# Critique Merlot :-)



## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

Those photos are impossible to critique from. We will need standing side photos to see what she is like. Sorry.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

oh DUH, will take some tomorrow


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

Like what was said above. But I do know that regardless of how she comes out conformation wise she is a beautiful horse and I'm super jealous that she's not in my pasture


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## cowgirl4753 (Aug 3, 2012)

From what I can see, though better pics would be nice , she has a decent shoulder and a nice hip. Looks fine boned, and maybe tied in behind the knee. And that's about all I can possibly tell you lol. She is a nice mare though and I would be proud to have her in my yard!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Oh my gosh, she is just an ugly mess so you can send her to me and I'll hide her in my pasture for you.:twisted:

In all honesty though that is my kind of horse. Love her.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

She's cute! Subbing to see the new pics ^^


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## shesocalifornia (Nov 24, 2013)

Hard to tell much from those photos but I really like her.  just wanted to sub too and see new photos.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

From what we can see I think she's nice and nothing obvious jumps out. The pics are cute but not for critiquing. The group pics is the best but her heads turned and she's at a slight angle and far away (trying to ignore them? lol).


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Very hard photos to critique. I feel like her shoulder it too steep, she's got very high withers, and is tied in at the knee. 

But she is a gorgeous horse!


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

*Better photographs*

OK I just took these now, hopefully you will; get a better idea, sorry about the dust in her coat - she had just had a roll!!!
A couple of things I will say, she has only just gone back into work after weaning her foal, hence her dropped belly and lack of topline - this I am working on  OK 
(And thank you guys for your comments so far LOL)

* I know the back view isn't very good I probably should have tied her tail up and tied her up to stop her looking at me, sorry. I also include a head shot as it is her lovely eye I fell in love with when I first saw her


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

High withers. Would like to see a little more bone on her legs since she's so hefty (in a nice way ) Not loving the way her neck ties in but muscling will help.

Double check the saddle fit as you bring her back to work, what may of fit before could definitely be changed with the loss of topline since she has pretty pronounced withers anyways.

Great condition (maybe a tad overconditioned) for just weaning a foal! You wouldn't of guessed.

Would like to see some pics when she's in shape. She's a little downhill and her back looks swayed (due to the high wither, her back is fine I'm sure). I'm always impressed by the way your horses glow with health and happiness (and jealous of the camera!) Pretty girl.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Thanks Yogiwick  Yeah it's the neck/withers I am worried about and I am hoping that by developing her topline they won't be so pronounced! ON the other hand, the saddle does not slip LOL
Thanks for the comment re glow - I don't even cover them except in the worst of winter nights, I should have actually polished her up (she is actually pretty dusty here) as I said - you can hardly look at her for glow LoL I guess that's a chestnut thing. (and don't forget it is summer here at the moment - that always helps ;-)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I see a dip right in front of the withers but I think its mostly because the withers are so big and make it look like a dip and once her muscles come back it'll help. It's nothing I'd be "worried about" (but I work at an eventing barn.. those withers are nothing! ) it's not a bad thing per say as long as everything fits. (though making stuff fit can be difficult and expensive!)

I only partially mean glow literally/physically though that is true too!! All your horses are obviously very well cared for and loved. I do agree less is more a lot of the time.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

If she's not bred again that little sag in her back should bounce back up unless it was there before breeding her. As long as I didn't breed my mares every year their bodies always bounced back even without work to get refit. I do have hilly pastures though so they always got a workout just moving around to graze and coming and going to the barn.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

She has a lot of the look of The Ole Man to her. I like her. Faults I would find have already been mentioned.


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## Merlot (Sep 12, 2012)

Sheesh Elana, I won't tell her you thought she had the look of an 'old man' ...she likes to think she is such a LADY.
LOL
And thanks everyone, as always in here, your comments are interesting and useful to me  and JCnGrace, that's good to know, I won't be breeding her again, this is a one off...for now.... unless, of course, I win lotto and buy my thousand acre farm ;-)


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

She's one I wouldn't be heartbroken to have more of. No horse is perfect but she's pretty darn nice. Breeding quality imo.

Just picture a bunch of little Zephyr's running around


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Honestly, she's a lovely mare.

And one can appreciate withers...especially after have round-backed rascals with none!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

You might want to look at this. He was AAAT racing and was the sire of many great horses. She would be very proud if she heard she had the look of this stallion who stood for years at Roy Browning Ranch. 

The Ole Man - Ace of Clubs Quarter Horses


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