# Need Help with confirmation please



## searching for mr perfect (Aug 20, 2012)

This is a 3yo TB filly....the pic is not great (she wouldnt stop dancing!) I would like to be able to hunt, show, possibly event in the very far away future! (She is only 3 after all!) in the pic her left front leg is not really under her very well and she's not really weight-bearing because there was something more exciting to look at .....somewhere! Also with any faults please tell me what would minimize future damage to her, as well as any thoughts on how she may change change with time. She is at the track and is at racing fit/weight but has such an unbeatable personality I think I want her regardless! What do you think she is worth pricewise?

Thanks for the help!


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I really don't like her. Don't get me wrong, I think she's adorable, but I really don't like her for any of the things you want to do.

Those long cannons and pasterns scream NO JUMPING, her neck set is not ideal (too low - though my filly is much the same), not enough bone, downhill build (yes I know she's only 3 but she's SO downhill I doubt she will level out), stifle is too high and hocks are a tad too straight. I do like her shoulder, and I like her hip angle, but that's about it and unfortunately with a jumper you need the whole horse to be average to good. It is a high impact sport, and leg injuries are very common... pretty much a given if she was to be jumped seriously, because the length of her pasterns and cannons makes them weak.

With this one I am reminded of the saying "tops may come but bottoms never"... and unfortunately she's very much lacking from elbow/stifle down.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

If her butt were lower and she did not stand over so much ground she would be very nice. Long pasterns.. and looks a little back at the knee on the left front (could be stance). Hind legs are a bit straight. 

This is a horse that might be quite nice but will take awhile to get there. I would be using boots on her (like Professional Choice) and anything else to help shock absorb to protect her legs. 

Too bad she is so long and butt high.. neither of which will change much at this age.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

I certainly wouldn't say that I didn't like her. As a general horse to have fun on and dabble in a bit of everything, she'll be fine. 
As others have said, the pasterns are longer than ideal and very steep, with long canons. If she can bend her hocks, you can get away somewhat with her being downhill. My gelding is slightly downhill (and his breeding is fully imported Hanoverian with strong dressage and jumping lines), but can bend all the joints in his hind end so well that he finds collected work quite easy. 

She is just a very typical, run of the mill thoroughbred. Not a superstar, but she'll be a good, fun horse if she has the brain.


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

Where are you OP? What sort of country are you wanting to hunt in?


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## Spotted (Sep 19, 2012)

She will still grow for a few more years. I like her conformation. Nice high withers. If you like her personality and you can control her without the chain, go for it! get another picture of that front left leg, (too far forward).
Sounds like you have already made up your mind.


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## Coconut Cruncher (Sep 19, 2012)

I see nothing wrong with the structure of the horse that will inhibit it in anything you want to be doing.
If you wish to be jumping 1m or there abouts during eventing, I'd have a look at the angles of her pastern, as they're more upright to that of the hoof angles and will cause strain in the external flexor and in the extensor carpi radialis of the front legs.

She looks like a stayer (not sure what they're referred to in other countries), and that nice rounded and powerful hindquarter will do both of you well in the flat of a cross country course. She has a decent shoulder, probably more upright than it would be sloped, and this will help her shoulder rotate more and end up her tucking her knees in higher, a desirable trait for jumping, but will (generally speaking) make her knee action on the ground flat with little bounce.
Contrary to popular belief in one post above, her neck ties in well although she'll have a low head carriage. Unless worked correctly, she'll naturally (due to conformation) be heavy on the forehand, and corrective farriery for her angles will help with less strain.

Her back isn't that long, I just believe her legs do not match it's length. she may struggle to track up, she may not, I believe she'll be able to engage and stretch her hind legs underneath her easily and this will help with her slightly downhill build. She IS only 3 years old though, she could grow another half a hand by the time she turns 5 years old and even herself up.

She is, over-all, a lovely looking filly that is in a picture that has much to be desired. It's a poor setting up, and you know it as stated, and you could not accurately judge her conformation on just this.

She'll be absolutely perfect for what you want, IF, she is sound of both mind and body after her racing career. Have her vetted before any final decisions are made, especially if that left knee accurately shows what it is like. If she races to the left like a lot of American and eastern Australian horses, this could be a big concern.


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## searching for mr perfect (Aug 20, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the advice!

Yeah she has some faults, no doubt about that! On the other hand, she has already come a long way! She was starved from the time she was weaned until about 2years old so I am hoping that she is just delayed in her maturation and that she will level out that big ol' butt!
(That being said, I have a big ol' butt too so who am I to talk???? LOL!)

I am hopeful that she will have more talent than I do (not very hard!), and I want a horse that can go and "do" stuff---she appears to have a great mentality! I watched her trainer pull her tail, smack her (gently--not mean) on the butt, hang from her neck, and stick her fingers up her nose and she didn't flinch, but instead reveled in the attention! Unlike many TB's, she loves being groomed, lowers her head and opens her mouth (on her own) to be bridled, can be rubbed-touched-poked-prodded anywhere and just wants to be loved on! 
My cell phone started to ring and I have a dorky ringtone (crickets chirping--don't ask!) and she came forward while in her stall to investigate--she is quite brave and inquisitive (aka, nosy like me!)

She was brought out of the stall for her trot-up and there was a guy working on the roof. She stopped and stared and at THAT point the trainer put the chain over her nose---she never used any lead pressure on her at all! She was moving around and the trainer just allowed her because she was not being mean--just excited that she may be about to go and "do" something. Then she trotted right out--plenty of energy, but controllable energy. She had a lot of action--no daisy cutter trot here! 

I think I am going to take the chance on her--with a personality like that, she will be a lot of fun even if we don't make it to the Olympics!


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

As long as she can deal with having pressure put on her, than you're good to go. That's one of the biggest things I look for in a horse, they can be as quiet as a lamb if you throw things at them, but ask them to do something they're not happy about and some horses will lose the plot. TB's tend to have a habit of doing this so you need to pick the right one!


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## lefty (Sep 20, 2012)

....not sure why everyome doesnt like her so much. nice hip, short back. the only thing i really see is her pasters are week looking and her cannons are a tad long. i know very little about english though. i bet she could do almost anything you want. i mean conformation plays a part sure but.... i mean my barrel horse has a LOOng back, and is cow hawked pluss is only 14hh and a grade and she consistantly outruns many of those horses bred for barrels....people are shawked when we leave the arena, i get offers on her all the time. you may as well try i mean there is no harm in that. i think she a beautiful looking mare. good luck


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Lefty, those legs are scary! That's why I don't like her. Because in a horse, legs are EVERYTHING. It's not like a dog where if it does a tendon or breaks its leg that's ok, stick it in a cast for 6 months... doesn't work like that with horses.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Her legs don't really worry me terribly much. Yes, a bit upright and long in the cannons but in all honesty, she's not going to just snap her leg one day walking around or do a tendon. With good shoeing, those angles can be looked after fairly well and I'd say as long as she is ridden with care - good warm up/cool down and careful management when being brought back into work after spelling, she should be fine.
I've seen much worse legs on horses competing at FEI Dressage! 

I'd just be sure to get them all looked at thoroughly, and preferably xrayed to make sure there's no hidden nasties!


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## Coconut Cruncher (Sep 19, 2012)

When it comes to legs I'm pretty much a crazy (forgive if offensive) Nazi conformation lady. Legs are indeed everything, and my Leg-Radar isn't showing me anything blaringly obvious from the rather bad photo angles


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## 4everiding (Jul 3, 2012)

It looks as if she is shod and trimmed for the track which completely throws off the angles of the legs. Most race horses are trimmed with very little heel, a lot of toe and often times their outer walls are longer than the inside walls. I think her back legs look a bit straight, but considering she has zero heels back there, this will change once you find a farrier who can work on the balance of her feet. Proper shoeing will also change the angle of her pasterns. I think her pasterns might look long because she doesn't have any heel. I would be more concerned to see if she has any ankle rounding, racing bracelets, set splints close to the joints, etc. She is a bit long in the cannon bone, but that shouldn't really be too much of an issue is you are keeping her as an all around pleasure horse. 

Also, she has a typical tucked up racehorse body and her body shape will definitely change once she's not exercising at the track everyday. My horse had the same hoof issues I just explained but he also looked like this the day I picked him up from the track (doing 2mile gallops every day while at the track, I REALLY liked the looks of him):









He was a little over the knee when I got him (just like his sire). But his bloodlines were awesome and had EVENTER written all over them (sired by Dynaformer out of an "Shopper" family mare). With the help of my amazing farrier, he stands so balanced and has incredible movement.

With proper shoeing, preventative maintenance on her joints, and taking it slow I think you can have a very nice mare. Just keep in mind that a lot of times horses coming down off the track will experience soreness issues since their bodies are used to certain exercise on certain kinds of footing. Good luck with her, she's awfully cute.


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