# Critique my Quarter Horse



## goodolesunny (Apr 9, 2012)

My daughter wants to show her in a halter class this year not sure if her conformation is good enough, please give me feed back


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Welcome to the forum! 

Quite honestly, I don't see this mare doing well in halter classes. *Maybe* at 4H level, but that's a steep maybe.

I'll start from the top down...

She's got a bit of a hammerhead and her throatlatch is coarse. I don't like the way her neck ties in; it looks like it's set on rather high, especially for a quarter horse. She looks a wee bit pigeon breasted. Her back is a bit long and she's butt high. She's got a rather steep croup, especially for a QH. I do like the depth of her heart girth, though.

She's a wee bit over at the knee and tied in behind the knee. I do like the slope and length of her pasterns though. Her hocks are set nice and low and I like the angles of her hind legs, however her gaskin looks kinda long to me.

How old is she?


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

perhaps you could do showmanship instead of halter. I dont think your mare would place well in halter.


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## goodolesunny (Apr 9, 2012)

she is ten and 4 h is what she is showing in she likes the competition classes, barrels and poles etc but she was going to do something diffrent this year.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Wow, that butt high and ten? My three-year-old isn't even that butt high (right now lol). 

I agree with stevenson. She could do well in showmanship, but I doubt she'd even place in halter.


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## goodolesunny (Apr 9, 2012)

Thanks a bunch...we love her big butt...its sexy!!


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Give me a big ol' drafty butt any day! I want a bumper sticker with my Aires' butt in silhouette that says "Drafty butts drive me nuts!" 

She does have a nice butt, though...for a quarter horse. ;-) 

(I tease, by the way)


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## JustAwesome (Jun 22, 2011)

She isn't a halter horse, I agree maybe try showmanship?
in all honesty at the end of the day is comes down to the judge and what he/she is looking for but for me personally, she is not a halter type


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## Thyme (Sep 4, 2010)

I like your mare, as said she is butt high but I love her head/face!

Lovely color too
<3


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## Roberto (Dec 17, 2009)

As everyone else has suggested, I would go ahead and show her in Showmanship. Even thougth your daughters mare has some conformational faults, I would go ahead and train her and show her is Halter. 

She's going to need to know how to set-up and to do it quickly. Also be able to get her ears forward when asked (Judge is doing a final look before walking away). 

My mare does not do well in halter, unless it is a man judging or a woman judge who does eventing, then they like my horse. She's an Appendix and is very thoroughbreddy, also has been described as very feminine(?). She is not the stock type. I asked a quarterhorse judge (who she herself won numerous world titles) and was putting on a clinic. I asked her about not showing her in halter and just doing the Showmanship. And she told me to do the halter classes because it preps them mentally - think of it as a warm-up to showmanship and not to worry about how I place.


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

The key to wining at halter is to have the horse fit.

Sweat her neck and get a jowl band around her throat.

If the OP spent three months fitting the mare, she would have a different look altogether.

Then go to a tack store and try halters on her until one flatters her head.

Use mascara (water proof) and contrast to make her eyes look bigger.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

At a small local show or 4-H may do something,but sadly isn't cut out for a halter horse:-(.Definitely not a breed level showing, even with conditioning:-(.Agree that training for showmanship would be a better way to go.
Showmanship can be Fun & great learning for both horse & exhibitor:wink:


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

Now, I can't judge whether she'd be good for halter, but I can tell you that I think just as a horse, although she's butt high, I love her!


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## JustAwesome (Jun 22, 2011)

Ripper -
It depends on the judge.


> The key to wining at halter is to have the horse fit.


I was at a rated show, my horse was not in show condition and he won the 2 year old jackpot futurity, champion and reserve?



> Use mascara (water proof) and contrast to make her eyes look bigger.


You can buy makeup for horses and you smudge around the eyes and nose.. can also do the black points if she has them, if she hasn't got grey skin and has pink use CLEAR makeup same with around the eyes.

To finish off, make sure you have a correctly fitting halter and with the forelock you can either do 2 bands or 3, I use two..










As pictured here.
Sorry about the copy write over it, I have to try and find my other photos of his forelock done.

Make sure whiskers are all shaved, ears and everything.

If you have a go at english type halter shows also would be good for your and her experience


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## Chopsticks (Mar 11, 2012)

sounds like you are asking about lower levels and more so to gain experience...in that case, go for it, absolutely no reason not to put her in the classes. they are cheap in 4H anyway!


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Presentation helps but if they don't have the conformation needed sorry no amount of spiffing up is going to change it especially when you get to higher level showing.:-(


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

It's 4-H. If your daughter wants to do halter, let her. There's no harm and it'll be a great experience for both horse and your daughter. If she doesn't place well, well, did she have fun? Then that's all that matters.


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## Ripper (Apr 1, 2012)

paintedpastures said:


> Presentation helps but if they don't have the conformation needed sorry no amount of spiffing up is going to change it especially when you get to higher level showing.:-(


I have seen it work. A fit horse and the right person leading it...:wink::wink::wink:


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## soenjer55 (Dec 4, 2011)

Ripper said:


> I have seen it work. A fit horse and the right person leading it...:wink::wink::wink:


I have to say, when I see halter class pictures, I'm not impressed with the confo of a lot of the halter horses I see showing- most of the time, the only thing they have going is their beefy muscles. So I agree with you, Ripper, although I can't say I have experience with halter so my opinion isn't worth much.


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## TexanFreedom (Apr 2, 2012)

Do you have papers on her pedigree?


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