Head Hunters

[SampleMM]

I am curious which bloodlines you think produce the pretty heads. I like nice movement and outstanding conformation but I also think the horse should have a beautiful head.

I look forward to reading your responses.

 

[kaykay]

I think probably some of the nicest heads I have seen are on horses with Arenosa bloodlines. I think that producing a beautiful head is probably one of the harder challenges of breeding. So many times you can have a beautifully headed horse but they dont produce it or dont produce it consistently. And then I have seen plain headed horses produce outstanding heads on certain crosses. I will say Getitias stallion Lee is probably the most consistent stallion I have ever known for producing small beautiful heads.

On our place our beautiful head producer is HP Jerichos Peaceable Star. Heres a bad headshot of star and her filly

 

[Minimor]

I have to say the Rowbucks of Lucky Hart--I love the heads on those horses! And, they do pass on their pretty heads--our stallion Ice Man is out of a Rowbuck mare and we are seeing the same sort of heads on many of his foals.

 

[targetsmom]

Of course this is just my opinion, but I think Blue Boy bloodlines can produce lovely heads AND nice movement (and good conformation too). I am sure not going to disagree with Minimor, because we like nice heads and are combining Blue Boy, Rowdy and Buckeroo bloodlines.

ETA: the gray mare in my avatar has Blue Boy and Rowdy blood and the foal adds Buckeroo to that mix.

 

[Jill]

I think these days, really, in all the popular bloodlines, you can find examples of gorgeous heads. You can also find some rather plain examples, and some ugly ones, too

What I think is pretty when it comes to miniature horse's heads is a short head, refined muzzle, and large eyes. I also like to be able to tell by the face if it's a "boy" or a "girl"

In my own herd, DunIT has put gorgeous heads on all his foals. DunIT's likes are BTU, Yellow Diamond Little Feather and EK. His foals are also very necky and upright, which I like even more than a pretty head

Some examples of what I think our our prettiest headed horses, and their line...

DunIT, mentioned above:

Some a couple of DunIT's get:

Destiny, a grandon of both Buck Echo and Double Destiny:

Hope, a daughter of Cross Country's Rowdys Reflection (Rowdy Lines):

A BTU granddaughter, Double, with a short beautiful head:

Heavily Buckeroo bred fillies with gorgeous, short heads (all out of BTU Mares, first two sired by Destiny and the third by Big City, Erica's Buckeroo son):

 

[MindyLee]

Older lines like Komokos, GMB, & King Supreme. My King Supreme son has a beautiful head and the same way for my other stallion Bobby who is Komokos/GMB/Johnstons and my little Misty mare who is Komokos. All 3 have really dishy heads with nice big doe eyes.

 

[Leeana]

I have always liked the refinement the EK lines put on the ground with really nice arabian type ears, apart from that i like the Buck Echo and BTU line for heads too.

 

[Margaret]

Hi Debbie, You have some real pretty heads on your horses from what I just saw at your site.

We also breed for conformation and pretty heads.

I tend to favor the Buckaroo type head if I'm looking.

But sometimes a certain breeding can produce a nice head.

Here is a 2 month old colt out of my stallion and a friends mare.

 

[cretahillsgal]

I like the buckeroo lins.

I own a colt by Little Kings Boogie Buckeroo (owned by Triple K) and out of a BTU mare. This colt has the type of head that I prefer. Short, tiny muzzle, large wideset eyes. And his sire is pretty consistent in putting nice heads on his get.

 

[Riverdance]

Often pretty heads are in the eyes of the beholder. What one person thinks is a pretty head, another will think is awful. Some people like the pony head, some like the "Arabian" head.

Some think certain lines produce pretty heads, others think those lines have clunker heads.

What seems to be winning in the AMHA showring are heads that have a little lenght of muzzle, but not too much. A more teacup size muzzle. They want a dish, a broader forehead with decent width between the eyes and large doe eyes. They should also have a bit of a jowl, but again, not too much.

There are some lines more prone to producing this type of head, but still, I have seen some beautiful horses win that did not have the greatest of heads. I have also seen horses win on their heads alone.

Coming from the dog show world, I used to breed Collies years ago, heads were the most important thing with that breed. We always said that a 3 legged Collie could win if it had a beautiful head. Needless to say, I became a head freak.

From dogs I went into Morgans, and my Morgans had to have a beautiful head. (many do have clasically beautiful heads) Then into Minis. I still have to have a beautiful head and most of my horses do. I never did like Quarterhorses because to me, they have clunker heads. Others will say they love a Quarterhorse head.

The lines I happen to like for heads are Little King Santana Supreme, though he could throw as ugly a head as he could a pretty one, so I would hand pick each of my horses out of him.(if you got one with the pretty head, they will produce it almost every time) Some Blue Boy mares, though many are more on the coarse side. First Knight horses for the most part, have outstanding heads.

This is just my preference.

I have a filly now who is double Santana who has a head to die for. She has been doing very well in the show ring too and I have had quite a few compliments on her head.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Pretty heads are like icing on the cake!!!

Come to our website and see the pretty faces on our conformationally correct and performance bound horses! Our mare Lady puts a beautiful head on her foals as does our stallion Mack, a Rhoten's Dandy grandson. I like a beautiful soft eye too!!!

 

[icspots]

As Riverdance said, it is all in the eye of the beholder, but honestly has anybody looked at a QH Halter horse lately? They are a far cry from the clunky foundation look that so many equate with QH. I'm not a shetland gal, but if I were, I would beeline down to Rhapsody shetlands for a pretty head, don't know what they are doing but they've got it really goin' on! First Knight horses, be pretty hard pressed to find a bad head, and a line that I think originated in Canada, Sheep Meadow Whiz, there's a guy in MN with a lot of that line, and whatever else his horses might be, I don't think ANYBODY will say Jerry produces an ugly head, and of course that is in Billy Idol's breeding as well. I also like alot of the Blue Boy breeding. I've got some really pretty headed King Supreme breeding, but if you look at a pic of the old man himself, I'm thinking you would have to give the credit to the other lines mixed in!

But again, we all like different things which I think makes life much more interesting

 

[SBrown]

I think our stallion, Thousand Oaks Sirs Lancelot (Cross Countrys Call Me Sir x Lazy N Red Boy x Rowdy) has one a very pretty head and passes it on to his offspring. There are many examples on my website but here is Lancelot

and some of his foals............

 

[Miniequine]

Here is what L&D Scout/Billy Idol blood lines cross and Magic Man/L&D Scout-Call me Sir bloodlines cross has produced for me this year. I LOVE pretty heads and necks~!

Some of my favorites.. L&D Scout, First Knight ANYTHING!, Pharoah, ..

Excuse the muddy, wet kids pics... it is HOT here today and they love being hosed down and rolling!

 

[Orkie]

I second the CC CALL ME SIR horses having gorgeous heads! I have a half brother to Thousand Oaks Sirs Lacelot and he puts his heads right on the foals. No guessing to who the foals belong to.

 

[sdmini]

I am always reminded on the differences of perspective when I come here. There are some lines listed here that I like but would never say they had "good heads".

There are also a lot of lines here I really do think have exceptional heads. Again it's not that one's opinion is right or wrong but just remarking on how we all see things different.

Here is a colt that I think is a head hunters colt. He has a huge eye and dishy face, which is my perspective on what a "head hunters" head looks like. This colt is a First Knight bred horse and his head reminds me of what QH halter horses look like these days.

Here is a QH halter head, I'd take it any day of the week.

 

[kayla221444]

I think some buckeroo crosses make BEAUTIFUL heads, With Janet Hays, Buckeroo comin thru

(at windemere minis) having one of the prettiest buckeroo heads, that CONSISTANTLY passes it on in his foals, just take a look at her website. I have also seen alot of foals at alliance miniatures with the beautiful head, alot of billy idol foals have outstanding heads as well.