# Another conformation critique



## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Still haven't found the right horse -bangs head-. I've looked at so many but my dad and brother are dead set on colour or at the very least something flashy. I know it's ultimately not their decision but having them like the horse makes things a whole lot easier. I found this wee mare and she's everything i wanted- 14hh, 7 years old, good doer, okay feet. She's also local to my dad. To me she looks like an all around kind of horse- which is what I want. What do you guys think? 

She's also within my price range because she does have some issues.


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## CrimsonCaballus (Nov 12, 2014)

Very steep crop - whatever not a huge deal
Can't really tell anything about her shoulder because most horses shoulders look straight when their head is down.
I like the length of her cannon bones. 
Her pasterns seem a bit too sloped...


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I like her. she's got that all around look that a lot of Appaloosas have. her pastern angles are fine. tiny, tiny bit back at the knee, and would be nice to have a bit more bone, but she seems to have big enough feet, a nice hock angle. this could be the one!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

THAT is a nice horse. Her croup is NOT steep. Look where the tail comes out. She looks to have a correct hind leg too. Would love to critique her shoulder but she has her head down so it looks steep. I love that her knees and hocks are nearly the same height and her stifle is necly placed. She also has a nice "engine." 

Yup. Like this horse quite a lot.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

If Elana says so, it IS so.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I was just about to say, well then that settles it! You guys have got me all excited. Okay she looks a tad downhill to me- but I'm guessing not enough to really hinder her?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

she might be a bit downhill. but, many appy's are. it's more of a quarter horse build. looks a bit like this appy that I used to ride
he was UBER fat at this time, not his typical condition level, but was on spring pasture and eating like a tornado.








looking at THAT photo, they don't look so alike. h m m m. .

just "never mind" this post


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I can see some similarities  What did you do with him in? I'm really tempted to try making her into a little low level eventer if her temperament is right for it.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

That horse is a bit more than a "low level" horse. Eating grass they all look down hill... and she may be a bit.. but not unworkably so. 

She may not get her knees up enough for eventing but without a better photo of the shoulder, who can tell? I do not think she is back at the knee either... but more photos would surely help. 

In that photo she looks a fine horse.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

the appy I posted WAS a bit downhill, and moved more like a Western horse, smaller trot, really nice easy to ride lope. he was pretty surefooted and had great stamina. but, he was not fast. he lives in the mountains, now, with his owner . ( I only leased him)

that mare looks more athletic to me. 

but, you said the price is low due to issues. like what?


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Agreed, nice QHsy build. What are her "issues"?


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

She's currently being worked as a mustering horse, which to me is a good thing. I means she'll be good with stock and be sure footed and unlikely to be spooky. 

She is girthy. Nothing extreme, apparently, just threatens to bite etc. but I've dealt with girthy horses before and it honestly doesn't bother me especially considering I probably will have to ride bareback for a few months until I have a saddle for her. It might even be a diet issue- i'll have her checked for ulcers etc. She also gets nervous if left behind in trekking situations- if she is made to wait and other horses ride on, she'll start jig jogging and do tiny rears etc. but will eventually calm down. That I will be working on a lot.

Her build is really uncommon in New Zealand, by the way. We don't have many quarter horses around here.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I would snatch her up in a heartbeat! She's a cutie, built REALLY well, and looks sweet. The "issues" you say she has are trivial and easily worked through.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Stock horses are wonderful all around animals. She may end up becoming your favorite.
I say, desensitize her immediately to the girth with a makeshift one. Use a girth/cinch attached to one leather latigo. Hook to to the off side, and keep snugging and releasing until she gets tired of fighting it. You won't break a good saddle and she'll get rid of a bad habit.
The "herd sour" will just get better by working her by herself for a few months, so she looks to _you_ and not the herd for security.
What horses ARE common in New Zealand?
You know MOST of us in the US are used to what we have seen in the LOTR films. Nice looking horses, just can't place them. Are they similar to the TB cross common in Australia? Curious. Thanks. =D


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Yeah, I was not put off AT ALL by her issues. I have a bucker and honestly, she's so small that I'm not even slightly perturbed by the thought of her getting me off in comparison to my 16.3 monster. 

We have lots and lots of clydesdale crosses, lots of thoroughbreds, and lots of station horses, which are basically just stock horses turned lose till they're feral, breed in big herds, and are then mustered again. Stationbreds, as they are called, are usually pretty short (under 16hh) and stocky. There's lots of flashy colours, too. There's also specific stationbreds like "gisbornbreds" which are just again mustered feral ponies. There are our wild horses kaimanawa's, too.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Fascinating! Now, you KNOW the rules...we could use some pictures of your other ponies...
Please?!?!? =D


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I only have one other horse unfortunately, and he's a clydesdale thoroughbred cross. He luckily threw to the thoroughbred side, but got the clydie bone and height. Lots of tb x clydies over here somehow mysteriously end up oddly short. 

Only problem is, he got the TB temperament too, so I'm looking forward to something less spooky (;


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Those issues are not a bother at all IMO.

Looking forward to more photos. Yes. That mare looks very Quarterhorse build but with the blanket looks more like a really good Appaloosa.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I'm so disappointed- a little bit girth shy turned out to be a lot. As in rearing, bucking, bolting backwards, enough chaos that my very experienced father and his stock worker friends weren't comfortable getting on her. I do wish he had tried though, because as everyone said, she's a lovely looking horse and apparently seemed to have a "nice personality". But my dad decided buying her wouldn't be a great option as she was truly dangerous with her girthing. 

I've begun wondering if I should widen my criteria...


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## lovelyStory (Oct 2, 2012)

I'm so sorry she didn't work out, falling!!


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

why not look at some of the feral horses?
nothing makes a heartier horse than the wild, and there might be some nicely put together ones too


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Thanks guys. 

Honestly, my dad's looking at the feral horses. Broke feral horses are surprisingly expensive around nz because they are what everyoneeee wants. Meanwhile, I went to see a 15.1hh TB. She seemed almost too good to be true- very green baby but so chill. I just hopped on (after an apparent 2 days off, don't know whether that's true or not). Not girth shy, not spooky, was a bit tender when picking up her front feet as she has mud fever (mild). Really nice walk and trot on a loose rein, her canter was pretty flat but she isn't very balanced yet. Very good looking IMO too- bright bay with four white socks and a blaze. What do you guys think? (Not me jumping btw)


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## Starlite (Jan 25, 2011)

Oh I like the TB a lot. Sturdy looking.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

she def has tb legs, though not as bad a some, then again i like horses with tree trunk legs lol! Unless she learns to pick her knees up her jumping career will be short.

Otherwise i love her


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

I really like the TB, she's cute and I love her bone. She sounds like she has a nice temperament too. A little concerning about her jumping style, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.


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## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

That was the first time and only time she'd ever jumped so I'm not going to judge her too much haha. She's quite a chubby thing but considering she's TB I think that's great!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

She will never be flashy over fences.. she lacks the shoulder for a good high knee and a good fold in front over fences. Nice horse over all if you are not going to do a lot of jumping.


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