# Arab Gelding Critique



## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

New poster here - what do you think of my Arabian? He's 15 H and about 10 years old. A previous owner rode him in endurance and is standing a bit downhill in the first picture. Thanks - Max


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## Baylen Jaxs (Jun 25, 2011)

Laid back shoulder, which is good. Decent sized back, larger whithers, little topline, he's got a pretty good hip for an Arabian. Usually they're flat looking and what I like to call 'Egg Rump' lol. He has a round hip. He is stocky and legs look straight and clean! Kinda looks like he's bred to run. 

Is he Polish bred or Crabbit?


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

He does love to run - we probably need to trot more to work on the topline though. Nice QH you posted about by the way - looks a lot like the old-school working ranch horses I see here in TX. I don't have his papers at the moment, but I suspect he has some Polish or Crabbet breeding - I would guess probably not Egyptian!


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## Baylen Jaxs (Jun 25, 2011)

MTD said:


> He does love to run - we probably need to trot more to work on the topline though. Nice QH you posted about by the way - looks a lot like the old-school working ranch horses I see here in TX. I don't have his papers at the moment, but I suspect he has some Polish or Crabbet breeding - I would guess probably not Egyptian!


My guess as well! What will you be using him for!?


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## klstarrs (Dec 8, 2015)

Looks a bit too dipped after whithers and thick bottom side of neck and throat area but I thinks that's probably a riding caused fault thats built over time, otherwise a nice looking lad.. looks a bit short on hind pastern and a bit long on toe/hoof at front but he looks nice and solid, good shoulders, hocks and hips.

Looks good overall, what's you plans with him?


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

Thanks for the comments! I trail ride for an hour or two each night and bit longer on the weekends - maybe endurance riding in the future once he's in better shape. I started working with him about a year and a half ago after he'd spent a few years in the pasture.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Be sure to pay attention to saddle fit with that dip behind the withers. He is an OK horse.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

His back/wither area looks to be that of a horse over 20 that has broken down.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

"Corporal" (Arabian, 1982-2009, RIP) was a 4yo when I got him. Even as a 27yo his back hadn't dipped That much.
I think this horse is past it for endurance, and that's why he was sold. I would stick to casual riding and not try to push him. I suspect he broke down, they healed him up and then put him up for sale, and he is in his 20's.
2007 pictures of Corporal at 25yo


I think if you check his teeth you will see that he is in his 20s. Sorry.


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## Baylen Jaxs (Jun 25, 2011)

Corporal said:


> "Corporal" (Arabian, 1982-2009, RIP) was a 4yo when I got him. Even as a 27yo his back hadn't dipped That much.
> I think this horse is past it for endurance, and that's why he was sold. I would stick to casual riding and not try to push him. I suspect he broke down, they healed him up and then put him up for sale, and he is in his 20's.
> 2007 pictures of Corporal at 25yo
> 
> ...



How are you so sure he's 20?


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Overall I like the looks of him. His topline needs a bit of work, but if he hasn't done much lately that will come with time. Do you have hills were you ride that you can train on? Those and lots of balanced transitions may make a big difference.

As others have said, watch your saddle fit, especially as you start getting that topline built up. Just curious as to his registered name so I can look up his endurance record and see how he's bred.


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

View attachment 732145
Thanks for the critique everyone - I see the downhill first picture is doing Salazar no favors, so here it is again, rotated to make him look level - the dip beneath the withers is still prominent - much more than it seemed like in person. His back does look a bit more level in the other two pictures which were taken around the same time. Anyone have advice about ways to strengthen his back? 

Corporal, thanks for sharing your pictures - looks like you had a very nice Arab. From reading some of your other posts, it sounds like he was an excellent trail horse and led a full and happy life. 
No need to be sorry if Salazar the gelding in question is older than I thought though - I never got bilked by into buying a horse that was older than I thought. In fact, I never bought him, he adopted me. 
I have a bit of a very informal second job as an exercise boy and stable hand at a small horselot whose owner bought Salazar five years ago from his original owner who apparently placed him in some local endurance races. When I started at the lot, he hadn't been ridden for some time because people had a habit of going off of him. When I went into the pasture to ride the other horses, he started almost sticking his head into the halter, so I decided to humor him and sat on him and directed him through a few circles. He was as badly behaved as he had been made out to be - refusing the bit, spooking, bolting, spinning etc, but he always held his head out when I walked by with the lead-rope and halter, so I felt obliged to give him a bit of my time and I ended up doing some ground work with him every so often.

As the summer became hotter, the forage in the pasture got worse, and we started supplementing more hay, so I started leading the horses out of the lot to graze along the river where the grass was lusher. On these trips, I saw that he had a bit of 'go,' so I started taking him running with me - he trotted along while I jogged, and after about a year of working with him on the side, with the permission of the horselot's very kind and permissive owner, I started riding on him out along the river and down less busy streets. At some point, the consensus at the horselot was that he was 'my' horse because I was the only one who rode him and because he started following he around like a dog when I walked into the pasture.
I ride him along the river every evening - very dark this time of year because I usually don't finish my day job until quite late - to go a few miles to pick fruit or pecans for supper or to reach another horse boarding facility whose owners I also occasionally ride for. We usually just trot or walk. 

He's become an alert, and tireless trail horse -on our runs or rides, I always have to turn him around - he just wants to keep on going. He is incredibly competitive with other horses when they start trotting and he has so much more 'try' than any other horse I've ridden - originally, most of my time on top was teaching him to slow down and obey less forceful commands- so I figured he might appreciate another short endurance race at some point, though his back and general appearance make me hesitant to enter one or ride him hard. 

He is in decent cardiovascular shape - he willingly does a good trot for five or six miles without breaking a sweat, though I am very conservative about our riding and careful to watch his back and legs for signs of inflammation, soreness, etc. I think he has the 'spirit' to do it, but I am concerned about his body holding up, especially the back and hindquarters, which is part of the reason I posted this critique. It looks like there is at least a partial consensus that he probably shouldn't be entered in one any time soon, if ever. No worries - I am happy to get to do the riding with him I that do and hope he is able to enjoy getting out of his pasture. The last thing I want to do is hurt him doing something he's not ready for or capable of doing anymore. 

To anyone of the posters above still reading, thank you for making it though the unsolicited story and providing your assessments. If anyone has any advice for improving or strengthening his back, I would be open to it.


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

Phamtom horse13 - thanks for your offer to look him up. I don't know his registered name, but I'll ask the horselot owner tonight and let you know - maybe I can dig up his papers too.


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## Baylen Jaxs (Jun 25, 2011)

MTD said:


> Phamtom horse13 - thanks for your offer to look him up. I don't know his registered name, but I'll ask the horselot owner tonight and let you know - maybe I can dig up his papers too.


Is Salazar his registered name by chance? Did he come with the name?


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

Just for giggles I looked up any horse with "salazar" in it's name in the AERC database. Only 3 came up, but all of them would be older than the 10 years you think the gelding is. Will be interesting to learn his 'real' name.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

A few months ago I met a horse with "lordosis" that was being ridden and used without difficulty according to the owner. My first thought was that this might be unkind to the horse...it seemed obvious the horse would be having severe back pain. Thinking I might help the horse out and educate the owner, I read up on it.
It turns out, I was wrong. According to Equus magazine and other sources, due to their anatomy horses are one of the few creatures that can have severe looking spinal deformities without pain. 
To me it looks as though your horse may have a small degree of "lordosis." I hope you can read this article:
The Truth About Swaybacks | EQUUS Magazine
Horse genetics can pre-dispose horses to lordosis and it can happen at any age. One thing you must do is pay careful attention to saddle fit because this anatomy can create pressure points. The horse I met was being ridden successfully in a Bob Marshall treeless saddle with a built up pad.


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

phantomhorse13 said:


> Just for giggles I looked up any horse with "salazar" in it's name in the AERC database. Only 3 came up, but all of them would be older than the 10 years you think the gelding is. Will be interesting to learn his 'real' name.


Just looked at the papers. His real name is BROWN E, foaled in 2002 at Warrick Stables. He.s 14, splitting the difference between what I thought and what some other folks guessed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

MTD said:


> Just looked at the papers. His real name is BROWN E, foaled in 2002 at Warrick Stables. He.s 14, splitting the difference between what I thought and what some other folks guessed.


No horse matches that exact name. So he may have never been registered officially with AERC (not uncommon) or registered as something other than his registered name. Do you know who rode him in the endurance rides? I can try searching by rider too.

And 14 is a great age.. lots of years left. I just rode a friend's 21 year old gelding in a 50 mile ride in November.


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## MTD (Dec 18, 2015)

gotta trot - thanks for the link to the article - very interesting reading - I had no idea horses' spinal structure was so unique. I haven't found a saddle that doesn't leave white hairs after a few long rides yet, so I mainly ride him bareback, sitting very straight, with my seat bones lifted entirely off of his back - kind of like I'm standing up on him, a bit like I'm standing up in the non-existent stirrups. I am very conscientious about making sure I don't leave any white hairs or cause any signs of soreness, ear pinning, etc. Based on your anecdote I'll look into a flex tree - maybe it might fit. Thanks for the suggestion! 

phantom horse 13 - unfortunately, I don't know the rider's name, but Salazar aka BROWN E's registration No. is AHR*610782. Thanks for your encouragement and advice. -Max


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