# Paint mare critique



## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

8 year old paint mare. 
Please let me know what you think.


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## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

She was ridden western but is being retrained english


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## WesternRider88 (Oct 30, 2012)

I don't know too much about conformation but she looks good to me.


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## twp (Aug 19, 2012)

She looks Gorgeous to me!! I can't point out anything wrong with her.. Do you have any more pictures?


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

Nice looking mare. A bit short in the neck and plain in the head, but she looks to be a very sound type. Could be the photo, but she appears to be slightly back at the knee too.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Her back looks long to me. Either she's built slightly downhill or she's got a slight roach to her back...or something. Her coupling through her hip looks odd to me.

Her neck is set high on her chest, which makes her look ever so slightly ewe-necked.

She does have a beautiful angle to her shoulder.

She is ever so slightly back at the knee, as Tryst mentioned.

I think she's got a cute head, but this is coming from someone with a horse that has a mutantly large head. lol

Something about her back legs bothers me, but I can't put my finger on it, especially with her tail in the way. Her right rear hoof looks odd, as well (I know it's chipped, but it looks bigger/more flared than it should be).

Overall, she looks like a sound, sane, usable little mare. I would make sure to do plenty of hill work to strengthen her core to support that long back.


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## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

here are some more pictures of her


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

The tiniest bit back at the knee. Otherwise, super nicely built horse.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Ok, in that last pic it looks like a completely different horse. Longer legs and shorter back. How much time between the very first photo and the last photo?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Scratch what I said about her back and coupling. The computer I was on must have stretched the pic of her cuz her back looks fine on my phone.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

About 4 to 6 months. The first photos were taken when we went to look about buying her. The last picture was after we had had her a while (and she had been worked less since we had her so maybe that made a difference I'm not sure)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Allegro said:


> About 4 to 6 months. The first photos were taken when we went to look about buying her. The last picture was after we had had her a while (and she had been worked less since we had her so maybe that made a difference I'm not sure)
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yeah, figured out it was the stupid computer messing with the photo, not the horse. Lol. Her back and coupling look fine.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Catpeedontherug (Oct 23, 2012)

What does 'back in the knee' mean?
thanks!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Back at the knee means that the cannon bone is set slightly behind the forearm at the knee joint. In a horse with straight legs, you should be able to put a dot at the elbow, knee and fetlock, and when they're connected, draw a straight line through them. If you do the same thing on a horse that is back at the knee, your line will angle backward from the knee to fetlock.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Catpeedontherug (Oct 23, 2012)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Back at the knee means that the cannon bone is set slightly behind the forearm at the knee joint. In a horse with straight legs, you should be able to put a dot at the elbow, knee and fetlock, and when they're connected, draw a straight line through them. If you do the same thing on a horse that is back at the knee, your line will angle backward from the knee to fetlock.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks!
and how would back in the knee be troublesome in conformation?

Thanks so much~ appreciate it.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Being back at the knee puts uneven stress/wear on the knee joint, which can lead to soundness issues and arthritis. Being slightly back isn't a major cause for concern, just something to be aware of as the horse gets older and is used more.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Catpeedontherug (Oct 23, 2012)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Being back at the knee puts uneven stress/wear on the knee joint, which can lead to soundness issues and arthritis. Being slightly back isn't a major cause for concern, just something to be aware of as the horse gets older and is used more.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks!
And, this kind of communication and educating is exactly what makes this forum a valuable one.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Catpeedontherug said:


> Thanks!
> And, this kind of communication and educating is exactly what makes this forum a valuable one.


Not a problem at all. I wasn't big into conformation until I got my gelding. I knew some of the major conformation issues and could spot them, but the more subtle problems (like back at the knee and tied in behind the knee) were not something I could readily spot or know the consequences of. When I got my gelding and decided I wanted to eventually event with him, I started educating myself on conformation so I could determine how suitable he is to the discipline and how far we can go.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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