# Need very honest critiques



## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

I have put my horse Bucky up for sale, and I admit, I love him so much I am blind to his potential faults. I have my own mind set of what his conformational faults are, but I want to hear other opinions, as I believe I will get some and want to be prepared.


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## CrossCountry (May 18, 2013)

I love his coloring so much! What I see (and I'm very new to this to take others more seriously), he seems to stand under himself, and has a bit of a ewe neck. he also might have a straight shoulder but I'm not sure? 

He is gorgeous in my opinion and I'm sorry you have to sell him!


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

He is not well muscled/toned/in shape at all.

He has great shine to his coat and appears healthy, but...I would fatten that horse right up. (Muscle would gain he's worked and getting more calories)

I do not like his neck. Its thin, long and ewe shaped.

he has a straight shoulder which is going to make for a choppier right as he physically will be unable to extend his front legs freely.

he has a long back, is a bit down hill. Weak hind end. Long, skinny pasterns...could lead to lameness issues and will limit what he can do. Strenuous activities, jumping, reining, barrel racing would be out for him In my book.

Slightly sickle hocked. And it looks like he stands under himself in the front.

sorry, you asked for honest.... :-(
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Sharpie (May 24, 2009)

I see an ewe neck and somewhat light on bone, maybe long pasterns. Not very well muscled, but how old is he? Good shine to his coat, and I bet with good proper work his body and neck would fill out, especially if the ewe neck is from traveling hollowed out with his head up. He doesn't have any glaring conformational faults that would lead me to think he'd have any lameness issues as a pleasure horse or light competition, and with his eye-catching color, I think he should sell fairly easily if he's sane, sound, and trained. (I, however, am NO expert!)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Cute but not great conformation. I like his back end more than the front. I agree with him needing conditioning. He looks healthy and loved so the rest should come along with a little attention. What are you selling him as? I think he'd be a great backyard buddy (meaning pleasure/trail/low competition/"friend"). I wouldn't sell him as a competition horse for anything strenuous.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I agree with the others that his confo isn't great, but muscled up and with some weight on him, he might make a good pleasure horse. I don't know what you're asking but to get anywhere near a decent price, he needs a good bit of weight AND muscle put on him. He also needs worked on rounding from the poll (will re-shape his neck somewhat) and bringing his back up. Get him to travel rounded up and muscle him up and he'll look a LOT better than he does right now.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

Yogiwick said:


> Cute but not great conformation. I like his back end more than the front. I agree with him needing conditioning. He looks healthy and loved so the rest should come along with a little attention. What are you selling him as? I think he'd be a great backyard buddy (meaning pleasure/trail/low competition/"friend"). I wouldn't sell him as a competition horse for anything strenuous.


We are selling him as a well broke, well trained horse.

I don't ride him. At all - I only get to ride 3 times a week, and my mare does endurance and needs the conditioning more ... and I cannot pony him. My arm gets pulled out of the socket because my mare is a FAST mover (she is like "Buh-Bye Buckskin!"). There is a girl schooling him for Hunter/Jumper at the boarding barn (he is already schooled Western and neck reins, side passes and spins - you can ride him in a neck rope only if need be). But the HJ girl only believes in working horses 30 minutes at a time, and she doesn't ride every day, so I definitely think he could use more exercise. Mostly kids ride him walk ... maybe a trot. If they are in the arena I can walk and he will follow me all the time (no lead rope), around obstacles, through obstacles, over low cross rails, so it is fun for the kids especially if they just can't ride and make a horse go where they want. Our kids ride on him but they mostly end up playing on him like a jungle gym. They slide off his butt, ride him together, lay on him, get him to follow them ... that sort of stuff. I can't get either one of them to take riding seriously. :? He was my husband's horse and he truly was a "husband horse". He goes everywhere. He is pretty much unflappable.


Don't worry about being honest. I am just glad his personality makes up for a lot. He LOVES his people.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

2SCHorses said:


> We are selling him as a well broke, well trained horse.
> 
> I don't ride him. At all - I only get to ride 3 times a week, and my mare does endurance and needs the conditioning more ... and I cannot pony him. My arm gets pulled out of the socket because my mare is a FAST mover (she is like "Buh-Bye Buckskin!"). There is a girl schooling him for Hunter/Jumper at the boarding barn (he is already schooled Western and neck reins, side passes and spins - you can ride him in a neck rope only if need be). But the HJ girl only believes in working horses 30 minutes at a time, and she doesn't ride every day, so I definitely think he could use more exercise. Mostly kids ride him walk ... maybe a trot. If they are in the arena I can walk and he will follow me all the time (no lead rope), around obstacles, through obstacles, over low cross rails, so it is fun for the kids especially if they just can't ride and make a horse go where they want. Our kids ride on him but they mostly end up playing on him like a jungle gym. They slide off his butt, ride him together, lay on him, get him to follow them ... that sort of stuff. I can't get either one of them to take riding seriously. :? He was my husband's horse and he truly was a "husband horse". He goes everywhere. He is pretty much unflappable.
> 
> ...


Even if you can't exercise him and muscle him up, you can FEED him. He needs weight. I don't know where you are in the country, but here in OK, he'd got for $750 in his current condition because he'd have to be fed up and winter is coming. Not trying to be rough on you but in his current condition, I'd skip right over him if I was looking at horses to buy.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Even if you can't exercise him and muscle him up, you can FEED him. He needs weight. I don't know where you are in the country, but here in OK, he'd got for $750 in his current condition because he'd have to be fed up and winter is coming. Not trying to be rough on you but in his current condition, I'd skip right over him if I was looking at horses to buy.


Yeah, I FEED him. :evil: 

We are in Savannah, Georgia and had a HOT summer and I am pretty freaking sure it won't snow anytime before ... the apocalypse. Up until this year he has lived outside 24/7 without ANY problems.

He saw the vet this summer for his dental float and she said his condition was "perfect for his lack of work" - her exact words. He gets free choice, high quality hay 24/7, vitamin concentrate and Seminole 12%. He eats whatever he wants. He's been wormed (fecal done by the vet), and he is HEALTHY.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

If you want to get him into condition he needs real work. It's fantastic (and a selling point) that he is such a great kids horse, but that won't get him where he needs to be. He would be even more handsome with great muscling and condition and it would help hide his faults (noticeably neck).

Some of the best riders I know ride for 30 minutes. It is the type of riding not the length (and of course how often).


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

2SCHorses said:


> Yeah, I FEED him. :evil:
> 
> We are in Savannah, Georgia and had a HOT summer and I am pretty freaking sure it won't snow anytime before ... the apocalypse. Up until this year he has lived outside 24/7 without ANY problems.
> 
> He saw the vet this summer for his dental float and she said his condition was "perfect for his lack of work" - her exact words. He gets free choice, high quality hay 24/7, vitamin concentrate and Seminole 12%. He eats whatever he wants. He's been wormed (fecal done by the vet), and he is HEALTHY.


I'm going to close with this thought. You came on here asking for opinions and input on a horse you want to sell. When given honest opinions on what would make him sellable, you come back with an excuse for everything that is offered. If you're satisfied with his condition that's fine. Several people have offered you opinions on what they don't like about the horse's conformation, and his bones showing is a large part of it. You can't change his actual body structure. You can make many small confo issues look not so glaring and make a much better looking horse with feed and conditioning. 

If the 2 main things people have offered you are either unchangeable or "perfect" then you have your answer. He's "perfect" for you, or the vet who thinks his condition is perfect for his amount of work.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Stunning color and beautiful coat!
I see some of the same faults as others but I guess the importance is the market you are trying to sell to. Show? Games? Hubby packer? Whatever.
At this point in my life I trail ride. I would look at him in a minute. He sounds like a nice boy.


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## Ace80908 (Apr 21, 2011)

I don't think his weight is offensive, but he could definately up his intake, maybe up the quality of his free feed hay? You could get 1500-2500 here (Colorado) for him in the spring, if his weight was up a bit, for those that want a bomb proof horse for kids. No one here buys before winter - I think he's cute. I would get pics of him with the kids on him as part of his sale package. That's where his strengths are.


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## 2SCHorses (Jun 18, 2011)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> I'm going to close with this thought. You came on here asking for opinions and input on a horse you want to sell. When given honest opinions on what would make him sellable, you come back with an excuse for everything that is offered. If you're satisfied with his condition that's fine. Several people have offered you opinions on what they don't like about the horse's conformation, and his bones showing is a large part of it. You can't change his actual body structure. You can make many small confo issues look not so glaring and make a much better looking horse with feed and conditioning.
> 
> If the 2 main things people have offered you are either unchangeable or "perfect" then you have your answer. He's "perfect" for you, or the vet who thinks his condition is perfect for his amount of work.


I agree. His conformation flaws are unchangeable. I have no problem with critiquing his conformation. He has flaws, of course!! Otherwise, I'd be making big bucks in halter ... clearly, I am not. I posted because I wanted to know how I should prepare for 'structural' questions. The critiques I got were excellent. I should not sell him to people looking to compete seriously because he might be lame in the long run. This is good information. I do not want him to be lame!

However, I don't see the point of insinuating that I don't feed my horse. I asked for critique on how he is put together.

He has always been a 'self regulator'. His hay is good quality ... it is just that he won't eat if he's not hungry. He doesn't eat out of boredom. He always finishes the 12%, but many times not all at once. He will eat all of it if he's hungry, but sometimes, if he has just eaten a bunch of hay, he'll just eat a little and I leave it in his paddock. He eventually eats ALL of it, but that is how he is. He looks better in the winter, to be honest. Here is a his 'winter' pic (blocked out my friends face). He gets fuzzy and eats a lot more hay. I don't know why he does this, but that's how he is - he gets heavier in winter. I don't think he likes the heat and humidity. I am moving him to a new barn where he can live outside 24/7. The stall time isn't necessary since he does little work. But I CARE for this horse. I have my own horse, and he was my husband's before he passed away and he was ridden more back then, but I don't have time to ride two horses - I barely have time to ride one now. I have a teenager at the barn that rides him maybe twice a week and trains him Hunter/Jumper, but she doesn't ride him a ton - she does it because she is nice and I asked her. I have thought about leasing him and will try that route if he doesn't sell so I can afford board at the new barn.

But I am appreciative of the comments toward his structure. I won't place him in a home that will try to make him a barrel racer or a serious competitor of some kind.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't think he is underweight majorly. Its mostly lack of muscle tone that is the killer with him. Up his work load, up his feed, and boom, fancy horse. He's obviously not starving, and it IS healthier to keep a horse on the thinner side as opposed to overweight.

he is NOT in bad shape. Just lean and under toned. Not emaciated, starving or in need of any serious action to be taken...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Not a a darn thing I can see about that horse that will mean he is bound for lameness. He has a nice hind end. good hocks, good bone. in fact, his hind end is his best feature. 

his shoulder is steep and small, with a low set and ewed neck. However, with correct muscling, you'd hardly notice that. I do not see him as underweight, just under msucled. making him fat will not make him better looking, IMO.

to sell him , play up his good personality, photo him with kids on top. make sure you photo from a very square angle to shoe his hind better and don't have him turning and looking at the camera, as this makes his neck bend in even a more ewed way. have him look forward, and get him curious about something, so he raises his head a bit. you can even have him just barely about ready to step forward and reaching forward for something, like an apple, just out of the photo frame. Someone will want him for his personality, ewe neck and all.


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## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I agree he needs muscle, but not fat. Unless you're going to be working him to build up that muscle, I'd leave his feed alone. If you do have time to work him, I'd focus on getting him to round his back and neck to build up topline. His neck is a touch on the long side, but I think if it were built up a bit more it would be fine.

He's certainly got some flaws- his back is a touch long, but doesn't look to have weak coupling. I like his hind end. The front legs are a little light on bone and his front pasterns a touch long and upright. I'd like to see the should just a little more laid back. But nothing is horrible or indicates a predisposition to soundness issues. I think he'd sell well as a family horse given his personality, and has the capability of competing at lower level shows.


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