CRITIQUE YOUR OWN HORSE

[susanne]

In keeping with lyn's post, please post photos of your own horses and give us your own critique.... tell us what you like and dislike. All horses are wlecome, both show winners and pasture pets, those who have put horses up for critique and those who are shy...

Any responses/feedback as to the accuracy of the do-it-yourself-critique are welcome, as this will be especially educational.

I'll start out...as much as I love Mingus, I'm not blind to his faults. I'm still learning to apply all I've read on conformation to real-life, so I may miss a number of things.

Faults:

sloped croup and rather low tailset

needs more muscle definition in both hip and shoulders

back is a bit long.

neck could be longer

needs to hold his neck so as to avoid the under-neck bulge

needs neck sweating -- a bit fatty at the throat latch

neck ties in to chest just a bit low

head is a bit large

tooth bumps

distance from eye to muzzle too long for many tastes, but I like this

distance from knee and hock down is longer in relation to knee and hock up is longer than most...I think his trot would be nicer if he had more upper leg

although his legs are straight, he has a habit of standing crooked...I think due to hoof neglect as a yearling. As he muscles up, this is less of a problem

occasional buttheadedness

Strong points:

shoulder angle

neck ties nicely into shoulder

nice neck shape

good butt, even though it could use more muscle

legs (he rivals a Las Vegas showgirl)

overall impression

"big horse" look/Shetland look

incredible coat -- color and shine

beautiful wide-set, almond eyes

strong jaw/wedge-shaped head

expression, which can go from sweet and innocent to hawklike superiority

attitude, ego and love of showing off -- arrogance

I would love to hear suggestions on ways to emphasize his strengths and downplay his weaknesses, and what you would do to improve his show prospects if this were your horse (even things that you know I won't do, LOL!)

Edited to say:

I can definitely take any and all comments. Please be completely honest. Thank you!

 

[Frankie]

I don't do these, leave that to others.

But I just had to say,

in the last picture:

NEVER have I seen a horse look so dang good half clipped. Who ever did it, did a good job, but it takes a good horse to do that with.

Well, for good measure:

I think he has wonderful overall bone and body structure. And I disagree with you, I do not think his neck sets too low.

jmo

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]I like the second and fourth pictures best. They show him off to his best. I also dont think his neck set is low especially in those two pics. I like Mingus and Im glad you got him registered to show. I think his head is a bit long and his ears a bit large. I love his eyes. He has a nice neck and when you get him to arch up and then out that thick underside is much less noticeable but dont pull him too high or you will get that turkey neck look. His coat is now and always has been phenominal. I love his legs and his sillouette even though his croup is not level and his tail set low he has a nice long hip that will be great driving for impulsion.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[susanne]

Thank you, Frankie...as to the clipping job in the last picture, I did his legs late, late the night before the show. After seeing what I had done, I was frantic and considered not showing him, but figured it was a clipping optional show and that I couldn't back out at the last minute -- I'm sure glad that I didn't!

And thank you, lyn...his ears are a bit long, especially when he holds them all catawompus!

 

[nootka]

Here is my mare, Lailah, as a yearling:

What I notice about her is that her neck could be longer and tied in a little higher. What you can't see is that she does have a decent throatlatch, but it does not have that "hook" that I crave. However, I find it pretty regularly on stallions so I don't feel that is a bad flaw, or rather it is not necessarily a flaw, but an aesthetic thing. That is where many people get hung up. A flaw is to me a conformational defect that has the potential to cause unsoundness and unsuitability for a certain task. A shortcoming might be what I would call something such as a "plain" vs. "dished" head, etc.

Also, her hind legs are somewhat sickle-hocked, and this is where she has what I would consider a slight defect.

She's also got a somewhat steep shoulder.

I do like her topline and her overall proportions. She is a big overweight in this pic.

Her head is not quite as refined as I'd like it though she has gorgeous, big eyes and long, black lashes. Her hears are cute and tippy and she just has the prettiest expression to make up for the lack of refinement in the head.

Her '05 and first filly is a pretty thing and very nicely reflects the best of both parents. The stallion was slightly heavier boned than she (another thing I almost dislike is her very tiny bones in comparison to her body size), and he has a long, gorgeous neck, he is absolutely correct in every way, has long legs, beautifully proportioned and a pretty head.

This is my best mare, I consider, though she has just begun producing for us.

I am really laying it out there for you all by putting her up. I have done so before, and am not afraid of critique. I realize that my "herd" have shortcomings, but again, no horses are perfect, and I feel I am on the way to my "dream" herd w/the ones I have, now. They have far more good points than bad, and for the most part, there is not a lot to my pedigrees as in World Champs, etc., but again, I'm working on that, too.

I will put up other of my horses as I have time. Matter of fact, I will do them all if I can get the time and everyone is not tired of seeing them already!

Liz M.

PS-feel free, anyone, to add to my own critiques and say what you do or don't like about them, or if you see any defects that I am missing. One thing I don't have is straight on shots and straight behind shots to show the tracking, etc., and I should work on that.

 

[Jess P]

This is my mare, Chantilly. I wish I had some better pics, but I don't right now. If you have any corrections/additions, please tell me. I am still learning. The second pic is older, I think in April, she seems in better shape since then.

Faults

I think she needs some conditioning, she gained a bit of weight, and I need to even that out with the rest of her body.

Her ears are a bit long

Her neck ties in low

Long face

Goose Rumped?

Longer back

Has a lazy leg that I need to reset whenever it pops up, I think it may be because she had a mild founder this spring, and that leg has been having a few problems lately.

I would like more muscle on her chest

Strong Points

Long neck

Clean throatlatch

Nice tailset

Straight legs

 

[Jess P]

This is Dusty. 32" 7 year old Gelding. He won his first halter class at his last show, out of 6 horses (I think it was). Feel free to add/correct anything

Faults:

Stockier type

Can look like a ewe neck due to muscle, it needs to be hidden correctly when I place him

Hind hoof splays out (Due to it being clipped wrong, we need to fix that)

A bit big butted

Strong points:

Nice muscling

Proportionate

short back

Has a chest to die for -loves it-

Neck ties in well

Straight legs

Nice tailset

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Jessica, I think that your mare is high in the rear because of her age not goose rumped. Goose Rump and good tail set dont go together. I like Chantilly. her neck isnt really tied in that low if you look the bottom line begins above where her shoulder starts.Her neck comes off her withers nicely. She looks very good to me in the first picture. She may be a bit sickle hocked and that is the lazy leg you are seeing. She has a nice sillouette and a very nice over all apperance. She is a bit longer in the back like my carbon but that is good on a broodmare, more baby room![/SIZE]

Liz I would love to see a current pic of this girl. The only things I see are esthetics too like the throatlatch and her chubbiness! I have one like her outside right now that I cant get a good pic of !

Lyn

 

[Jess P]

Thanks Lyn. Yeah, she is a bit sickle hocked, I just looked at my 4-H book and I noticed she looks a bit under, but not as bad as it shows in my 4-H book.

 

[mountain_waif]

....

 

[Jill]

Oh, I don't want to publicly and in print critique any of my horses but come spend an afternoon at my place. I have a way of telling my family and friends when they visit just what is wrong with all my horses, and luckily for me, they can't speak up and say what's wrong with me!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Other Jessica- I think you are mistaking a "tied in " neck for a ewe neck- no way is your gelding ewe necked but he is slightly (Slightly) tied in!!!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]I like his small muzzle and jibba (arab term) jaw line.. Clean throat latch I think....cant tell for all the mane and forelock! Thinning it out would help us see him. Legs good length for his body.[/SIZE]

Faults I see, Ewe neck . steep shoulder, steep hip, falling off croup and low tail set. Cant really tell about his back legs. I dont particularly see his joints as large it is I think his shading that makes you see that. I would also like to see a bit more leg under him. Is he an older horse? also is he blind in that eye that shows?

BTW Love that stone front on your house!

Lyn

 

[MooreAcres]

This was an accident, sorry...

 

[MooreAcres]

Here is my stallion, Chip.

(taken this last winter, so please excuse the woolies)

Faults...

1) Not the dishy, Arab-type head that is "in" these days (but I'm in love with it anyways!)

2) Neck is rather thick

3)Would rather trot, then really "trot" (meaning a flashy, extended trot)

4) More bone than most like

Strengths...

1) Gorgeous, well muscled, meant-for-driving butt

2) Long leg with enough bone to really pull that cart

3) Beautiful eyes that truely show his intelligence

*These pictures do not do this horse justice. Unfortunately I don't have any that do.*

My gelding, Tango.

Faults...

1) A tad long in the body for the length of his legs

2) Criss-crossed in the front when he walks

3) Swings out in the back when he walks

4) Necks a bit thick

5) Hindquarters aren't as defined as I would like

6) Head is a bit big for his overall appearence

Strengths...

1) Beautiful topline, as well as underline

2) Soft, yet mischievious eyes add to his pretty head (last picture does NOT show off his head nicely at all)

3) When he's in the mood to show off, he carries himself similar to an Arab

4) Very flashy, animated trot when he decides to show it off

*These pictures don't do this horse justice either, but I don't have any recent ones.*

Erin

 

[runamuk]

Just yell at me Susanne geez fine I will just go pick on my own horse all by myself wahhhhhh

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I really like the horses with "longer ears" like Mingus and Chantilly. Little foxy ears are adorable, but honestly if you're going for that big horse look having some length to the legs and having ears that do not disappear in the forelock help a lot.

I also love the longer heads, bigger boned legs, and nicely sloped butts that can actually coil under and give some impulsion. Maybe I'm just crazy! LOL. Now don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily own what I like in the specifics. I always look at temperment (sp? that doesn't look right at 4AM) first, movement second, overall impression third and then the fine points. But then again I've never gone properly horse shopping in my life.

I was just a kid when my mom and I bought Spyderman and our sole requirements were "healthy, kid-safe, and will canter if my tiny child asks him to."

He was the first to pass all three so we bought him. The fact that he was gorgeous, a registered Arabian with nice bloodlines, well-trained, etc. was all gravy. Our mini just sort of fell into our hands; we weren't looking. So what you see in my barn is not necessarily my ideal horse! Of course there's at least some things I like about each one or they wouldn't have come home with us.

Anyway...Susanne, I think Mingus would really benefit from some driving training. If you aren't ready to drive, that's fine. Roundpen him with sliding sidereins on so that he learns to stretch his topline downwards and strengthens the muscles in the top of his neck instead of the bottom. That would help a lot with that bulge you mentioned. I think most of his problem is improper use of his neck, not poor shape. I love that boy!

Nicole, I second the motion to trim Eclipse's mane. I bet it's hot in this heat and it looks like his crest has broken from the weight. I'd like to see the neck he's probably hiding under there.

Let the old boy lighten up a little!

Thanks for the posts folks, this is an interesting thread.

Leia

 

[Peggy]

I'll add that this is interesting and I am learning a lot. Wow, Lyn, how did you know the horse might be blind? You're impressive too. I think all of your horses are beautiful and flawless. But I have learned so much from your evaluations. I guess I see with my heart and not my eyes. That's what I tell my husband and he likes to hear it.

Lyn, I was thinking the same thing about that stone.

 

[susanne]

Just yell at me Susanne geez fine I will just go pick on my own horse all by myself wahhhhhh

 

 

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Hehe, Rori...I looked at my header for this thread and thought, hmm...that certainly could be misinterpreted!

Leia, thank you for the comments about Mingus -- we're going to start on groundwork here very soon...just need to get a bit and bridle, and hopefully a surcingle.

 

[Jess P]

Other Jessica- I think you are mistaking a "tied in " neck for a ewe neck- no way is your gelding ewe necked but he is slightly (Slightly) tied in!!!

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Oh yeah, thats what I meant, thanks for correcting me.