# Quarter Horse Critique



## RiskyFilly (Oct 15, 2011)

Hello all! This is Special our 9 year old Quarter Horse gelding and he is just starting his barrel career. I was wondering if you guys could see anything that may be a "weakness" to watch out for as we progress and get more serious in our endeavors. =]


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

I don't see anything to scream "run away" in regards to his structure, but right now he has a very cresty neck and looks quite chubby, so I would work on getting quite a bit of weight off of him before doing any hard work with him. It is also possible that he could be insulin resistant.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'm not seeing that as a crests neck. Photo is not all that clear, though.

The issue I see is that he's not in MY barn!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

This is a very nice horse too. Looks like he has a great shoulder for a Quarterhorse with the point of shoulder set adequately high and the shoulder laid back. I would like a little more bone and a little lower wither.. I think he is going to be a hard saddle fit and with barrel racing be careful of that.. bruised withers from a poor saddle fit will make for bad training and bad runs. 

If anything he is a little light on bone. I wonder if he is not more suited for some of the AQHA English events such as hunter over fences etc. Looks to have some Thoroughbred close up.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I repeat what TinyLiny said!


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

I like him. He is very thick and stout looking. His pasterns are short and he looks like he's heavy on the forehand. Overall, he looks very nice.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

RiskyFilly said:


> Hello all! This is Special our 9 year old Quarter Horse gelding and he is just starting his barrel career. I was wondering if you guys could see anything that may be a "weakness" to watch out for as we progress and get more serious in our endeavors. =]


I concur with Elana...love a lot about this horse. I don't see an overweight horse at all, I see a very fit horse who naturally carries a lot of muscle. Love the deep heart girth in this guy and his shorter back. He ALMOST looks like he's heavier up front than the back, but it's because he's narrow in his loin connection. But I love the condition he's in...wouldn't change a thing. What's his breeding?


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

I see a giant screaming flaw. WHY AM I NOT ON THIS HORSE lol


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

it's wrong, wrong wrong! that horse just should be mine!


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## RiskyFilly (Oct 15, 2011)

Thanks guys! Glad to know I'm not the only one who likes him. You know how a mother can be blinded by love and think their baby is beautiful even though...well yeah.

Special is out of my old show mare and by  This guy. I had always wanted a Special Effort baby and my dad knew the owner of this stallion. 

My dad had fun with his name like he does with all our horses, so his registered name is Special Sum Beech. Full Pedigree


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

NICE pedigree. I remember Special Effort. Loved him and thought about breeding a race bred mare I owned to him (if I could have shipped her.. since Special Effort stud a LONG way from NY).

It is good to know that I still have an eye for a good (race bred) horse.. and this gelding is a good horse.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I'd like to see his hocks slightly lower to the ground, and I would like to see slightly better bone in his legs. Shoulder is a teeny bit steep. His withers seem to be set back a bit which will make saddle fitting a little tricky. 

Overall, a nice looking horse. I'd love having him at my place.

Just make sure he's at least got yearly vet checks and yearly chiro checks; more frequent if a problem is ever detected. Barrel horses are notoriously hard on their hocks, stifles, and backs.


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## RiskyFilly (Oct 15, 2011)

@Elana - I had a sobbing fit when I heard Special Effort had passed. Typically I do not have much feeling for 'celebrity' horses when they pass but I have always loved Special Effort.

@beau159 - 110% agree on the check ups. I will be there anyway for vaccinations so really nothing out of my way.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Now that is settled.. MORE PICTURES PLEASE!!!!!


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## RiskyFilly (Oct 15, 2011)

Elana said:


> Now that is settled.. MORE PICTURES PLEASE!!!!!


And in that moment I realized...I don't have very many pictures of Mr. Special...I do have random ones. Feel free to critique if you please...except the little boy. It was his second time riding so I would prefer to get heat than him.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

The more I see of this horse the more I like him. Then you put a kid on him and it looks like he is being a perfect Gentleman. 

You got a winner there.. whether he runs barrels and wins money or not!


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## RiskyFilly (Oct 15, 2011)

He's had people on him from 2 years old to 80 and it's quite amusing when he has a novice rider. Generally he has a very long stride, he can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time but when he feels his rider is a beginner he takes the tinniest little baby steps. 

I'm just thrilled that I also have his 3 year old brother as well, so when my younger siblings steal Special I have a back up horse. =D


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