# Then vs Now



## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

Pretty mare. The only difference I see isn't conformational, of course, but is a weight change. I'd get her back up to the weight she was at 7 years old, shes lost a few pounds and she should be up where she was. Her weight, muscling and color were all better in the first photo IMO.


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## Deerly (Apr 18, 2010)

Aww I love seeing a horse 10 years later! I am keeping an obsessive record of my horse's life I hope I can look back on these photos in 10 years and he is still with me plugging away =D

She is standing much more squarely in the 1st picture so that makes it a little hard but I think i agree with New_Image. I wouldn't necessarily say she is "too skinny" now or anything but she looks under muscled. It may just be the pictures but her butt looks too small now to match the rest of her. 

This could also be the picture but is she sort of bow-legged in the back now? My horse has a little bit of that going on with him so it stands out to me


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Lol, I guess it's mostly her training that we've come so far along in. She'd been trained in dressage when we got her, but in a style following more of the rolkur methodology (I know, yuck). It made her very spooky by nature because she often couldn't "see" with her head that low and she also felt very unbalanced. After years of retraining we've finally come far enough that she's calm for almost every ride. (You may notice in the first pic she has a chain and looks a little more alert. In the others, no chain, loose lead and a casual sort of pose. ^_^)

She's always been a challenge to keep weight on. She's out on pasture all day, but has parrot mouth and doesn't get as much grass as she might otherwise. She's also given 2-3 flakes of hay morning and evening, accompanied by her supplements and alfalfa pellets. I think part of the reason she looks skinnier in the newer pics is because she's bleached by the sun and it makes her ribs look a little more obvious. If you look really hard at the first pic, her ribs are also faintly visible despite the darker coat.

Maybe I ought to try getting her to stand a bit more square and not so stretched out when I take another picture. I almost feel like she'd look pretty much the same in both pictures if she were positioned just so. I dunno.


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

New_image said:


> Pretty mare. The only difference I see isn't conformational, of course, but is a weight change. I'd get her back up to the weight she was at 7 years old, shes lost a few pounds and she should be up where she was. Her weight, muscling and color were all better in the first photo IMO.


This is pretty much exactly what I would have said! 

But I have to note, she has the EXACT same markings as my gelding. :shock: Well, except switch the leg the front sock is on! But otherwise, crazy ironic.


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## mliponoga (Jul 24, 2010)

I agree, she doesn't look like she's lost a ton of weight, but it looks as though she's lost muscle in her neck and hind end. I would try switching up her work out plan a little more. IMO the best way to do so is with both hill work and more backing up.


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## MissPhoebe (Jul 13, 2010)

She looks pretty much the same to me except for a little bit of sun bleaching. I think her neck and butt do look less muscled/smaller in the last two pics but I think it's just that the photos are deceiving. If her neck would have been stretched out in the first one I think it would have looked the exact same because even though she is holding it high in the first if you look closely it still looks ewe/thin at the top. Also if her feet would be squared up in the back in the last two I think the rump would be pretty much even to where it was 10 years ago.

I hope you are not upset that she doesn't look different. I think it is phenomenal!! To be 17 years old and look the same as she was at 7 speaks volumes about the level of care you have provided for her  Good job!!!


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## Icarus13 (Jun 28, 2010)

i think she looks pretty good, by the looks of the first picture she looks perhaps a bit straight in the stifle, and if thats the case she's definitely come up well underneath herself considering the two following pictures where shes standing well underneath herself.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

You're right... I hadn't even caught on to that! I don't know whether it's just a fluke of the way she was standing at the time or an actual sign of improvement.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

To be honest with you, I don't see a big difference. I almost like the first picture better. Weight wise she was doing better in the first picture, but the difference is very little. Diet wise you're doing fine, but it's a better exercise program she can use.

You need to set up a good riding routine, something you will regularly and help her build a top line, help her learn how to carry herself. That in turn will help you become an even better as a rider, but also improve your communication as a horse rider combination. You currently taking riding lessons? getting a coach involved for a few rides, might be a really good option to get you both going on the right foot.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

She looks better in the first picture - weight and muscling are a better.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep, we've been taking lessons with a very well recognized dressage instructor. She's turned out all day and is ridden about 3-4 times a week. Believe it or not, she has improved tremendously in terms of how she moves under saddle. She used to sort of careen out of control and lean very heavily on the forehand, but now she's typically very well balanced. She performs walk pirouette, leg yield, half pass, renvere, travere, and other such dressage movements very well. We can ask for a beautiful canter depart from a standstill, and she has become much lighter in the reins... so much so that we've recently begun work in a double bridle, which she has readily accepted.

There's not a huge visible difference, but the difference is definitely there when we get on her every day... so I think we are on the "right foot".


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## Icarus13 (Jun 28, 2010)

I almost feel like everyone is forgetting the rather large time frame these two pictures were taken. Considering the horse is 16 or however old you said, i think she looks incredible.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I saw the time frame. I just like the muscling and weight of the younger model. I think the horse 'now' could benefit from more muscling but I agree, horse looks nice.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Okay, let's try this. I'll shut up if you still think she doesn't look as good, but just tell me honestly. I went out yesterday and made her square up better and hold her head up a bit more (more similar to her pose in the first shot). She has also shed out some of her sunbleached coat and the "ribs" aren't so visible.

Was some of it just in the pose, or is she really less muscled and lacking a bit more weight?

7 year old:









17 year old:


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Eolith said:


> Yep, we've been taking lessons with a very well recognized dressage instructor. She's turned out all day and is ridden about 3-4 times a week. Believe it or not, she has improved tremendously in terms of how she moves under saddle. She used to sort of careen out of control and lean very heavily on the forehand, but now she's typically very well balanced. She performs walk pirouette, leg yield, half pass, renvere, travere, and other such dressage movements very well. We can ask for a beautiful canter depart from a standstill, and she has become much lighter in the reins... so much so that we've recently begun work in a double bridle, which she has readily accepted.
> 
> There's not a huge visible difference, but the difference is definitely there when we get on her every day... so I think we are on the "right foot".


It's wonderful hearing you are doing so well with her. Not that I doubt your judgement, but how well is she doing all those things you are describing? because a horse who can do all of the under saddle movements described above -very well and balanced- should also be showing a top line. Even if not a significant one, but should have one.

Again wonderful to hear she has made the improvements you describe.


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Maybe I'll get some shots of her doing her dressage deal sometime and you can decide how "well" she's doing them for yourself. I think she does them quite well myself, but I could be biased.

Did you see the second set of pics that I've just put up before your latest post? She's standing better... her non-existent topline may be more visible. >_< Haha, I know I'm pathetic. I'm trying not to be defensive or anything, but it is a little discouraging having no physical "proof" of how well she's doing after _ten years_ of love and labor! :lol:


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I think she has lost muscling. But maybe it's because of her age. Ten years is a long time.


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## Deerly (Apr 18, 2010)

Solon said:


> I think she has lost muscling. But maybe it's because of her age. Ten years is a long time.


Yeah - it might just be the natural aging progression. You can see the difference if you look at her neck, her butt and her shoulder. Even just compare the size of the muscle on her hind leg.

She doesn't look bad then OR now, she's a lovely horse! She just doesn't look "improved" but who would after 10 years of aging!

Edit: Don't be frustrated or discouraged! Just because physical muscles don't look much different or any better doesn't mean she isn't a completely different horse! Training and attitude won't show up in a conformation shot. I'm sure she's learned so much and has improved to be more flexible and is a much better dressage horse than before with your time and love and training! Those things don't show up in this sort of picture though - they do when you work with her


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Hey, I got less muscling than I had ten years ago!! It happens.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

she's seventeen! I would expect her to lose some muscling! She's cute, and maybe could gain a little weight, but looks healthy and happy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mliponoga (Jul 24, 2010)

I think she looks great still! Maybe could use a little more, but over a 10 year span is definitely still looking good. I hope my 6 year old looks that good in 10 years!!


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

I still agree on more muscle, the weight looks good though, IMHO.

That being said - age is not an excuse for no muscle. Jack is almost 19 years old, although you'd never know it, and he has some _serious_ muscling with a nice top line.


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## MeganAndPastick (Aug 9, 2010)

You gotta remember people that this horse is alot older now that in the first pic. She has obviously changed.


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