# Is Durmax's Conformation stud worthy?



## Elizabeth9397 (Dec 20, 2012)

I have a 6 month old Paint stud colt, I was wondering if I should keep him for a stallion or a gelding... for breeding purposes obviously not until age but I would just like some in put on his conformation if it is in deed any good, or if I'm better off gelding him. If anyone can see anything that I haven't caught yet, The photo of his hindquarters from the back, he is NOT cow hocked, it is merely how he standing. I know that the photos arent very good ( lighting, quality, horses posture and stance ) but its as good as i could get. Any information is welcomed


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I don't think it's fair to the colt to ask those questions yet. He's too young at 6 months, he's in his winter woolies, and those pics of him are ATROCIOUS. Not that I'm saying the horse is bad, but those pics make him look awful. 

My rule of thumb is, if he doesn't take my breath away when I look at him EVERY SINGLE time, then geld him. There's a stallion out there who will take your breath away and if this little fella doesn't, let him have a long happy life in a mixed herd as a gelding and some little girls best friend.


----------



## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

Hi, welcome to the forum! Haha, I'd just like to warn you that the "to geld or not to geld" question gets a lot of people riled up on here; so be prepared... And remember, everyone on here is very nice, there are just some very strongly-held beliefs!
I think Durmax is quite young and fuzzy for a good critique- in three more months he's going to look like a different horse, for that is the life of a growing youngster, haha! But I'll try to give some sort of critique. 
He definitely looks like a baby! He seems to be pretty sickle-hocked, and his front pasterns look a bit long. His shoulder is straight and his back seems a bit long to me. He has pretty good length canons and his bone looks decent, but I think overall he's best off as a gelding. He's cute as a button, and he looks sweet, but he doesn't scream 'stallion prospect.' I'm sure he'll mature to be a nice horse, but that's not quite enough to make a stallion... 
Do you have any plans for what discipline he'll be going into? Feel free to post some more pictures and keep us updated on his progress, he really is quite the cute little guy!!


----------



## Elizabeth9397 (Dec 20, 2012)

Thanks for the input soenjer55  lol and I was thinking when he turns 1 year to put him into halter classes and see if he prospers in it. And if he does I'd probably move into either strict English disciplines such as show jumping and dressage. Or to team penning with him but he is still quite young I know. But around here we have a weanling halter class, and i've had people say he has a good conformation and some say a horrible one. That's why I'd like a bit of help before i put him in one so I and him dont look like complete fools ... if you know what i mean. It'd be mine and his first time showing... And when he sheds out I will surely post BETTER photos ha, the barn lights are not so great an my phone camera is excellent either.


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

When you're asking for critiques on him, do him a favor and have someone stand him up better for you and wait til he's shed out and all fresh for spring. I have a strict policy that if I don't have good pics of a horse, I won't post any. People have a way of really going to town on a horse when it's obvious the picture is responsible for a lot of what's wrong with him. And they have long memories, he might look gorgeous as a 3 year old and some folks will just blow him off and say things like, "OH that's that ugly youngster so and so had.". Remember, they call 'em "yearling uglies" for a reason. Most youngsters look pretty awful as they grow.


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

These photos do not help a stallion prospect at all. All I can judge at 6 months old going thru the just weaned 'uglies' is his legs. He looks a bit back at the knee and camped under (sickle hocked) behind. He also looks like he might be knock knee'd in front and truly cow hocked behind. HOWEVER, these photos really do not do this horse service!! He may be a LOT better than these images indicate!!

That being said, get better photos. Even wooly he can be groomed, stood on an even surface (like a driveway) and set up with the legs toward the camera square underneath him and the front leg away from the camera back a little (space to the knees) and the hind leg away from the camera forward a little (space to the hocks) and the person operating the camera standing opposite the horse's hip bone. You need three people. One to operate the camera. One to set the horse up and hold the horse and a third person to get the horse's attention (ears up and head up).

*RANT* (in general, not directed only at the op)
I have never understood why so many posters put up unflattering photos of their horse for critique (this, BTW includes these photos but as a general comment). 

Here is their horse.. and often their pride and joy and something they really like and they take and post a photo that detracts. 

I would be mad as heck if someone posted a photo of me when I first got outta bed in the morning making Phylis Diller look like a Beauty Queen! It is a good thing horses cannot use the computer.. HaHa.. If they saw some of these photos they might become totally intractable! *END RANT*


----------



## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

the paint/ QH market is saturated people cant give them away, why on earth breed more ? Bet that colt was free or nearly free, what would you expect his foals to be worth ? Geld him.


----------



## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

You make no mention of his bloodlines, which are a huge deal.

He was bred late if he's 6 months old, and will be smaller/more physically immature when you compete against other horses during his younger years. You will probably have a hard time going up against true yearlings. 

But just from looking at these pictures, I would geld him. We geld anything we can't show as a 2 year old and win on.


----------



## Nikkibella (Mar 10, 2012)

i agree with the above poster in saying that if every time you look at him , your not like "wow, this is a perfect stud" than geld him and let him be some little girls dream . Thats how i got my best friend and i am so happy we chose to geld him .


----------



## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

Yep, I'm a realist in that the horse needs to be pretty awesome at ALL stages when growing up to determine stud-worthiness, and what the bloodlines are, what the parents have done etc. Right now, I do not see stud material and I agree with Elana and her rant. If you have a horse you are proud of and want to show off, get a critique....then please take the time to get GOOD pics. Not picking on you OP, but if this was my guy and I was on here asking if he was stud material...you betcha I would get him looking like he'd been spit-shined, squared up side shot, ears up with a benign background so the ONLY thing my eye went to was the horse.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

The other point to consider is that it takes more to keep a Stallion than to keep a Gelding. Doesn't it? I mean, I dont' breed so forgive me if I am wrong, but don't you have to keep a Stallion seperate and have really good fencing, and have him really well trained to ride out in mixed company and be more careful in his handling and on and on.

If a person is planning on breeding him a fair amount, it might be worth it. OR, if you are riding in something like the Spanish Riding School.
But, for the typical horse owner, is it worth the extra bother?


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I have and have had several stallions. You do have to be more careful around mares, it does cost a bundle to promote them. I'm a real stickler for manners in my horses regardless of sex, so to me there's no extra training involved. My boys all know what , "No talking", "She's not for you" and "Put that away" mean. I'd rather ride some stallions in mixed company than ride a lot of people's geldings.


----------



## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> My rule of thumb is, if he doesn't take my breath away when I look at him EVERY SINGLE time, then geld him. There's a stallion out there who will take your breath away and if this little fella doesn't, let him have a long happy life in a mixed herd as a gelding and some little girls best friend.


 
Ahhhh so true. I own a senior stallion and never once did the thought ever cross my mind of replacing him, I thought eventually I would keep one of his colts. He is one of those horses that do take my breath away, I feel so blessed every time I see him. Never put much thought into it. Anyways I was searching my local classifieds and found an expectionally well bred colt that I HAD to have. Brought him home along with another very well bred beautiful colt. The colt I had to have takes my breath away every single time I look at him. He is a weanling and I just stand in awe at how perfect in every way he seems, he is definatly keeping his manhood for now :wink:

Anyways on to the actual topic. It's really hard to judge, I don't think he has been fed properly, he needs a good trip and he is insanly fuzzy. As he looks in those photo's...no, most certianly not.


----------



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

OP-I have to agree with all that has been posted. Also, have you not considered that it takes more than good looks to make a stud? Breeding has been mentioned, but what about all the other things to consider? Like personality and performance, just for a couple. What about any inherited disorders? Breeding should be a very carefully considered option, not just a "look at my pretty horse" contest.


----------



## JMWeldy (Dec 23, 2012)

Geld him, you'll both be happier.


----------



## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

Elizabeth9397 said:


> Thanks for the input soenjer55  lol and I was thinking when he turns 1 year to put him into halter classes and see if he prospers in it. And if he does I'd probably move into either strict English disciplines such as show jumping and dressage. Or to team penning with him but he is still quite young I know. But around here we have a weanling halter class, and i've had people say he has a good conformation and some say a horrible one. That's why I'd like a bit of help before i put him in one so I and him dont look like complete fools ... if you know what i mean. It'd be mine and his first time showing... And when he sheds out I will surely post BETTER photos ha, the barn lights are not so great an my phone camera is excellent either.


 How exciting! Haha, there's plenty of time to find his discipline- who knows, he might be a jack of all trades. I have a 6 year old that I still don't quite know what direction to take in, although maybe your boy will be easier! Looking at his bloodlines might help you out, too. 
And a weanling class sounds like a great idea, the experience can't hurt him- and don't worry about what other people say about his conformation, he's just a baby, they're fools to be judging him entirely on what he looks like at 6 months. My suggestion would be to enter the weanling class and have fun, don't worry about what others think about his conformation. I don't show halter but I think at low levels it matters more how well your horse is groomed and behaves, too. Maybe you can ask someone on here who knows more about halter than me, there are lots of knowledgeable users.
I can't wait to see pictures when he sheds out!
-edit- I meant that the people who the OP was saying told her that he either had great or horrible conformation are fools, I just realized that that could have been taken as me calling the people on this thread fools. I wasn't, haha. I agree with what has been said.


----------

