What the Asil Arabian Walk Should Look Like

I posted this video because it is an excellent example of a young stallion’s free swinging walk.

The video is mostly in slow motion so you can easily see the beautiful extension of the front legs, the hoof hitting the ground heel first to flat and the huge over track from behind.

You don’t get a walk like that only through excellent conformation. You also have to have excellent hoof mechanics. Most horses I encounter, of every breed, walk toe first which indicates a desire to avoid contacting the back half of the hoof area due to discomfort/pain if the full weight is applied there first, as it should be.

His owner says “He self trims in this country. It’s been a few months. We sanded out some rock chips but didn’t even trim him before nationals…”

With time and an eye for detail you don’t need slow motion to detect a heel first/flat footed landing vs a toe first landing. It is amazing what getting the hoof mechanics correct can do to promote the individual horse’s natural stride.

IMHO this stride has never been altered by poor farrier work and/or injury. Now to keep it this way throughout his life becomes the challenge.

Horse: SpiritWind Baasil 2018gs (SpiritWind Asahm X DA Moniet’s Dove)
Pritzlaff/BabsonDoyle/EAO breeding
Pedigree: SpiritWind Baasil
Handler: Bev Davison
Owner and Breeder: Bev Davison
Video by Christine Dirickx
Video taken at US Arabian Sport Horse Nationals 2020