# Critique the trotter



## Kvazar (Jul 3, 2011)

Ordinary russian horse - russian trotter (orlov-french trotter-standardbred crossbreed).
What do you think about his conformation?


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

That's an odd looking head! he's the tiniest tad downhill, functionally speaking, and those cannons are LONG. I like his shoulder, and I like his hindquarter. I love his neck and how it ties in to his chest. It's hard to tell much more than that though, he's not squared up and he's not on level ground.

Overall though I like him!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

This horse is very typical of these breeds. I have looked at the Orlov and this horse shows that conformation in the rounded croup and hind leg conformation and the somewhat muttony withers. 

While I could pick apart this horse for short pasterns, long cannons, somewhat straight hind leg conformation and being slightly tied in behind the knee, he is very balanced. He has good bone, though I would like to see roomier hocks. His head and neck and neck set thro back to Arabian ancestry long ago. 

I do not know what your plans are for this horse. He is very warm blood looking as in warm bloods for carriage horses (which was the original purpose, along with war horse of the warmblood). If you are looking for a Dressage prospect, probably not (but see him move!) as his back legs are too posty. If you are looking for a combined driving horse, he is very nice. He might do OK over fences. 

What are your intentions for this horse?


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

^ I disagree, you don't want a posty hind in a jumper. They need the same driving power and spring from behind as a good dressage horse. Maybe as a lower to mid-level jumper, a posty hind is ok, but I wouldn't want a horse that's straight behind for high level stuff. Or eventing (what I'm showing in this season) for that matter because - and ESPECIALLY cross-country - you need a horse that can jump the height without struggling, because on some courses you can't see what the footing's like and the horse might trip a stride or two out. You need to be able to recover because a refusal on cross-country is disastrous for your end score (20 penalties is a BIG disadvantage) and to try to jump it when your horse has tripped and doesn't have the scope to clear it from a bad position... that's just plain suicidal. I know riders who've experienced what can happen. it's not pretty.

So, a posty hind for a jumper or eventer? Not for me.

I can see this horse doing well in the show ring and in the lower to middle levels of eventing and dressage, but purely for safety reasons, I wouldn't event it any higher than 3'6"... those jumps get pretty wide and they're REALLY solid. Jumpers, I can see it taking rails at the higher levels.

JMO.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Hmm.. I should have clarified what I meant. OK over fences is not super over fences. OK.. is (IMO) a 2'6" or 3' horse.. And he would likely do "ok" up to level 3 in dressage. 

OK.. is.. well.. Just OK.... LOL


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I get you now. Yeah, this horse as a lower level allrounder or eventer, would be very nice. I can't see him going to the top in anything but depending on temperament he could easily make a lovely competitive mount at the low to mid levels.


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## Kvazar (Jul 3, 2011)

blue eyed pony, Elana thanks a lot for your comments. 

So, about this horse. He is 16 this year. His height is 15.0 hh.
He was a jumper. 3'10"-4'2". 
I do really think it was too much for him.
But he is really well balanced and unbelievably honest horse.
Hу always does his best. Unfortunately sometimes he tries to do more then his body can do =(( 
I bought him at 11 as retiree jumper.
Now his got arthritis and chronic back aches.
Probably the back could be treatable, but I don't see any opportunity to make it here. =(

So now he is ridable. He is my huge hamster.
I used to try skijoring with him. He likes it a lot, because he can move fast and nobody hurts his back.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

This post confirms what I thought. 
At 16 years old, ENJOY him. If you can get him hitched, hitch him (ski Joring.. what a rush that must be!). 

I have arthritis myself.. and you know.. a little care, a little stretching, a little NSAID.. I am not ready to roll over and quit. I still work! I suspect your horse is similar1


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## Kvazar (Jul 3, 2011)

He's on level ground, about 8 years ago


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I like him. May have to move to your country and take him away! LOL

Very nice looking horse. I can see why they had him jumping.


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## Kvazar (Jul 3, 2011)

> So now he is ridable


Sorry. He is NOT ridable I meant))))


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