribs :P the left one pokes out way more though /: I wouldn't say I have very good conformation :P I can run and jump pretty well though! (: