# Tips for Stock Type Halter Please!



## gamingirl22 (Aug 1, 2011)

Hi, just wondering what are some good tips for Stock Type Halter classes. My horse and I do not place very well (if you could please look at my horses and see Mistle, the American Quarter Horse, that is the horse I use for halter classes). She has very nice muscles and is in great shape! She sets up well and has her head nice and level with her body while we walk and trot for the judge. She stands great in the line-up and I just don't understand. Can someone please help us? Thank you!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

We need pics.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I think she's a nice looking mare. Have you received any feedback from the judges? and how do the horses that you are competing against compare? If the judges are looking for the "classic" QH halter body, I think you still need a lot more muscle bulk and definition. Perhaps compare to our halter mare (Impressive line Paint)...


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Halter is (or should be) about conformation, NOT muscle. A halter horse should be correct for the breed/type. 

Could you post pictures of your mare set up on the thread so we can see her? A lot of us are on mobile devices and can't go to a member's barn to view pictures.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^True, but unfortunately, that's not what wins. 

Here is the OP's picture for anyone looking.









OP, I'm not in any position to tell you what you might be doing wrong or if you are doing anything wrong because I don't really understand the halter horse world. I don't know what you're competing against. My best suggestion is that, next time, you approach the judge afterward and ask for a critique. Ask what you can do to do better.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Halter is (or should be) about conformation, NOT muscle. A halter horse should be correct for the breed/type.


True, but "ideal" muscling is part of the conformation, and in the QH world it is an important part of the breed "standard". If you go to the AQHA website and search on "judging halter", there is an excellent article about how QHs should be judged for halter.


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## BugZapper89 (Jun 30, 2014)

The horse is NOT a breed level halter horse. It may get the job done at the local or 4H level, depending on what else is out there. We have 3 world caliber, PROVEN world show winners that show in our 4H. That is all they do, come in for halter and leave, which is fine. You may be able to bump yourself up a place or two, if you stand the horse up like a halter horse and not a SMS class. In the picture provided, you have SMS stand, for halter it's heads up , neck stretched. In my opinion, enjoy your riding horse and be happy that you get a piece of the action in halter.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

Your horse is pleasant enough to look at, but she is not a Halter horse - I see some conformation faults (not so bad as to affect her usability but they just don't represent the "ideal" QH) and she has light muscling. Showing her against horses with worse conformation is the only way to surely place higher. If you're paying all day rates rather than individual class fees, I'd continue showing the class for fun, experience, and as vehicle towards all around awards. 

I'd hope you can enjoy your sweet looking girl for what she is and accept that she may not be a Champion halter horse (which is not necessarily a bad thing - many people prefer a horse they can use, where many halter horses can merely stand and look pretty!)


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Glaring fault, horse stands under in the hind legs. A vertical line should run from point of hip, hock and fetlock. The OP and horse are very nicely turned out so can't fault her on that.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

gamingirl22 said:


> Hi, just wondering what are some good tips for Stock Type Halter classes. My horse and I do not place very well (if you could please look at my horses and see Mistle, the American Quarter Horse, that is the horse I use for halter classes). She has very nice muscles and is in great shape! She sets up well and has her head nice and level with her body while we walk and trot for the judge. She stands great in the line-up and I just don't understand. Can someone please help us? Thank you!


I agree with the others in that, after a class you should ask one of the judges for feedback on your horse. 

Of course, I don't know what horses you are being judged against, but looking at the picture of your horse, I don't see a halter-winner. The body is not in perfect proportion (back seems a tad bit long), hind legs are set underneath her body, hindquarters should be more "rounded", and overall for a halter horse I would expect larger muscling. 

Of course you can't change the conformation your horse was born with. :wink: 

If you like to show, you can always try to do more Showmanship classes where the conformation of the horse doesn't matter; just your performance on completing the patterns.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

The halter I see are heavier muscled, and the necks sets a tad higher . You should try the 
showmanship class. She is a cute horse, but she is either sickle hocked or stood that way.


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