Page 108 - ShowSight - July 2019
P. 108

                Form Follows Function: The Straight Column...Part 7 STEPHANIE HEDGEPATH continued
   Figure 1. Straight Column of Support Coming
When we speak of a straight column of support, we do not necessarily mean a column that is perpendicular to the ground. You cannot support a roof with a broken column, nor can you for long support a dog with a broken column of support. What would break this column of support? A dog with elbows sticking out, paddling (small circular motions out to the side instead of flowing ahead in a straight line—mimicking the circular motion of a paddle that is propelling a canoe), crossing over, etc.
Figure 1a. Straight Column of Support Coming Explained
In the dog in Figure 1a, I have superimposed the skeleton of the forelimb from the foot to the shoulder blade in the forelimb that is in contact with the ground. The red line "1–2" represents the center line of the dog. You can see the straight line formed by the bones on the limb that is to the left of that line. This is the limb that is either on the ground or about to be supporting the weight of the dog. If the foot (D) was angled in or out (toeing in, toeing out), if the pasterns were weak, if the elbows were either tied in
 “You cannot support a roof with a broken column,
NOR CAN YOU FOR LONG SUPPORT A DOG WITH A BROKEN COLUMN OF SUPPORT.”
102 • ShowSight Magazine, July 2019



























































































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