My month old baby... *Better pics added pg 2*

[Calekio]

When litte locket was born we were worried he might have been a minimal dwarf due to the bent front legs and undershot jaw.

Now... we still have those problems... the legs do seem to be coming a little bit strighter... however i'm not worried he's too stright up on those hind legs.... and the jaw is still out but about a cm now however doesn't effect him in the slightest bit!

However... from the rest of him... i don't think he is a true miniamal dwarf... just a few confirmation faults..

However.. with no real experiance of dwarfs... i could be wrong..

 

[Genie]

I am not an expert and from the photos I think he's a doll.

 

[Baydreamfarms]

I don't know a lot on dwarfs, but I do see a cute foal with a few conformation flaws. His hind end does appear to be to far behind his body, not sure the technical term. And he is still over in the knee, hopefully that will still have time to straighten up. He looks proportional and seems to be growing at a normal rate so I wouldn't think he was a dwarf, but again I'm not even close to an expert and would like to hear what others say.

He is cute and I love his markings!!

 

[LisaF.]

I just want to say I am not an expert at all. His legs bother me a little in the second picture from the bottom. I honestly don't know, but if I had to choose I would say he isn't a dwarf.

What I would like to say is he is a doll. I love black and white pintos.

I also would like to say - I think this is what we NEED if we are curious if we have a dwarf or not - we can post and ask opinions. So, I love how you are OPEN about it.

I look forward in seeing reply's from more experienced people than me.

 

[hahler]

Ive seen lots of colts that look like this and grow out of it

ive also seen jaws realign in time

im no expert either but with all the babies that i see ive seen worse that straighten out with time

dawn

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

There's quite a few foals that are born "over in the knees" like your fella, our long-legged black colt this year was, but no surprise with the legs he's got on him I'm sure they were tucked in there REALLY well:

He's 4 months old now and legs are great, I just made sure he had lots of room to run and stretch his legs early on, and like hahler said, many of these foals do grow out of it

As for looking dwarfy, he doesn't to me, but like others I don't have a lot of experience with dwarfs, only what I've read/seen here and researched on my own..

 

[minie812]

You can email John Eberth some pics and he will be able to help you. Side views-front and back and pic of the mouth. I had some concerns last year and he was kind enough to tell me not to worry...no dwarf just small...I think he is a doll.

 

[maestoso]

I don't see dwarf, just a foal who happens to have a bad bite and over at the knees. Not something I would breed, but not a dwarf.

Just my opinion....

 

[fancyappy]

Does not neccessarly look like a dwarf to me but I am no expert. I am also interested to hear the experts opinions on this.Thank you for posting your question so that we all can learn more about this subject.

But I tend to agree that many foals mature into much better looking yearlings.And those yearlings look terrible again at two...lol... Many minor confirmation problems disappear with time as the horse matures.

Regardless your little guy is truly adorable with beautiful markings.

 

[bingo]

I certainly do not think conformation issues disappear as foals go into their yearling year or from yearling to maturity.

Of course some unfolding of a new foal does help so it was not truly a conformation issue IMO

I do not think the above foal is a dwarf since you posted the question I do think he has some conformation issues.

 

[Calekio]

Thanks for the advice. Locket is the first foal born here who hasn't had perfect confirmation, and since both parents have perfect confirmation and all there foals have... this is the first time we crossed these 2 together... so were a bit shocked when he came out... not perfect, but we love him all the same and he is just the most adorable little boy... will of course be gelded and we don't intend to put the pair together again, just incase we get the same result.

Hoping to get some better pics of him when it stops raining... but being a foal who loves people... that requires him to stand still! lol

I'm sure once in the life of a breeder we all will get a foal who isn't quite perfect.... this is the first time we've had one like this but i'm not making a point of hiding him and if he can educate other breeders great, we actually plan to use him as a therpy pony when he's older.. he'll join the team of our rescue geldings who do all that work.

 

[bingo]

Thanks for the advice. Locket is the first foal born here who hasn't had perfect confirmation, and since both parents have perfect confirmation and all there foals have...

Not trying to be rude so please do not take it this way but I have yet to see a horse who has *perfect* conformation, let alone several!

Of course every breeder has those foals that were less then expected that is just part of breeding. Gelding and enjoying him is surely doing the responsible thing.

 

[Calekio]

Ok well maybe perfect was the wrong word... but certainly good confirmation enough to be bred from and shown.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I thought that he had dwarf characteristics when he was born, and I actually think they are more accentuated now than they were at birth.

So, yes, to me, I do think he may be a minimal dwarf.

I can't see anything there that would prevent him living a normal life as a well loved pet, though.

What is his mouth like now?

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm probably totally wrong about this so please feel free to disregard my opinion. It wouldn't be the first time someone did!

First, I think your little guy is a doll and I don't see anything that would make his life one of pain or difficulties, assuming the bite issue still allows him to bite and chew properly. The other thing I would watch are his knees. They looked at birth and still look to be somewhat deformed (larger than what you'd expect for the rest of the leg, over at the knee). To me, when I looked at the very first picture I thought "dwarf" and honestly still do. If you look at his front legs (in the most recent pictures) his cannon bones are so very short for the upper part of his leg. His back is pretty darn long for such a young one. Usually their backs are shorter in the beginning and the "long in the back" stuff doesn't show up until they're older. For him, he's really going to have a long back by the time he matures. And of course the bite thing. For me, the 7th picture in the post is what confirms it for me.

Just my opinion. I REALLY appreciate you showing pictures and asking the question. It shows you have integrity in your breeding program and you want to improve it.

 

[Calekio]

In my opinion it makes no differance to me if he is or isn't it dwarf... its just one thing i'd like to know really.... anything i can do to make his life more easier i will do (we already have one rescued minimal dwarf gelding so 2 wouldn't be a huge problem)

His bite has improved very slightly, but is still quite out... his top teeth come down just after the point of his bottom teeth (if that makes sense), certainly isn't causing his any problems with grazing, suckling or picking at mum's hard food now.

The knee's yes are one other thing i'm watching.. and his hocks... his hocks to me look a lot bigger than they should be... but again... doesn't cause him problems galloping round the field and playing like a normal little foal.

Will get some better pictures as well as pictures of his bite (i took some but they are all blurred)

 

[Calekio]

Some pictures taken today.

Also to add aren't dwarfs normally small... as this chap is a normal sized foal....?

 

[Calekio]

Upping to for opinions.

 

[ozymandias]

I don't think he's a dwarf at all. I think he's a cute little guy who's going to make someone a great pet. He's got some conformation faults but it doesn't make him a dwarf IMO. I'm also betting his bite comes back on a bit more than it is now as he ages but if you are going to sell him - make sure the new owners are prepared to give him good dental care.

 

[Ashley]

He dont look dwarf to me, but for sure has some faults