# Conformation Critique of my ottb please



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

Can you please critique my ottb mare. She is an 3 1/2 year old TB mare, here is her pedigree http://www.pedigreequery.com/bella+dixie2]Bella Dixie Horse Pedigree
The photo is crappy but I will try to get more. I do eventing and my trainer says she 2* capable, my goal is rolex so im looking to see if she is built for that.
http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/hseventing/media/IMG_3779_zpsocr3rfhy.jpg.html?filters[user]=145249439&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

heres a better link Bella Dixie Horse Pedigree


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q486/hseventing/IMG_3779_zpsocr3rfhy.jpg


----------



## Prairie (May 13, 2016)

The first photobucket link won't open for me----I just get an error. The second photobucket link has a picture that is not critique worthy. Sorry but you need the horse set up square straight on from the side and one from behind the horse so we can see the legs.


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

thanks! i will get better ones tmrw


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

here are the better photos 
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q486/hseventing/IMG_3855_zpsawpr7e8n.jpg
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q486/hseventing/IMG_3858_zpsqli4fiud.jpg
this is the best back leg photo i could get
http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q486/hseventing/IMG_3864_zpsvpcgja1f.jpg


----------



## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

She's thin and has almost no topline. I hope you're not riding her.

What I can see is that she's pigeon-breasted (fairly common in TBs) and ewe-necked. Her shoulder is very upright. I do like her nice front legs, although her pasterns might be a little upright. They've got good length to them, though.She has decent bone and nice short cannons. There's something about her stifle that I'm not a fan of, but I can't put my finger on what it is. I think it's overly straight, but there seems to be something else going on, too. 

I think with more weight and condition, she'll look like a total different horse. Do I think she's capable of Rolex level eventing...that remains to be seen.

For those who can't view the PB link...


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

She is on weight supplements and everything, shes such a hard keeper and she was skinner when I got her from the track. Im wondering if she has a good conformation for jumping.


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

I was wondering if she had a long shoulder?


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Given these photos, it's near impossible to tell whether or not this horse is GP/Rolex quality. I would need to see videos rather than photos to even get the slightest clue about that.
My guess, unfortunately, is no--especially if she's this hard of a keeper. You're going to have a heck of a time building and keeping muscle.


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

for the weight get her on neigh lox. had the same issue with one of our horses and spent 80 a week in feed. fixed the ulcers and he is now fat on 1/5 the amount of food i was feeding him.


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

This horse is (as you are aware) very thin and difficult to critique as a result. She needs about 300 pounds gained. Feed MORE hay. A lot more. Make sure it is good hay.. not some July/August junk that has no feed value! Hay, if grass, should be green in color and smell fresh. Timothy should be in the boot stage or recently headed out (heads will be GREEN). Alfalfa should be in the bud stage with some flowers. If the alfalfa has curly seed pods it is very little feed value. Hay should have low NDF in a test so it is highly digestible. 

Add a quarter cup of corn oil to her grain morning and night. Concentrated calories. 

Thoroughbreds need a LOT of feed and what they eat needs to have value. If the hay is junk with low feed value, there is no way to make up the calories needed with grain. 

Of course this assumes she is ulcer free and can digest the food given! 

She is a nice enough horse I think. She is a bit down hill in build but not a lot and looks to have acceptable angles. I like that her knees and hocks are very close to the ground. Not sure her shoulder is open enough or laid back enough for the disciplines you seek. Get some weight on her and post again. She will critique MUCH better.


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

He looks big boned which is something in his favour but he's seriously underweight and if he's such a poor keeper that will rule him out for eventing - if you can't keep weight on him when he's doing nothing then you won't keep it on him when he's working hard 2+ hours a day
If you haven't treated him for ulcers then you should and also have some bloodwork done to rule out any other health problems and see what deficiencies he's got
A horse like that is better turned out on good grass for a few months, failing that all the good quality hay he can eat
His shoulder is very upright which is going to make him heavy in front with less power available in his quarters which will be against him in dressage and upper level jumping so on that alone I would rule him out as a potential Rolex candidate if that was what I specifically wanted


----------



## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

I agree that besides being very under weight, the horse has some serious conformation flaws, as mentioned. A very straight shoulder, and a pigeon breast Hip lacks lenght


----------



## KWPNowner (Sep 25, 2012)

I personally do not see serious flaws which would prevent this horse from jumping. Her legs are clean and straight, I like the depth of her stifle and low hock. Her shoulder is fairly upright, but it's got an open angle, which mitigates some of the impact of an upright shoulder. The low point of shoulder suggests she may want to jump over her front end, but I wouldnt want to say anything for sure about that until I'd seen her go. 

If your trainer has seen this horse go and thinks she has 2* potential, I would weigh tha more heavily than what people think of a couple static photos. Of course, a 2* horse may not be competitive at a 4*, but unless you're already competing at that level and looking to move on, a horse with the capacity to jump around a 2* seems like a wise investment. Additionally, although I don't believe you equated the two, a GP jumper and a 4* event horse are going to be quite different creatures as well - but I wouldn't make a determination about a horse's ability to do either off just a couple photos.


----------



## HSEventing (Jun 11, 2016)

Thank you for all the advice! I'll start her on stuff for ulcers and then go from there with adding weight.


----------

