howdy! 20 - he/him - Texas. Jazz (Java 'n Jazz) - 10 - paint horse. i'm not riding regularly at the moment, but i'm always interested in keeping up with the horse community!
Yes, mule-mustangs! These kids were all wild-born mules. They are from the Twin Peaks HMA, which is the biggest HMA in California:
Today the herd is descended from US Army Cavalry remounts released prior to and during World War I, and historic draft and riding ranching stock. The horses are mostly bay, black, and chestnut, but pintos and appaloosas are somewhat common. Some horses even have a metallic sheen to them. The burros likely originated from historic sheep grazing operations in the area. Because Twin Peaks HMA has both horses and burros, it also is one of the few HMAs that has mules. The Twin Peaks animals are highly desired by adopters because of their size, quiet temperaments, and color.
2. Cruze cantering down to the puissance wall at the London International Horse Show 2022. [x]
3. Mr Blue Sky jumping the puissance wall at the London International Horse Show 2022. [x]
4. Racehorses breaking from the starting gate. [x]
In all four clips, as the horses rock their weight back to prepare for the big thrust, be it to spring up or to push forward, the hind legs do not move separately, as they usually would in a pure canter or gallop, but have to move in unison, to get up under the body in order to generate the power needed. The os coxae of the pelvis angles downwards as the femur swings forwards, flexing the stifle, and the hocks and fetlocks flex as they take more weight. Then the great extensor muscles of the hindquarters contract as the flexor muscles uncoil for the push, the tendons stretched during the stance phase release their stored elastic energy, recoiling like springs, and the horse is propelled upwards and forwards.