# Curly Conformation Critique



## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

This is my first horse! Just purchased him this evening, his name is Andee, he is a sixteen year old Curly. I know he's a touch sway back, overweight (working on this one haha) and needs a farrier visit but I'd love to hear your thoughts, just for fun, I only plan to use him for pleasure/trail riding. Sorry about the photos, its getting dark early these days! Let me know if these don't work and I'll get more =)


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## oobiedoo (Apr 28, 2012)

Not a professional critique but I just love his big butt stocky look. He looks like he'd be a sweetheart. Hope you have many happy years together.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

oobiedoo said:


> Not a professional critique but I just love his big butt stocky look. He looks like he'd be a sweetheart. Hope you have many happy years together.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thank you! He is a sweetheart, loves cuddles and kisses!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'll wait for better photos, if you don't mind. Just can't make out much with those .


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I cannot make out much but I will say his whole demeanor is one of "perfect first horse." I hope he has training and is the same way when you ride him. 

He is four square and sturdy looking. You can help him a lot by getting him to trot up hills on a loose rein with you in a 2 point position. It will help to strengthen his abs and reduce his belly as well as help him to raised his back.


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I'll wait for better photos, if you don't mind. Just can't make out much with those .





Elana said:


> I cannot make out much but I will say his whole demeanor is one of "perfect first horse." I hope he has training and is the same way when you ride him.
> 
> He is four square and sturdy looking. You can help him a lot by getting him to trot up hills on a loose rein with you in a 2 point position. It will help to strengthen his abs and reduce his belly as well as help him to raised his back.


Ok I will try to get some pictures outside before it gets dark out next time I'm out there! Thanks!

He's such a sweetheart. Well broken and has tried nearly every discipline but I'd only be using him really for trails and lessons (I'm still a beginner rider). HES very leg sensitive and that's helped me learn exponentially. He stands great and has wonderful manners, lifts his feet without trouble and loves affection. Such is the curly way lol. I had a saddle fitter/equine massage therapist out yesterday because I wanted to make sure I'd buy one that wouldn't cause him undue stress and he showed me a few pressure points and exercises to loosen him up and tighten his back. I'll try those out as well as try to get some of his weight off!


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## GreyFeather (Sep 4, 2014)

Oh you bought him! Congrats! I read the entirety of your other thread about Joker the other day and was wondering how you got on . Agree with above, can't make out much from these photos but he generally looks like a lovely boy. Remember him looking very nice indeed in some of the photos I saw on your old thread.


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

GreyFeather said:


> Oh you bought him! Congrats! I read the entirety of your other thread about Joker the other day and was wondering how you got on . Agree with above, can't make out much from these photos but he generally looks like a lovely boy. Remember him looking very nice indeed in some of the photos I saw on your old thread.


Thank you!


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Ok so I was only able to get a few more confo pictures, I hope they work! Trying to get him square alone is harder than I thought! (I'm also including a couple just cause they are cute hehe). Let me know if this are at all usable and sorry about the multiple posts, mobile only lets me upload one at a time.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I'm unsure if it's a combination of his coloring/the darkness of the photos, but he looks a bit out of shape... But, like the others said, it's a bit hard to tell  He's cute.


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Ok, let me know if I suck at this lol


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Zexious said:


> I'm unsure if it's a combination of his coloring/the darkness of the photos, but he looks a bit out of shape... But, like the others said, it's a bit hard to tell  He's cute.


Hehe yes he's overweight, he was fed a high grain diet at his last home, he's only been at my stables two weeks and I just bought him last week. It was mentioned in his pre-purchase exam so I'm going to work on getting some weight off of him.


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

I'm assuming my pictures don't work again since I've gotten no responses. Blast!! I'm terrible at this haha.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I can't get past how cute he is. stinkin' cute!


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I can't get past how cute he is. stinkin' cute!


I mean I'm biased, but yeah, he's so cute it hurts. 

But I've seen you guys TEAR cute horses apart. I'm not good enough to know but I do know my sweet curly isn't perfect. That's impossible haha I read you guys talk about the slope of pasterns and all sorts of things I would never notice! Its impressive =p


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## GreyFeather (Sep 4, 2014)

I'll give it a go seeing as you want a critique but I'm currently educating myself on conformation past the basics so I won't say anything is perfect or awful as I don't trust myself to yet. Can't see anything awful anyway...

The things I can pick out at the moment (mainly based on the third photo down where he is the most square onto the camera - although his position with his hind legs makes some things a touch tricky to judge) are that he has a very nice shoulder slope but perhaps a shoulder angle that is a touch closed, decent slope to his pasterns, a nicely set-on neck which is longer on top that it is at the bottom (which is good!) - definitely has some stallion neck going on though!, a pretty little head. He is perhaps a touch back at the knee but I could be wrong on this! His hocks are also set a bit high to my eye. He is compact with a short back (topline of back shorter than underside - again good!) - I won't comment on coupling as I really don't understand this too well yet. His legs look sturdy with a good amount of bone and what look to me like decent angles on the hind legs.

He is overweight, as you know  and from the top two pics looks on the bum high/downhill side but could be partially to do with how he's standing - hard to tell from the pic I've mainly been using as he's standing with his hind legs out behind him in that one.

Overall he looks like a solid, compact little horse who is really really cute. I love him .

Happy to be corrected on anything as I'm trying to improve my conformation knowledge!


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

GreyFeather said:


> I'll give it a go seeing as you want a critique but I'm currently educating myself on conformation past the basics so I won't say anything is perfect or awful as I don't trust myself to yet. Can't see anything awful anyway...
> 
> The things I can pick out at the moment (mainly based on the third photo down where he is the most square onto the camera - although his position with his hind legs makes some things a touch tricky to judge) are that he has a very nice shoulder slope but perhaps a shoulder angle that is a touch closed, decent slope to his pasterns, a nicely set-on neck which is longer on top that it is at the bottom (which is good!) - definitely has some stallion neck going on though!, a pretty little head. He is perhaps a touch back at the knee but I could be wrong on this! His hocks are also set a bit high to my eye. He is compact with a short back (topline of back shorter than underside - again good!) - I won't comment on coupling as I really don't understand this too well yet. His legs look sturdy with a good amount of bone and what look to me like decent angles on the hind legs.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for the critique! I appreciate you giving it a go, I don't even know how to start learning it, I read the sticky but it was over my head


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

Overall he is actually quite nicely put together. Once you pull the weight off of him and get more muscle he will look even better. You might want to read up on insulin resistant horse, as he could be (based on fat pockets and crest on his neck). 

He has good bone, a nice shoulder, short back, slightly tall withers (be aware when fitting a saddle), nice shape to his croup. He is downhill and maybe a tiny bit back at the knee and sickle hocked ( very minor and might just be his stance in a couple of photos). He is also a bit post legged behind. Pastern angle appears correct. Overall I think you got a winner! Congrats on your first horse!


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## MouseZ (Aug 16, 2011)

Tryst said:


> Overall he is actually quite nicely put together. Once you pull the weight off of him and get more muscle he will look even better. You might want to read up on insulin resistant horse, as he could be (based on fat pockets and crest on his neck).
> 
> He has good bone, a nice shoulder, short back, slightly tall withers (be aware when fitting a saddle), nice shape to his croup. He is downhill and maybe a tiny bit back at the knee and sickle hocked ( very minor and might just be his stance in a couple of photos). He is also a bit post legged behind. Pastern angle appears correct. Overall I think you got a winner! Congrats on your first horse!


Thank you!! I love reading critiques hehe even though it doesn't matter much to me since well just be trail riding for the most part ;p. 

And don't worry, as a newbie to horse riding and owning I did a lot of research before buying Andee. And it's a good thing too! I think most people don't realize how critically important saddle fit is for a horses comfort, health and demeanour while riding. I got a couple of synthetic Abetta saddles (love the light weight and look of them) on loan and had a saddle fitter/equine massage therapist come out and make sure they would fit him. Also ended up buying a Diamond Wool pressure relief pad from him to make sure no saddle bridging would put pressure on Andee and make him suck in his back and increase his sway. He set it all up for us and even showed me some pressure points and light things I can do to keep Andee nice and loose and relaxed in his hips as he gets older


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