# Tb mares



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Is this an exersize in just wanting to learn how to judge conformation, or, are you actually horse shopping, and if so, for what purpose, and what is your own level of horse experience?


Are these mares all at one facility? jsut out of curiosity, why are you looking at off the track thoroughbreds?


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I like both the top two. Both have excellent fronts to them, the second better that the first. She is also deeper in the chest. 

Do not like either of the other two. 

Will go into more detail later.


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## Idyllic_equine (Nov 24, 2018)

tinyliny said:


> Is this an exersize in just wanting to learn how to judge conformation, or, are you actually horse shopping, and if so, for what purpose, and what is your own level of horse experience?
> 
> 
> Are these mares all at one facility? jsut out of curiosity, why are you looking at off the track thoroughbreds?


No. I don't want an OTTB, although I may be intrested in an unraced TB. These are all mares I saw on FB, I'm just trying to get a better idea of what to watch out for conformation wise. I'm 15 years old and just recently converted to English riding after riding western for 6 years. I'm used to strictly QH and paints, and TBs are built a lot differently. I've heard a lot of different things about the breed, but I guess it just depends on the horse as an individual?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Eryn Jones said:


> . I'm used to strictly QH and paints, and TBs are built a lot differently. I've heard a lot of different things about the breed, but I guess it just depends on the horse as an individual?


 Every horse should be judged as a individual same as people...they/we are not all the same.

Basics of what you look for are the same regardless of "breed"...
Certain breeds have certain traits, but structural build is nearly the same for all.
Where you may get differences is if you want a barrel horse you search for particular things, a jumper again particular things.
_But basic good conformation is the same to all. _
You need certain "markers" for a horse to be well put together, that is what does *not* change no matter what breed you are looking at.
As for saying Thoroughbreds are built a lot differently... :|
I could put a registered Quarter Horse in front of you and you would swear its a Thoroughbred by looks...only "the papers" tell the difference.
I could also put a Thoroughbred in front of you and you would swear you are looking at a Paint or a Quarter Horse by "looks"....again "the papers" tell the difference.
Some horses are "typey", they just look and scream at you their bloodline and pedigree...
There though are so many that could be any breed as no longer are horses cookie cutter in looks...

You don't buy a horse because of its papers, you buy a horse because it is a good match for your abilities and a build that favors your riding discipline needs.
There is a saying..._you can't ride papers_..........tis true!
When you start to look seriously for purchasing a riding partner, look at the animal...ride the animal...make a partnership with the animal...then if it has papers great, if not...the needs of you the rider are met with your new partner regardless of having papers or not.
If you're not showing a specific breed show circuit or intending to breed, honestly the papers don't mean anything but a dust collector if you display them in a frame. _jmo..._
Don't get me wrong, papers are nice to have, but it would_* not*_ be a factor preventing a sale if the horse was grade and met my needs._.actually, probably just saved me some $$._
:runninghorse2:...
_again, jmo..._


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## Idyllic_equine (Nov 24, 2018)

horselovinguy said:


> Eryn Jones said:
> 
> 
> > . I'm used to strictly QH and paints, and TBs are built a lot differently. I've heard a lot of different things about the breed, but I guess it just depends on the horse as an individual?
> ...


Thanks for explaining it to me, that makes sense. I found an unraced mare that is very sweet and willing, but does it appear she has a long/weak topline? Regardless of what I choose I'm getting a PPE done just to be safe. And I want to have my trainer help me get a feel for what I do and don't work with.


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## Idyllic_equine (Nov 24, 2018)

This mare


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_What about her?_
She's pretty and gray....

_What are you looking for us to tell you?_
If *you* want to learn what you see then you need to tell us so we can help you to see other things or to teach you that what you think you see is not a issue/problem.
There are many here who are fantastic at seeing and evaluating horseflesh presented but they need to know what you see so they can share their knowledge...and what you not see they teach you to look for.

I see 2 glaring, _jump out at me_, I want better pictures things at first glance...
Things a PPE would "lay to sleep", be a non-issue, or counsel you in future potential issue by a qualified vet if what I think I see is actually present...wow, a mouthful.
If you are not going this alone, then you must rely on your trainer you said was going to help, has a good eye for horseflesh.
And you must rely on a trusted vet to advise you on what they see, what tests reveal and what the future could hold since no one has the crystal ball.
:runninghorse2:....


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## AndalusianRobyn (Nov 27, 2017)

I am not a confo expert at this point and would love to be contradicted by someone!! Haha. But i'll tell you what I see. 

1) Possibly a bit tied in at the knee. Ok pillar of support. Okay neck emergence. Longer gaskin than I like. 

2) Humerus too short for my taste. Hard to tell from the grass but don't like the look of those front pasterns, too sloped. Good neck emergence. Again, longer gaskin than i'd like but that's TB's most of the time.

3) I like his shoulder for jumping. Standing a bit camped out, so based off this picture I'd say maybe a bit camped out. Can only work with what that particular picture says about the horse right? Wouldn't be suprised if he wasn't in a better picture but he might be. Looks to have okay pasterns but largely concealed by grass. A bit of a short neck but I personally don't mind that much. 

4) Too bad of a picture to see anything really. 

5) Love the bone, good pasterns. Strong haunches, good neck emergence, good pillar of support. Throat latch is concealed by shadow but might be a little bit roughly tied on for my taste. My favourite of the bunch though. 

Take mt analysis with a grain of salt though!


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## Idyllic_equine (Nov 24, 2018)

horselovinguy said:


> _What about her?_
> She's pretty and gray....
> 
> _What are you looking for us to tell you?_
> ...


Color isnt important for me. In the above I mentioned I thought she had a long topline. I was just wondering what people thought of her confo as a whole.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think it's a bit too much to ask people to do confo crits on FOUR horses , and then another. Can you pare it down a bit?


YOu are asking people to basically 'teach' you, right? I 'm up for one or two, but not five.


regarind the gray:










This horse's back is not long. YOu measure form behind the back edge of the wither, to the place where the 'spine' meets the hip. Compare this distance to the underside of the hrose, from the point of the chest (just in front of the front legs) back to where the underline disappears behind the hind legs. Is the underline longer than the topline? It should be markedly so. If so, then the back is not overly long.


this horse has a good sized wither. So, consider that when viewing the back length.


The gray has a big shoulder, and a nice angle, and a deep heart girth. Likely to have good endurance in terms of not getting out of breath.


Hip angle is a good mirro opposite of the shoulder angle, so that's good. Hind leg angles are good. Front is ok, BUT, the front leg has a rather long canon bone. Is this a BAD thing? h m m . . . . they say a short cannon bone is better.


Overall, a nicely built mare for hunter jumper. Would it be good for working cows? not as good as a nice, short QH. 



Is this helpful for you?


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## Idyllic_equine (Nov 24, 2018)

tinyliny said:


> I think it's a bit too much to ask people to do confo crits on FOUR horses , and then another. Can you pare it down a bit?
> 
> 
> YOu are asking people to basically 'teach' you, right? I 'm up for one or two, but not five.
> ...


Definitely! I was just wondering what people thought of her built overall compared to the others but was having a difficult time wording it.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

That last gray is the best of what you posted so far. She looks to have some scarring on her right hind which could or could not be a problem depending on whether the injury was to muscle or tendons or ligaments were involved. She has very short lips which can cause problems with bitting as in you really have to stretch them back for the bit to lay in the bars of the mouth. A small possibility she's slightly downhill although it looks like she may be standing on sloped ground. Without her being squared up in the hind it's about impossible to tell for sure so in person I would make sure she's not sickle hocked.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I like the gray mare but would like more pics front and rear and video of her moving. She is not too long in the back for her overall build. Very nice TB type to my eye. Particularly like her shoulder, length of croup, nice low hocks. 

Judging conformation is an art that is developed with a lot of practice simply looking at horses, most usefully while standing next to an expert willing to give you their lights. Photos are always sort of deceptive one way or another. 

A good way to start developing your eye is to compare the same things in different horses. For example, shoulder slopes, or cannon lengths, or balance back to front. Just work on one or two at a time, because there is so much to learn. Something that often happens to me is that I look for the big things and miss the finer details, especially in the legs and feet, which are practically their own study. Every eye has its weaknesses ... some people see a pretty head and neck, or a big muscular rear end, and stop right there. 

And always remember that "pretty is as pretty does" -- the best build in the world on an ill-trained, ill-tempered, or unsound horse won't do anyone any good. But it's a start!


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