# Critique my QH mare?



## Aesthetic (Aug 7, 2012)

Is she bred it just a hay belly? She has a bit of a king back and looks very week in her rear end. Definitely could use sine work to build her muscle and top line. I can't tell if she needs a trim or if she has some clubby feet.she looks off balance on her front end but to me she looks like with work she'd be lovely. I can't tell much on her legs since they're black


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Be sure to start her into work slowly, she looks very out of shape.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

You would get a more accurate critique if you had multiple photos. From what I can tell from this one, she lacks muscle all over. not much top line, small hindquarters, "hay belly". plain head.

her color is nice and her legs don't have any horrible, glaring faults. Her withers will hold a saddle on nicely. She would make a nice trail horse.


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## Ale (May 8, 2013)

I do not know how to properly critique a horse, but her coloration is quite lovely


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## shavy (Oct 21, 2013)

She's not bred, vet checked her a couple of weeks ago. She was a county seizure due to severe neglect and has put on about 200 lbs in the past couple of months. She eats everything in sight, which I imagine is what accounts for the belly. She's been thoroughly wormed. Her feet aren't fantastic but I think it will take a few trims to get her to 'normal' after the neglect for who knows how long.

Here are a few pics of her under saddle:


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I'd like to see pictures from the front and from the near side. You original photo looks like she is really over at the knee on her L front leg.


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## shavy (Oct 21, 2013)

Here is a picture of her front; I know it's a poor photo. I got comments based on this pic that she didn't look rideable due to a supposed old injury on her left fore, and also that in general she did not look like she was sound enough to be ridden given her topline and being unbalanced. Vet did not suggest that she was unsound for riding when given her overall health check. People suggested that she get a soundness check and that I look into chiro/bodywork and work her exclusively from the ground. Thoughts?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

the last photo is unusable.

From the first photo:
It almost looks as if she has her pelvis rotated too much forward. I mean the top rotated forward, like someone who is standing with their butt pooched out. this causes a dip in her back, in front of the pelvis. her tail comes out of her croup really high, again indicatating the pelvis is rotated forward. This could be from her bearing foals. But, it might just be her conformation. 
it would be interesting to see how she moves. it looks like her rear legs are camped out quite a bit, again due to the position of her pelvis. the belly sagging is tied into that, too.

she has an upright shoulder and a neck that ties in low and is thin and overly straight. long front canons , light of bone in the forelegs. hooves are of a decent size, pasterns normal. Cute face and good coloration, and appears happy under saddle. 

correct riding will help a lot to build up her abdominal muscles to help her tuck in her belly and maybe bring the pelvis into better alignment.


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## shavy (Oct 21, 2013)

Okay, is this a better pic of her front? I did notice today that her tail is super high, the idea of pelvis rotation is really interesting. I will be sure to take pictures and compare after she's had some conditioning and exercise. I am a n00b when it comes to conformation but I really want to learn. (Sorry if this constant bumping of the topic is annoying.) What does an upright shoulder and straight neck mean practically for her movement? Are long canons or light bone a bad thing? Do they put her at a higher risk for soundness issues down the road? Do you think work with ground poles would help build her topline?


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

she does have a weak croup with a high tail set. she looks like that knee will be arthritic.
Iwould not do any jumps or hard riding with her. She is lucky you found her to give her a second chance.


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## shavy (Oct 21, 2013)

stevenson said:


> she does have a weak croup with a high tail set. she looks like that knee will be arthritic.
> Iwould not do any jumps or hard riding with her. She is lucky you found her to give her a second chance.


What do you see that would indicate an arthritic knee?

Don't worry, we won't be jumping.  I can't imagine she'll see more than light trail riding and lessons.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

maybe its just shadows in the pic, but it looks like bony enlargements on her knees at the top inside. has she had front leg injuries ?


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