# First impression!? and critique!



## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

critique this lovely boy!  for Eventing. 

This is my sister new boy, his only fresh OTT, and about 15.2hh.

what's your first impression?!? (like... wow? eww? or face has less expression then a brick)


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Something about the way his barrel ties into his hind end bothers me, but I can't put my finger on what it is. 

LOVE his front end and he has an adorable face.

There's just that back end... :-/ I could be seeing things, though.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

I kinda agree, i think it's cause his standing under himself a little... but yeah


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't know. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to the big draft butt now. lol Especially in the shot where he's kind of walking away, his butt just seems small/weak compared to that powerful front end. *shrug*


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

haha!!


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## redape49 (Jul 29, 2011)

Same lol his back end had me looking real close at this pic to see what was going on =P I love him tho. Maybe close to being downhill. Or just a really weak rump.


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## redape49 (Jul 29, 2011)

Arg I keep looking at it lol not weak it's just too small! You sure he's OTT lol


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

well luckily he has strong hind quarters!  hahaha, yes, positive his OTT, got him from the racing stables my sister works at, and he raced 2 weeks ago


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Just a casual walking photo -


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

His hooves are tiny, scary tiny at least to my eye. 

His withers are very swept back... I don't know if this makes sense and if there's an actual name for it or whether it's a "problem" or not, but his withers seem to "end" way farther back on his back than usual.

I think his neck needs more muscling too.

Overall, though, he looks pretty impressive. He looks like he's in good condition.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Yeah thanks!  and his hooves aren't tiny, luckily! does seem pretty small in the piccies though!  and i agree with his wither, it's like flat and set far back kinda.... thanks!


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## FoxyRoxy1507 (Jul 15, 2008)

i believe the tie in from the barrel to the hindquarter is called herringbone... but that is where you're going to have problems as an eventer or jumper bc he will have a weak loin and possibly back as there is not a lot of support right there. so you will need to spend even more time muscling his hind end and back for eventing.


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## cooperandsandy717 (Oct 15, 2011)

He's a cutie! He actually looks to be in really good shape especially for an OTTB. Did you vet check him? That is one thing I would look into doing if you haven't yet, especially for an eventer. I had a horse on trial who looked to be in great condition and failed due to a terrible back and bad legs. The only thing that concerns me is his feet. His angles don't look very good. It can be fixed, my eventer had that problem when I bought him. He just needs lifted shoes now until his angles are fixed. Talk to your farrier about that though because it could just be the way it looks in the pictures. Good luck with him though! He's really cuute!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NevadaRides (Jan 15, 2010)

FoxyRoxy1507 said:


> i believe the tie in from the barrel to the hindquarter is called herringbone... but that is where you're going to have problems as an eventer or jumper bc he will have a weak loin and possibly back as there is not a lot of support right there. so you will need to spend even more time muscling his hind end and back for eventing.


I agree - he is a tad too long in the back and the hind leg seems a bit too straight from gaskin to pasterns from the side view. I would definitely work some hills if you have them.


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## brackenbramley (May 29, 2011)

nice horse cute face  agree about back and withers he will look totally different with a nice top line though!  has he been vetted? did they say anything about his loin/back? would love to hear his progress x


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Foxy - his is only young, only just turned 4, so i think that muscling and actually working his hind end instead of running 73469miles an hour would help 

Cooper and Bracken - No, haven't vet checked him, but we have checked him, all vitals are fine and his back, loins and rump aren't weak. (my sister did a test thing and she passed to check horses etc. what ever it was!) so she knows how to check everything.

Navada - Long in the back?! really? I thought more short then anything... but i guess i've been looking at him in real life not just through photo's. and yep, heaps of different terrain around here!! 

Cooper - We do our own horses feet, this might shock some people but, I hate shoes... so once he settles in and get's used to this way of living, his shoes are coming off... they are slightly to long at the moment also. so we will fix up any off angles barefoot style!  (all our other horses are barefoot and they have perfect hard hooves)


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I love him, but then I'm no confo expert. His face does seem to have a dull expression to him. I wonder if he needs a vitamin supplement or something. Is his overall attitude good? Lots of walking up sloping hills will do wonders to muscle up that hind end.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

haha, yep, a lot of attitude, those photo's we're taken just after it had rained a little well sprinkled, and he was tired from exploring the place  and yeah, can't wait till we start working him!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

iloverains said:


> Cooper - We do our own horses feet, this might shock some people but, I hate shoes... so once he settles in and get's used to this way of living, his shoes are coming off... they are slightly to long at the moment also. so we will fix up any off angles barefoot style!  (all our other horses are barefoot and they have perfect hard hooves)


I don't know about TBs in Australia, but TBs here in the US tend to have REALLY sensitive, wimpy feet. Every single TB I've known has HAD to have shoes or they act lame.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

Our aussie TB's are pretty tough... of course if he can't handle no shoes, then we will shoe him! but i reckon he will be fine!


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

He's quite nice, nothing overly striking about him though, but certainly nice enough.
As for feet - tb's over here are notorious for terrible feet as well! They're no different to o/s tbs! Generally very flat footed with low heels - a farrier's nightmare. Good like with having him barefoot, it might take quite a while for him to adjust particularly if the paddock is hard or rocky, and if you're planning on doing any road work and cross country with him.


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## iloverains (Apr 1, 2011)

well theres better stories here then o/s! but yeah, definitely not as strong as other breeds, like majority of ponies. and thanks, will have a update on how his feet are!


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