# Critque Bravo - Standardbred



## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

This is Regal Lad - Aka Bravo.

Picked up this guy for a trial yesterday. He's gaited - which was a total surprise when i went to ask him to trot. Ha. 

12 years old ex racer and ex Amish cart horse. Pulled from the kill-pen in February emaciated, has gained a lot (too much); now just needs muscle. 15.2 and just a big brown love bug. Feet are due for a trim. 

Quiet, Quiet, Quiet on the ground with just enough pep under saddle to not be a dead head. Just going to use him as a trail horse.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

He's a beauty!!

Maybe slightly downhill and camped out behind, but the pictures aren't perfect.

He stands under himself in front, I'd be checking out a pain issue. Can't really see the front legs but something looks off- swollen fetlocks? May just be big boned there, he may be tied in under the knee too.

Neck is a little thin. Big head (love the Standardbreds )

Overall nicely built, nice color, super handsome guy.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I normally don't like the gaited look to a standy but this guy is HANDSOME. I agree that he is camped under in the front , I've seen lots of standys stand like that though.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I don't typically like standardbred's either, or TB's. I'm a stock horse person and I swore up and down my next horse was going to be black, or black with spots. But I saw him and had to try him out. He had the sweetest face in his sales ad and I couldn't resist at least giving him a shot.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I think he has a nice shoulder and his hip/haunches. I would watch his back as he looks like he might be a bit tricky to fit a saddle too. He looks lovely and welcome to the dark side (standardbred ownership).


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Personality always wins over color IMO. I had a friend who bought a green show horse over a broke one just because the thing was black. He ended up selling the horse because they never got along. Regretted it the whole time. Anyways, I really like him Drift. Even has a nice head on him


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yes, it's a bit big proportionally but very handsome. I have seen some..less handsome heads on standardbreds lol.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

His front fetlocks look swollen to me too but other than that I like him. Definitely worth it to go see him and if he seems sound then I would go the next step of having a vet check him out.


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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

He's super handsome. I've never much liked the look of standardbreds but he really is pretty (also there is something about his color that I like but I always love the colors others don't)


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I will try to get some better pictues in a few weeks when we build some muscle. His fetlocks do look swollen in pictures, but its his bone size.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

Ok! got some pictures of him standing square while I was giving him a bath. His front feet are on a slight incline but these are better than what I gave up there.







































It took 30 minutes for me to braid this mane. 











Poor guy has scars from his life of work all over. On the back of his withers, up and down his legs. Pin firing marks. I am going to have my vet take a look at him Wednesday to see if there is anything glaring wrong with him.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I'd imagine that would be hard wet!!

Be even more careful with saddle fit if he has scars there. He may be predisposed to dislike the saddle.

Yes his (front) fetlocks do look funky though he has good bone and feet, some horses just have big joints so as long as you don't notice anything funky I wouldn't worry about it.

He looks slightly sickle hocked in these, but he looked good before so he may just have the "wet and miserable butt tuck" going on making him look funky.

Still standing under in front.. very consistent. Get that checked out.

Maybe some swelling around tendons but I don't see the tied in under the knee, that part looks good.

His feet need TLC, may be related to how he's standing in front.

Provided he passes a vet check go for it. Definitely ask about the feet/standing under.

Still really like him  and handsome won't change.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

The scars on his back are from a harness rubbing, but yeah saddle fit is a little challenging. His top line is really lacking any muscle.

Farrier comes out August 6th, Other farrier comes out the 14th. So almost there! He's definitely due.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Wouldn't hurt to ask them about him standing under too. It's probably due to his feet. His toes look long in front.


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## roadswarrior (Sep 20, 2013)

I have a 24y/o STB who stands under himself in the front. Have pictures going back to his race days (92' to 96') and he is standing the same in all of them and so far hasn't been a problem.









I find many coming off the track benefit from a good chiropractic adjustment and a teeth float. 

He is gorgeous btw  I like his shoulder and his motor looks pretty good too. It will be worth it to retrain him.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

^Your horse does not look like a STB at all lol! And NICE color!

These two gorgeous horses make may sway my mind for my next horse lol.

The horse pictured doesn't seem as extreme as the OPs trial horse (not that that horse is "extreme" persay)

He may stand under naturally but good to rule out anything that needs to be changed/could be causing pain, etc.

It may put more stress on his joints the way he moves but I'd be more worried as to "why" then anything else.


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## roadswarrior (Sep 20, 2013)

I am kind of biased when in comes to the STB's. Have see lots of people change their minds once they see what they can do under saddle with a little work. 

They have great temperaments and seem to have a switch in their brain for when to give it there all and when its time to turn it off. The horse me and a friend are racing this season, gets ridden in between race dates at the farm and is a solid mount, but then kills it on the track. 

I have also found by doing lots of ground work and lunging with voice commands helps to translate your intentions when you are in the saddle.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

Pin firing is falling increasingly out of favor. It is still used for the treatment of splints to get the inflammation down and "speed the healing process". If your horse has a group of pin firing all sort of arranged in a circle it was probably for a splint. If they are up and down his leg in an even line its more likely to be a tendon issue.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

He has pin firing AND freeze firing. Just got done messaging my barn owner. She held for me, the Vet looked at him today, said by the look the worst thing she could see was a healed splint sheath injury on the front left. She liked him, said he should work for what I want (trail riding) but probably won't be able to go real fast. 

I don't plan to do x-rays, he's a 1,200 horse. If something happens with his soundness later he'll be retired to a companion animal, or he would be great for kids lead line walk lessons. He is the type of guy a bunch of kids could run around and he wouldn't bat an eyelash.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

He sounds just great! Are you planning on keeping him?


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