# Please judge my horses conformation



## aubie (Aug 24, 2013)

Will pass on any judgment leaving for people more experienced in that area. But wanted to say what a beautiful horse and welcome to HF.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I LOVE her blaze! :smile:


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## Tayloranneb (Nov 14, 2018)

aubie said:


> Will pass on any judgment leaving for people more experienced in that area. But wanted to say what a beautiful horse and welcome to HF.


 thank you so much!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

You're taking beautiful care of her, she looks really nice. She seems a little cow hocked at that moment but this can change as she matures and her body widens so I wouldn't be concerned about it. She also looks like she's developing an upside down neck so I'd be making sure her food and water bucket was placed at least below her withers preferably about knee height or ground level and also feed hay from ground level. Anything you can do to get her to put her head down will help.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Hi & welcome!

Pretty girl! She looks nice. At her age, things change often quickly, so a bit unfair to 'critique' her. Also having her not standing square, not on flat footing, etc influences the ideas we get. Eg she looks high heeled in front, but is she just digging in her toes? She looks a bit turned out in front & her left fore seems bent in at the knee, but is that just how she's standing?

I will move your thread to the conformation critique section for you.


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## Tayloranneb (Nov 14, 2018)

JCnGrace said:


> You're taking beautiful care of her, she looks really nice. She seems a little cow hocked at that moment but this can change as she matures and her body widens so I wouldn't be concerned about it. She also looks like she's developing an upside down neck so I'd be making sure her food and water bucket was placed at least below her withers preferably about knee height or ground level and also feed hay from ground level. Anything you can do to get her to put her head down will help.


 thanks! And thank you for the tips


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## Tayloranneb (Nov 14, 2018)

loosie said:


> Hi & welcome!
> 
> Pretty girl! She looks nice. At her age, things change often quickly, so a bit unfair to 'critique' her. Also having her not standing square, not on flat footing, etc influences the ideas we get. Eg she looks high heeled in front, but is she just digging in her toes? She looks a bit turned out in front & her left fore seems bent in at the knee, but is that just how she's standing?
> 
> I will move your thread to the conformation critique section for you.


 thank you! And I definitely agree about the uneven surface and not standing square. I will try and get better pictures


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## Willrider (Oct 25, 2018)

She’s definitely still growing, but I bet she’ll be a very pretty girl when she’s all grown. She has a lovely blaze!


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## Sarahmj0 (Nov 13, 2018)

I too agree with needing better pictures & pretty hard to critique at her age. I’ve always gone off the “3 weeks, 3 months & 3 years” rule. 

From what I can see though, I’d also agree and work on that ewe neck developing. She is a very nice filly & clearly is loved! I’m a sucker for bays


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

Start buillding her, whats this babys diet?


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## Lakes (Jun 10, 2018)

Judging a yearling is risky. Things can change. There are things to like and some concerns. I like her back end more than her front. Appears toed out in front, and I don't love her neck set. Looks like a strong hind end though. The best thing to do when judging babies is to look at their parents.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

IMO, this is a lovely filly. I would choose her. She has a nice shoulder, and a good long wither. I like the way her neck and head tie together. Her hip is a little shallow, but I think her legs are good.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

humanartrebel1020 said:


> Start buillding her, whats this babys diet?


Not assuming, but in case this is what you mean... it is not good for young horses to be bulked up, or 'grown up' too fast, given too rich feed. It can lead to OCD's & other developmental disorders. This yearling looks to be a good weight to me, and ensuring she is getting *appropriate* nutrition to balance the pasture/hay she's on is all I'd want to do feed-wise.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I like her overall build a lot -- especially for her breed. She has nice angles, which is the first thing I usually look at. Agree her neck to shoulder connection isn't as pretty as it could be, and I would like a longer loin, but she is a very nice filly.


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

loosie said:


> Not assuming, but in case this is what you mean... it is not good for young horses to be bulked up, or 'grown up' too fast, given too rich feed. It can lead to OCD's & other developmental disorders. This yearling looks to be a good weight to me, and ensuring she is getting *appropriate* nutrition to balance the pasture/hay she's on is all I'd want to do feed-wise.


Loosie, What are you talking about ??? What a horse eats as in what her diet is currently, is definitely not Bulking a poor filly like its on steroids. You are assuming. "Bulking" and Building a horse are two completely different things.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

humanartrebel1020 said:


> Loosie, What are you talking about ??? What a horse eats as in what her diet is currently, is definitely not Bulking a poor filly like its on steroids. You are assuming. "bulking" and Building a horse are two completely different things.


As said, no, I did not assume that was what you meant. But a lot of people DO do that, not with steriods(so far as I'm aware), but with feed, and could have taken your words that way. I was simply explaining why that wouldn't be a good idea.


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

loosie said:


> As said, no, I did not assume that was what you meant. But a lot of people DO do that, not with steriods(so far as I'm aware), but with feed, and could have taken your words that way. I was simply explaining why that wouldn't be a good idea.



People do start training, working with, and building their horses at as young as a year of age, Maybe event before that. You viewed my words in your own perspective. Good info though but I'm sure she'll feed her horse accordingly.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

humanartrebel1020 said:


> People do start training, working with, and building their horses at as young as a year of age, Maybe event before that. You viewed my words in your own perspective. Good info though but I'm sure she'll feed her horse accordingly.


You might know what to feed a young horse, many people do not and would take your advice as meaning to stuff it full of grub thus making the potential of a horse having OCDs. 

Too many people think a fat horse, especially a youngster, is a healthy horse. This filly, in my very experienced opinion, is of good weight for her age and hopefully will remain so rather than getting fat from to much building up.


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## humanartrebel1020 (Nov 12, 2018)

Foxhunter said:


> You might know what to feed a young horse, many people do not and would take your advice as meaning to stuff it full of grub thus making the potential of a horse having OCDs.
> 
> Too many people think a fat horse, especially a youngster, is a healthy horse. This filly, in my very experienced opinion, is of good weight for her age and hopefully will remain so rather than getting fat from to much building up.


Building is growth. I never gave ANY advice on feeding .


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

You started your post with "start building her" which to me means getting her bigger, not a good thing with a youngster. 

Let's just say it was a language barrier.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I think she's a cute filly but as a yearling to hard to critique. They are so out of balance at this age. I like her legs, her shoulder, and her butt

@humanartrebel1020. Honestly, that is how I read your advice. When you say "Start building her" and "what is this baby's diet" in the same sentence, it would be quite easy to assume that what you meant was feeding her up. 'Building' would already imply doing something other than regular feeding which is doing nothing special.

Maybe advice further than one sentence would get across to people what you actually meant. Readers can only take it for what is seen in print. They can't get into your head for the rest of it.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Not underweight and has decent muscle for her age. Not really fair to judge a yearling. I've gone by the 3 rule too. Except I like to see them at 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months if buying a youngster and if going with older then add in 3 years. Better is to look at siblings to see how they have turned out.


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## TaMMa89 (Apr 12, 2008)

*MODERATORS' NOTE*

OK guys 'n gals... 

few posts of this thread have been edited or removed. Please remember to be constructive while giving feedback to your co-forumers. However, even a bit blunt messages aren't a no-to-go if offered in polite, respectful manner. We, in The Moderating Team, also understand that it's difficult, at times, to understand what's the intention behind the written words since you cannot interpret the tone behind them as you can do while discussing face to face, but I'm sure that we all do our best while offering feedback and reading it. However, lets go back to the topic and offer critique to the OP's beautiful filly .

-The Moderating Team


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Meaning of the word 'build' -when used as a verb. 

Establish, increase, strengthen. To increase or develop to maximum as of intensity, tempo or magnitude. 

Please explain what you did mean by the word 'build'


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

When someone speaks of building a horse or any animal including humans, there are typically two ways it is looked at. Both would refer to the addition of weight. One way would be conditioning where you would put on muscle through work and to do that you would need to add amino acids/calories. The other would be finishing which would add fat over that muscle and again mean an increase in calories.

Ideally a young animal would have the basic handles put on them and spend their time in a herd situation learning their manners and getting all the exercise they need while being fed a diet that provides for their needs without pushing their growth. They would be given ample time for their joints to close and their bodies and minds to mature before being brought into work or training with a specific goal that is sport oriented as opposed to just ensuring they are safe to handle. Lets say introducing them to the sights and sounds of a crowd vs lunging or ponying to build muscle beyond what a normal horse for that breed and type to have. 

With halter and sport there are horses being brought along very young and without the utmost care, knowledge and attention resulting in damage. Even with utmost care, knowledge and attention, many youngsters are being pushed growth wise and pressed into service too young all in the interest of bringing home the almighty dollar and accolades for winning. Many of these animals are sold on with a variety of issues both physical and mental when problems start arising or the animal doesn't perform to expectations. 

This is a baby. A yearling with an owner that is unsure of what direction she wants to take with her filly. The OP asked asked for a conformation critique. Some have stated why they won't give one or given what they do like and pointed out things that while not ideal may or may not change or ways to improve what they see developing into an issue at a later date. Others have remarked on color or markings and how pretty the filly is. 

This is a forum with an international user group and thousands of members along with guests reading the threads that interest them whether to learn something or provide their experience, knowledge or opinion. There are basic assumptions made depending on the topic and the sub forum as well as title and opening post. That is why many ask for more information, better photos, clarification. When a statement that is open to interpretation is introduced it helps for clarification to be made to prevent newer users with little or no experience to take away information that can be misinterpreted or applied in a manner that is not intended.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Well explained QtrBel. As usual. Now I think we have done the discussion about 'building' of horses & OP has no doubt got a good understanding of it all, should they have needed it.


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## Tayloranneb (Nov 14, 2018)

So here are the updated pictures. They still aren’t the best since I couldn’t get her to stand square, but they are better and more recent. Thank you everyone for your responses.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

First pic, I won't comment, as, looking down on her legs rather than squarely from front gives a skewed idea. 2nd pic she looks a little cow hocked. 3rd pic she looks a bit straight through the stifle/back legs. Again, judging a yearling, who is going to change, is not really fair, as 'issues' such as the above can change & aren't necc. accurate to the adult horse.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

there is a look of being tied in at the knee, and the angle of her front left hoof is a bit flat. Is she getting her feet trimmed?


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