# Maddy's Conformation, how does it look?



## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

Ok so i took some pictures today and she was SOOOO hard to get to stand still and squared up ... as you can tell she is in the middle of moving her hooves when i snapped the pic. And she is on stall rest right now (has been for about 3 weeks) so she is kinda crazy and wasn't happy that I was taking her picture lol. I hope that they are goon enough to give a good confo shot tho ... on her back left it looks like she lost a shoe in the pictures but she didn't .. it's just the angle/light.

I would like to say i am sorry she is so dirty and furry .. i am a clean freak but right now work is taking over my life.

Also, does she look fat to anyone? She is really furry so that doesn't help but what do you guys think?

Stats:
TB
16.1 Hands
5 yrs old
Off the Track a year and 4 months ago
I am training her for HJ

Thanks!














































A head shot for good measure:


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

She's cute. Built a little up hill. She could use a bit more topline. She might be a little cow-hocked and a little cramped under in the back. She has thick pasterns too


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## starlinestables (Nov 24, 2008)

She definitely needs more muscle. Her toes are a little long and I can't tell if she is just fuzzy but her legs look a little puffy which is to be expected on stall rest...


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

so her pasterns look think but it's all hair ... lol ... i was totally serious when i said she was furry ... and since she is on stall rest (per the vets orders) she stocks up a little ... this week she is getting walked 30 min everyday and tomorrow she will be allowed to have a paddock as well as the stall so that will help circulation.

How do you suggest building more top line? (i want to make sure that i am doing the right thing)

What do you mean "cramped under her back"?

Thanks!


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

starlinestables said:


> She definitely needs more muscle. Her toes are a little long and I can't tell if she is just fuzzy but her legs look a little puffy which is to be expected on stall rest...


Yeah she is puffy cause of the stall rest ... and hasn't been worked in about 3-4 weeks(she had a stone bruise and then did something to her hind right leg so the vet said stall rest and hand walking for a month, and it's been a week since he said that) ... i am hoping that she will be good to go in the next 2 weeks.


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## Miss Katie (Dec 30, 2007)

She doesnt look fat to me. Maybe even a little skinny.


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

What I mean by cramped under:

When you draw a line from the hind quarter straight down it should go straight through the hock and the back legs, but with her the legs are a little ahead of the line. Does that make sense?


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

mlkarel2010 said:


> What I mean by cramped under:
> 
> When you draw a line from the hind quarter straight down it should go straight through the hock and the back legs, but with her the legs are a little ahead of the line. Does that make sense?


Yeah totally makes sense .. thanks!


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

Miss Katie said:


> She doesnt look fat to me. Maybe even a little skinny.


Maybe it's her furriness ... she looks fatter to me but maybe because that is in person lol


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

Oh, and to build up top line try to get her to round her back and collect herself. That normally helps build top line, but building topline muscle takes a lot of time


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

mlkarel2010 said:


> Oh, and to build up top line try to get her to round her back and collect herself. That normally helps build top line, but building topline muscle takes a lot of time


Ok yeah that is what i have been doing but this time off hasn't been helping :-/

thanks!


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

Here is what I see.

* built downhill
* could definitely use more muscle, especially back and neck
* long back and neck
* slightly cow-hocked
* short pasterns 

As far as muscling goes it will be harder to build her topline up because she is downhill and long back, like most TB. Start by just getting her to use her hindquarters and not pulling down on the bit, because I'm going to guess she is heavy on the forehand, though she might not be. Try for a long low frame, but don't expect her to be able to hold it for too long.

Hill work is great too and lots of trotting.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

Supermane said:


> Here is what I see.
> 
> * built downhill
> * could definitely use more muscle, especially back and neck
> ...


Thanks!

I actually had a good amount of muscle in about Oct. and with the holidays and then her getting hurt, it has caused problems with our progress. I have actually got a good headset/her carrying herself .. it has taken about a year since on the track pulling is good ... anywho when she gets back to work (hopefully in 2-3 weeks) i will keep up my nice long trot days, working on her carrying herself and using her hind end ... it's always nice to know when you are doing the right thing! haha


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## eralcx3 (Jan 5, 2009)

Also, another thing that helps build topline is having your horse WALK up and down hills. It doesn't just build back muscle but it will help build muscles on the hind-end and legs and in the front. It helps a lot. It still takes time like everything else, but that is what I did whenever I was training a horse and they needed muscle.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

eralcx3 said:


> Also, another thing that helps build topline is having your horse WALK up and down hills. It doesn't just build back muscle but it will help build muscles on the hind-end and legs and in the front. It helps a lot. It still takes time like everything else, but that is what I did whenever I was training a horse and they needed muscle.


I wish i had a hill to use ...


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## huntseat7 (Dec 31, 2008)

mlkarel2010. got what i saw, her neck looks odd to me too, but i think it just need muscle. hand walking is good for stall rest, can you walk her up and down hills? 

I think she would be a super cute hunter with some muscle and shaping!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Definitely not fat. Out of shape and I think underweight actually. Like you say, maybe you think she's fat because of the fur, but her neck is thin, her back looks like it may be peaked and her rump is definitely not roundish. Also, when a horse is out of shape, it can be easier to think they are fat because things are nice and tight and shiny.

BTW, it's hard to tell with the photos, but maybe her front toes are long?

As for stall rest, unless it's a broken bone (generally speaking) I'm completely against it. I've seen the harm it's done and I say: turn her out with free choice hay! It'll do her far more good than being cooped up in a stall.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

northernmama said:


> Definitely not fat. Out of shape and I think underweight actually. Like you say, maybe you think she's fat because of the fur, but her neck is thin, her back looks like it may be peaked and her rump is definitely not roundish. Also, when a horse is out of shape, it can be easier to think they are fat because things are nice and tight and shiny.
> 
> BTW, it's hard to tell with the photos, but maybe her front toes are long?
> 
> As for stall rest, unless it's a broken bone (generally speaking) I'm completely against it. I've seen the harm it's done and I say: turn her out with free choice hay! It'll do her far more good than being cooped up in a stall.


The farrier come out Tuesday, she gets new shoes every 6 weeks on the dot 

She has a 12X12 stall and a 12X24 paddock so she isn't just in a stall anymore ... Yeah she is out of shape right now ... up until about October she was is GREAT shape and then with the holidays and hurting herself she has turned into a lean mean eating machine! lol

I feed at night and she gets 2 flakes (one alfalfa and one mixed grass) and then a scoop and a half of Strategy and her vitamins in that... in the am she gets 1.5-2 flakes.

One she is sounds again, i will continue to work on her muscle, i wish i had a hill but i don't so lots of trotting for us!


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

huntseat7 said:


> mlkarel2010. got what i saw, her neck looks odd to me too, but i think it just need muscle. hand walking is good for stall rest, can you walk her up and down hills?
> 
> I think she would be a super cute hunter with some muscle and shaping!



I don't have any hills :-( 

Yeah she needs muscle but being hurt i can't do much at this time ... I am actually training her to do hunters so im glad you can see her potential, cause i can (when she is worked on a regular basis!) :lol:


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

kchfuller said:


> The farrier come out Tuesday, she gets new shoes every 6 weeks on the dot
> 
> She has a 12X12 stall and a 12X24 paddock so she isn't just in a stall anymore ... Yeah she is out of shape right now ... up until about October she was is GREAT shape and then with the holidays and hurting herself she has turned into a lean mean eating machine! lol
> 
> ...


Oh good! Nice for feet from farriers and paddocks! Yippee!
I was just looking at her photos from last summer/fall (?) you have up. Pretty! These pictures don't do her justice. If you compare what she's at now to then, you'll see the difference in muscling and her neck.

BTW, does she need the alfalfa? I wonder if you should trade that for mixed hay and up her a flake or two??


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

Yeah the pictures of her right now are not the most flattering ... haha its winter and she LOVES to get dirty and i like said isn't getting worked like she was... 

In the AM she gets all grass but at night i give her alfalfa, do you think i should cut it out? I can feed her whatever i want ... isn't it richer in nutrition? That is why i was mixing it in here ... let me know what you think 

Here is her in Sept./Oct. 08:









Here is in April 08:









Yes when she is worked, not a fuzz ball and clean she looks normal ... i'll probably wait till March or April to do more confo shots so that she will look better ..

Thanks!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Her neck is still thin even in the fall photos. Needs some muscle for sure, but overall she looks better when she's working! Don't they all?

For the alfalfa -- that's a choice you need to make on your own. Many people apparently find their horses get hot on it and use it only when working. Maybe do a search on the forum for "alfalfa" and see what info you can find.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

northernmama said:


> Her neck is still thin even in the fall photos. Needs some muscle for sure, but overall she looks better when she's working! Don't they all?
> 
> For the alfalfa -- that's a choice you need to make on your own. Many people apparently find their horses get hot on it and use it only when working. Maybe do a search on the forum for "alfalfa" and see what info you can find.


Ill do that, thanks!


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## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

no critique, but she a looker!!!!


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