# Spine Abnormality in QH Yearling



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Not sure about the protruding spine... but isn't the angle of his back legs a little straight? I would worry about pelvic issues, but maybe that's normal in this type of QH. Curious what others think.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Post legs and fat not fit. Needs muscle. Does he have a 6 panel ?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

This yearling is fed up like a halter horse...
Even with him being "padded" as he is that spine still shows prominently would make me say nice horse and back off.
Look elsewhere.
He's cute but has flaws that prone him to issues of soundness in his future.

At this age, he is a dime a dozen yet. There are to many youngsters without flaws to choose from to take on a chance such as this presents.
Pass..._sorry._
:runninghorse2:...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I agree that there looks like an odd connection between the pelvis and the spine, on top of being very posty legged in the back. He has a very pretty face, and if you only planned to do halter showing, he might be fine. He appears to be 'halter bred', so to speak.


I would regretfully pass.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Is that honestly a yearling?? If so, he's been fed up to within an inch of his life! If it were only the back, I'd say get a good chiro vet to come check him out (has he maybe been ridden already & so damaged the muscles? Looks like he's got atrophied longissimus muscles) but as others have said, he's badly built, being very 'posty' and sickle hocked and also appears to have extra long tibia and I'd be concerned with possible DOD's when he's obviously been fed up so much, and has a 'beef bull' kind of body on not so sturdy legs.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Do you know what his lines are? I think he looks very halter. If you are looking for a riding horse - I'm not sure he will have the movement to excel at anything. He would probably do ok local level at stuff depending on the back. 

From the picture I can't tell if that shading is a saddle mark or if there are fat pockets.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I'm sad to see this. I was looking at Quarter horse stallions and decided I do not like any of them because they are built like this horse. 

I would definitely pass on him. I don't like the prominent spine, the overly straight hind legs, and I don't like his front legs either. 

I don't understand why people are breeding for this. I've seen worse but it is still shameful. 

That said, some horses have terrible conformation and stay sound. So you can't always go by looks. So many things go into soundness... how the horse is trained, managed, fed, etc. If you only ride once or twice a week and are not competitive, this horse might be just fine for your purposes.

My other concern is Pssm type 2 which is common in Quarter horses. Not that it doesn't occur in other breeds... I would definitely want a five panel genetic test, but that doesn't rule out pssm type 2 or MFM. After dealing with 2 horses, one type 1, and one type 2 pssm, I'm definitely staying clear of quarter horse breeding. Unless breeders start cleaning up their acts, it isn't worth the risk for me.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

^Fashion, & stuff the consequences, just like dog breeding. Look at some of the severely deformed and compromised(health & soundness-wise) breeds, like dachshunds, bull dogs, show line GSD's, mastiffs... and yet look at the healthy versions the breed was back when they were bred for *use* not just exaggerated looks.

A friend of mine really wanted a neopolitan mastiff. She looked into it pretty thoroughly, esp as they are exxy dogs to buy, feed, vet etc too. She found that of the breeders that were available in Oz, she could choose a dog that was bred for good temperament OR a dog who was bred for soundness. Sad to say (for the dog/market she helped perpetuate & I thought she knew/cared better) she chose a dog. Because she had young kids at the time, she chose one for temperament. Poor boy did it hard as a puppy, but she said he'd be OK once he was through his 'growing pains' & that was normal for giant breeds & they had to be fed carefully to avoid 'growing them up' too quickly & causing DOD's(like for horses). Know for a fact she did take him to the vet a number of times & that's the story the vet told too. Once he was mostly grown, from around 1.5 years, he had a good year or so, except for his eyes which had chronically infected tear ducts, and skin allergies & infections that he'd get in all the folds. He was a good guard dog, but often barked & growled at the kids, and her young daughter was scared of him, although he lived in the house. Then by the time he was around 3yo he was chronically lame again, and his attitude(probably due to pain) went seriously downhill. I turned up one day with the kids & chose not to get out of the car with them, as he was barking & snarling at us in the car. She spent an awful lot at the vet for that dog too & ended up putting him out of his misery around 5yo.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

His conformation faults would still be there with out the show fitting but he'd look entirely different. Just like race horses coming off the track. Once they have been given time to be a horse and not racing machine they are different in the amount of muscle present as well as fat they can accumulate to smooth the angles out.


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## AQHAMocha2002 (Jul 2, 2020)

Yes, he is by It's a Southern Thing and an RLBOS mare so he is well-bred western pleasure and moves pretty nicely actually. But yes, the trainer said something about fat pockets as well and that his vet has looked at him and said it shouldn't be a problem...but then that's trusting a horse person.


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