# What can you tell me about her conformation?



## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

I haven't ever gotten a conformation critique on my mare. She's 13 years old, was abused up until 12 1/2 years old when I purchased her. I've just recently started her, put her on a good farrier/worming routine and on some quality hay. Ignore that belly, it's just a hay belly. We've got it under control tho. :wink:

These are the best pictures I could possibly get, I don't have a camera. Just my ipod. This is after a very LONG work out this morning.
































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I would like her to put on a few extra pounds, what do you think? She's an Anglo Arabian, in training and conditioning to go on LTD Endurance Rides and Show Jumping.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Looks like a nice sound using horse to me.

Shoulder is a wee bit upright, and I don't like her neck. She has the typical Arabian hind (using Arabians, not show-ring halter ones). I can definitely see the TB in those withers!! She's not sway-backed as such, though she appears it at a casual glance. Just no topline and huge wither. She's a wee bit base narrow in the hinds, and toes out some (but that's pretty normal for hind legs). Front legs look acceptable. She looks back at the knee in one photo but straight and correct in the others. Nice short cannons, I like her pastern angles.

Are her hooves due for a trim? They look quite long in the toes. Heels are a wee bit contracted, not badly, but they could be much more spread.

I think she's in good nick weight wise, just needs to pick up some more muscle and that will only come with work.

My gelding's an Anglo too, and I wish his butt would look so nice from behind! Even when he's in full work he still isn't as round in the butt as your girl. I blame it on his hunter's bump, because he's actually kind of fat at the moment.

Think your girl is rather better put together than my lad, but my lad has a much better neck.


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## Falicity (Jul 13, 2011)

She's really cute!! I'm not an expert, but what i see is that she has an upright shoulder, is tied in behind the knee and overall has pretty fine bones. Her back legs look good to me! 

Does she ever have sharkfin withers!! :shock: Good luck saddle fitting :wink:

Overall I actually quite like her! She could use some muscling along her topline, but that'll all come in time. And her weight looks fine to me. Great job, and nice mare


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Now that you mention it, Falicity, she does look tied in below the knee in her offside fore. I'm not seeing it on the nearside fore, but it's definitely there in the offside.


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

Thank you guys! I agree with the neck, it's not pretty xD Hopefully eventually some muscling will make it look at least acceptable, hm? 

She's due for a trim on the 28th of this month.

And as for the whither, I know, huh!?!? I finally found a good fitting saddle, but *I* don't like the saddle. I'm not looking forward to saddle shopping again, lol!

Thanks so much for your critiques  Anyone else?


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

blue eyed pony said:


> Now that you mention it, Falicity, she does look tied in below the knee in her offside fore. I'm not seeing it on the nearside fore, but it's definitely there in the offside.


What does that mean? Sorry confo newbie here, lol!


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## Falicity (Jul 13, 2011)

blue eyed pony said:


> Now that you mention it, Falicity, she does look tied in below the knee in her offside fore. I'm not seeing it on the nearside fore, but it's definitely there in the offside.


That's true, she's only tied in on one leg... that's interesting. My mare is also tied in behind the knee, but on both of her front legs.


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## Falicity (Jul 13, 2011)

TrojanCowgirl said:


> What does that mean? Sorry confo newbie here, lol!


"Tied in behind the knee" means that when you look at your horse's cannons, they get narrower towards the knee. Generally, this makes the horse more prone to tendon injuries as more strain is placed on the tendons. At lower levels of jumping it shouldn't affect the horse if you're careful, but horses with this conformation usually do better in a discipline with less impact on the front legs, such as dressage.









*Tied In*​


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

Falicity said:


> "Tied in behind the knee" means that when you look at your horse's cannons, they get narrower towards the knee. Generally, this makes the horse more prone to tendon injuries as more strain is placed on the tendons. At lower levels of jumping it shouldn't affect the horse if you're careful, but horses with this conformation usually do better in a discipline with less impact on the front legs, such as dressage.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I see! That I did not know. Being that she only has one could she go either way? I had hopes for her to jump no higher than 4ft in the show ring.


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## Falicity (Jul 13, 2011)

I don't know how much of a difference her one leg will make in the future... If I were you, I would just be sure to keep her off her forehand when riding, and carry on with what you were planning... play it by ear, and judge how far she can go based on how sound she stays  don't write her off just because of a weaker leg. many horses with less than desirable conformation end up going waayyyyy farther than anyone expects, and your mare is otherwise a nice girl


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

Alright, great! Thanks much


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

...Hickstead....

...enough said. Can't remember what his LEGS were like, but he was NOT built to jump. And yet, can you say superstar?


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

blue eyedpony, You are very right! Although I highly doubt she'll take me THAT far LOL!


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

hahaha you never know until you give them a shot and max out their scope.

Heath Ryan (Aussie former Olympian) has some really oddly put together horses that are awesome because they have the heart for what they do. So really, heart is SO important.

Conformation dictates what the horse can PHYSICALLY do. Heart dictates what they DO with that. Mum had a QH that was quite a lovely QH but a hefty boy and typical foundation QH type... LOVED jumping, but just couldn't clear anything higher than 3' no matter what. Your girl is better for jumping than he was, so if she has the heart for it she'll do 3'+ easy. My boy was a 4'+ showjumper (competitively) in his day, and like I said she's better put together than Monty is. Monty has the heart for it, and SO SO SO much try, so he was pretty good in his younger days. And will be good again if I can get myself sorted out before he starts slowing down.

If your girl has the heart, she'll be pretty good.


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## TrojanCowgirl (Jun 1, 2012)

That was _VERY_ inspiring. Thank you for that, just what I needed today


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

No problem  I can be pretty good at giving other people inspiration and confidence. Wish I could do it for myself though  hahaha


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