The Importance of the Shoulder

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This article first appeared in the February 2015 edition of Fell Pony News from Willowtrail Farm.

Highlights:

  • No matter the role a pony plays in our lives, its ability to move is involved.
  • Ponies are special because they move in ways that make them suitable for many different disciplines.
  • Ponies provide us with a special opportunity to appreciate the shoulder, as their versatility requires that the shoulder be just right in conformation for the work they have traditionally done. 
  • In the Fell Pony in particular, shoulders count for 15 points in judging guidelines out of a total of 125.  Movement, which is related, counts for 25 more points.  One could argue, then, that the shoulder influences nearly one third of Fell Pony quality.

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