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KanoasDestiny

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I'm just curious why it's desired for miniatures to have a flat - level topline, when sheltlands seem to be accepted as more butt-high?
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Where in the Rulebook do you see that Shetlands need to be butt-high? Generally Shetlands have a shorter, flatter croup than minis that I've noticed...

Also, Shetlands have a greater emphasis on movement than conformation, so minis can get away with weird toplines if it's aesthetically pleasing even if it sacrifices movement. Shetlands cannot get away with that because they are worked on the rail individually to showcase their trots.

Andrea
 
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Sorry, I never saw it in a rule book. I just notice sometimes in people's pictures, that their shetland horses look waaaay butt-high, and people are always complimenting them on how wonderful the horse is. I just assumed it was more sought after in the bigger horses and was wondering why then it's a conformational flaw in minis?
 
Hmm I dont remember seeing a lot of butt high shetlands?? Remember too there are different divisions of shetlands and they all are different. Foundation, Classic, Modern Pleasure, Modern.
 
It's kind of hard to explain, but like when the horse is standing stretched with his legs way out behind him, and he has a good size rump. You know that when the horse stands square and brings his legs up under him, his rump is going to go even higher. Does that make sense??? Maybe it's just me.
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I dont think the shetlands are at all butt high, now yes that will depend upon horse to horse but ...most of the shetlands i have seen have nice level toplines and pretty croups with higher tailsets ...i have seen very few butt high shetlands ...now some of the foundations but me a bit more rounded on the rear but i dont know if i would call that butt high.
 
Actually part of the purpose of parking them out so far is to make them appear more "uphill" where the withers are actually higher than the croup.

I haven't noted too much of a difference other than that, that the pony is actually downhill when standing normally. Otherwise the Shetland wouldn't be noted for moving as well as it does, and front-end action is prized. You can't have a lot of front-end action with a downhill horse, nor the high collected headset that they want.

And in the Modern Shetlands (hackney type) when they are broke to cart, they want them to drop their backs to enhance that front-end action. This might change the appearance of the topline, too.

Andrea
 
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It's kind of hard to explain, but like when the horse is standing stretched with his legs way out behind him, and he has a good size rump. You know that when the horse stands square and brings his legs up under him, his rump is going to go even higher. Does that make sense??? Maybe it's just me.
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He's better have a good sized rump or he won't look like he has one at all once stretched.
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If you watch my avatar you'll see a picture of my sabino Modern HOF Shetland stallion parked out. It's shows his near side so you can see that the high point of his wither is in the picture is probably 5 inches higher than his rump. Guess what - standing square his rump is still 2 inches lower than his withers! :D Even my Foundation ponies are higher at the wither than at the butt when standing square but boy can they level out if they are stretched!
 
If you watch my avatar you'll see a picture of my sabino Modern HOF Shetland stallion parked out.
And a nice looking example too
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I have seen a lot of what you are talking about and I think the reality is there is just as many poorly bred Shetland's as there are minis.

Not all Shetlands are bred or known for their amazing movement. In fact the reality is foundation and Classic Shetland are really just larger versions of most of our minis. From what I have seen movement on the rail in the Foundation and Classic division counts in halter about as much as movement in halter with the minis. Of course different judges value different things however it is not a be all end all from what I have seen. In fact I have seen many beautiful ponies who are very average movers do amazing in the halter show ring. Many horses can easily cross over from Foundation or Classic to Mini and do well and fit in both the ASPC or AMHR ring. Just goes to show how truly similar they are in many cases.

This whole thing of Shetland Miniatures being something new and fantastic is simply not true. The only thing new in the past few years is that people are now admitting, proud of or keeping the Shetland papers. The whole thing of Shetland breeders being so much more discriminating them Mini breeders again not true. Just like anything there is good and bad and plenty of in-between.

I do think many Shetlands tend to actually have withers which might be what you are seeing as different about the top line.
 

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