Conformation...

[MindyLee]

I know conformation is everything BUT there's no such thing as a perfect horse and not sure if anyone is brave enough to share...

I was wanting to see some examples of minis that look good in health but have just slight conformation issues that are not badly deformed but not to the point where you would pass them up if you liked them. We always show examples of bad conformation flaws BUT dose anyone have pics of minis that have flaws but not extreame?

Examples:

little bit bigger head

unlevel backs

slight bites off

cow hocked

long faced

hoofs that are to the side or clubbed

I peronally have a fat little guy in the back yard who has a rear hoof that folds in and has a little bit larger head then I like BUT at least it is short and dishy and hes so super cute.

I also have a show mare who is club footed but when I trim her feet, I only knock the heal off and you cant even tell. I also personally think her face is a little long BUT it goes with her long neck and I would'nt trade her for the world. Her daughter, 09 foal, I think has a super small squshed back, but when shes show clipped, she looks totally 110% conformationally correct and everything looks good as long as she dont have her winter fuzzys to me LOL.

How about you? You brave enough to share?

 

[wiccanz]

Yep, I'll be brave!

This guy is a 4 year old gelding, drives in harness, has never been shown as yet (for various reasons, none of them his fault). His head is too big/long, and his bite is slightly off, hence being a gelding. Other than that, I like the rest of him. He carries himself very proudly, and appears several inches bigger than he actually is (just under 33" about a month ago). He has great action, and I can't wait to get him in the ring!

 

[Matt73]

I don't have any pics that show it adequately, but my filly, Willow, is cow-hocked, toes out, and has some "catching" (no actual locking yet) in her stifles

So she's a pet and babysitter...and my little sweet princess; and, obviously, won't be bred (and she's here forever

).

 

[targetsmom]

Our most versatile, best moving, and cutest mini has a number of conformation flaws and will not be used for breeding. But she is almost every visitor's favorite in the herd and is a super little driving mini who loves to give cart rides. Ruby can be shown by anyone and is pretty good in trail and has great hunter form (when she feels like jumping!). She is the one we use as a buddy to transport young horses, the one to turn out first with a new horse... the list goes on. She is also my husband's favorite, so that makes her extra special. As already said, no mini has perfect conformation and those with less than ideal conformation need to be matched with just the right jobs and great homes.

She hides it pretty well in this photo but her front legs are quite crooked and she is also cow hocked. And her neck is short, among other issues...but she can float over the ground.

 

[disneyhorse]

EVERY horse has a conformational "fault" even if it's not extreme. There's no such thing as a "conformationally perfect" horse. Also, plenty of show geldings and mares who never breed their faults on, win big time in the show arena in things other than halter because they have talents elsewhere!

I've never had a single horse without something that they could fault, and the National Grand Champion halter horses I've seen also have some fault (be it plain head, longer back, larger ears, something of that nature) but that just goes to show you that nothing is 'perfect'.

As long as they're not bred, even horses with more severe conformational faults can have a job and be as loved as those without!

Andrea

 

[Mini Horse Lover]

I own a Pintabian (99.968% Arabian) and he is beautiful except for one problem. He has one back foot that turns out and looks funny. It makes him look cow-hocked but he really isn't. Just the one foot. We are going through with farrier work to fix it and it's definitely helping! The foot doesn't affect his movement at all! He trots with extreme action and you would never be able to tell when he's moving. He's gelded (no big horse stallions here)!

 

[Jill]

Sorry... double post, see below.

 

[Jill]

I swear, every one of my horses, I could pick appart on faults or things that could be better. None of them are perfect, of course. If I had a magic wand, there are things I'd tweak on each of them, but as a breeder, I would hesitate to go through the list publicly. The main thing I think is how happy I am they cannot talk because I am very sure they could make me a lot prettier in some very specific ways, too, and they might be happy to point out just how I could be easier on the eyes

As one example, I could hold out a gelding of ours. He is the first mini we ever bought and the first horse we raised from weanling. He is now 11 years old. His head could be smaller, his bite is off by about 1/4". He toes out a little in the front and is slightly cowhocked. His hip could be stronger. BUT, I think he's just as cute as can be and his heart is exceptional

Here he is, "Eclipse":

 

[MiLo Minis]

The basis behind any good breeding program is to find those niches that result in foals that improve on both sire and dam. Every horse has flaws, there is no such thing as perfect. Some flaws can enhance a horse's performance ability and are not a horrible thing to breed for as long as they don't affect the horse's overall health and well being. My rule of thumb is to never double a flaw - I don't breed 2 horses together that exhibit the same flaw. That is not to say that the foals are never born with the same flaw but it lessens the chances.

 

[Joanne]

The basis behind any good breeding program is to find those niches that result in foals that improve on both sire and dam. Every horse has flaws, there is no such thing as perfect. Some flaws can enhance a horse's performance ability and are not a horrible thing to breed for as long as they don't affect the horse's overall health and well being. My rule of thumb is to never double a flaw - I don't breed 2 horses together that exhibit the same flaw. That is not to say that the foals are never born with the same flaw but it lessens the chances.

It is rare to find a horse that I would change nothing on.

I want them taller or shorter, pinto or solid, black or bay, longer or shorter backed, better moving, longer neck, nicer head, bigger eyed, homozygous tobiano, homozygous black, different breeding, blue eyed etc. etc. etc.

Everytime you add a trait you are breeding for you increase the difficulty to achieve the complete package, conformation AND color/pattern.

I agree with Milo's response. The success of a breeding program comes from taking what you have and knowing how to find the "nick" to make the foal excel.

Knowing what you can do with your stallion or mare can take years to find out.

 

[Poodlepill]

I like this topic and is educational to see pictures with the explanations

 

[MindyLee]

I like this topic and is educational to see pictures with the explanations

I have to agree with you too. I know there is no such thing as a "perfect horse" but I am barn blind with a couple of mine and just wanted to see what others have also standing in their back yard as well. It gives me an ideal what to look at with my own minis when it comes to their conformation.

Thanks