# Critique



## sarahfongsilva (Sep 28, 2012)

Just seeing what ya'll think.
This is my 12 year old Appaloosa sport horse stallion...


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Just curious why he is still a stallion?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

First thing that sticks out is that he's either standing under himself or sickle hocked.

Somewhat upright shoulder.

Nothing else glaring stands out.

I do have the same question as franknbeans, though. Why is this guy still a stallion? To be quite frank, nothing about him is stallion material.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

He is OK. Not stallion material. He is a bit long in the back, insufficient hind quarter muscling and a bit sickle hocked. He has nice bone and a steep shoulder. 
The shoulder does not help him jumping.. nor do the sickle hocks. In the photo of him jumping, he does as his conformation would have him do. The steep shoulder does not allow him to get his forearms up and level so he compensates by folding his cannonsbecause he is careful (good boy!). 

He has an atypical large amount of muscling on the underside of his neck for a stallion.. which leads me to believe he travels with his head high and his bacdk hollow. Going back the the jumping photo.. this lack of proper development of his "ring of muscles" has his jumping looking like it takes a lot of effort.. instead of looking scopey over the fence. 

He is an OK horse but not something I would breed to. In fact.. he LOOKS like a gelding.


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## FeatheredFeet (Jan 27, 2010)

The very first thing which jumped out at me, was his neck. Difficult to know whether that was acquired through incorrect training, or genetic. I do think he has a quite handsome head piece for his type. He does seems to have a rather straight shoulder. He is definitely sickle hocked too. Not as bad as many I've seen, but it's there, nevertheless. Too many rather major faults to be considered breeding material, but if you just like to keep him as a stallion without breeding him, then I see no problem.

Lizzie


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I was wondering about his neck. I thought it looked off and "upside down," especially for a stallion. Glad to see I'm not entirely crazy. lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think the first photo has the horse rocking back, as if getting ready to step backward, thus makes it look like he may be standing under himself or sickle hocked. I don't think that is the case. 
I do, however, think his neck is set on a bit low and is overdeveloped on the underside. He looks very sturdy overal.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I think the first photo has the horse rocking back, as if getting ready to step backward, thus makes it look like he may be standing under himself or sickle hocked. I don't think that is the case.
> I do, however, think his neck is set on a bit low and is overdeveloped on the underside. He looks very sturdy overal.


I don't know, tiny. I'm looking at that second pic and I'm seeing at least slightly sickle hocks.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I think the first photo has the horse rocking back, as if getting ready to step backward, thus makes it look like he may be standing under himself or sickle hocked. I don't think that is the case.
> I do, however, think his neck is set on a bit low and is overdeveloped on the underside. He looks very sturdy overal.


You could be correct on the hocks. The photos are not so hot.. and he is ridden and tacked up. Camera angles are not very good.

I was going to say the neck was set low.. but that is hard to tell unless you REALLY look at the photo with him under tack only. The saddle hides his withers and the mane sticking up hides the top line of the neck.. and the neck is set low... 

.. and the low neck set reduces his ability to have scope over the fences.

Sharp eye on the neck set Tiny!


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## sarahfongsilva (Sep 28, 2012)

Thanks guys, I'll take better profile pictures tomorrow when i go out with no tack.
He is actually a long term lease that I've had for a couple months now. If I had it my way he would be gelded, but the owner didn't want me too, thus why he is still intact. I finally convinced her a couple weeks ago to get him gelded so showing would be easier for me next season. Soooo in a couple months this guy will be a gelding 

Oh and in that first picture, he isn't by any means square, he kept walking forward which is probably why he looks like he's underneath himself


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Its great that you've talked them into getting him gelded. They're so much easier to get along with for everyone involved, once the 'extras' are gone.

I think that a lot of hill work and correct form would do him a world of good. He looks like a very useful, sturdy type of guy, as do many appaloosas and appaloosa crosses.


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## sarahfongsilva (Sep 28, 2012)

Heres an updated picture that I took today at the barn. With no tack.


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## laurapratt01 (Oct 3, 2012)

Even though he doesn't have "the best" conformation, you two look great together!


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## TheRoundPen (Mar 15, 2012)

Picture won't load for me..


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## sarahfongsilva (Sep 28, 2012)

Work now?


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