# Morgan Mare Critique



## aneternalflame (May 25, 2009)

So.. these aren't ideal photos and I'm aware of that! I might get more photos tomorrow. Well I WILL get more photos tomorrow, it's more a question of if I'll remember to get confo ones..

Please note, her feet are a work in progress.. she was an AC4H save and someone clearly did a bad job with her feet. She also has fear issues but that's not really relevant!

This is the way they looked when we got her:










As you can imagine, they had to grow out enough to fix the angles, etc.

Now to the current (within 2 months) shots, saddle shots are from Wednesday:

The saddle was too far forward in the saddle shots (still on her shoulder) so it appears to be fitting poorly. It doesn't when properly positioned.. I wasn't planning to take photos, just checking the girth length, and didn't think to adjust the saddle for that.



















(yes, she's minimally parked out in the next photos.. she is a Morgan, and when they've been taught to park, they rarely forget)



















(before the most recent hoof work)



















And a before (top row) and after (bottom row) shot..










She's a 10y/o mare.


----------



## aneternalflame (May 25, 2009)

Bumping this up..


----------



## SocietyJoe (Jan 21, 2011)

I think she is stunning, with a beautiful colour! 

She hold's her head up with pride.


----------



## SidMit (Jun 4, 2010)

I think she is beautiful as well!


----------



## glitterhorse (Mar 20, 2011)

I really love her! It was like a night and day difference in the before and after pics!


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

She is alovely , lovely mare. Very well put together and very "typey" as a Morgan. I think she will be a wonderful riding horse.

I see that her feet are a bit upright in the rear, but to be honest, this may be her natural angle and to force them to be more flat would not be good. many horses are made to have flatter and flatter hooves with overly long toes and slung under heels and their is almost a fad for this, but if your farrier is good, then she will be in fine fettle soon. Her feet don't look so bad to me.

I have to say that I question whether that saddle will be capable of fitting her. The girth looks like it is in the natural position where it should be and will move to when she starts moving. If so, moving the saddel back to get it where it fits better will put it at an angle to the girth, thus the girth will always be pulling the saddle forward.
It looke like the saddle is too narrow for this horse's build. Morgans often have broad shoulders and "mutton" withers, and need saddles that are pretty wide. Sometimes something more tailored for a gaited horse or arab will work for a Morgan. All generalizations, I know. And, I cant feel the saddle, so I could be way off base. Just sharing what I think I see.

She is a gem!~


----------



## Haylee (Feb 2, 2011)

Im goign to be NO help, but boy is she BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! *pets*


----------



## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

I have no real critique to give other than that you found a great buy! She is beautiful! She has Morgan written all over her. When I think of Morgans, she is what I think of. Her feet don't bother me that much.


----------



## aneternalflame (May 25, 2009)

tinyliny said:


> She is alovely , lovely mare. Very well put together and very "typey" as a Morgan. I think she will be a wonderful riding horse.
> 
> I see that her feet are a bit upright in the rear, but to be honest, this may be her natural angle and to force them to be more flat would not be good. many horses are made to have flatter and flatter hooves with overly long toes and slung under heels and their is almost a fad for this, but if your farrier is good, then she will be in fine fettle soon. Her feet don't look so bad to me.
> 
> ...


I'll try to get photos of it in the proper position when I'm out next - this saddle IS built for the cob-type horse, it's a Lovatt and Ricketts, and when she moves in it (when placed properly) I haven't seen it move at all. It's also a springtree. Then again I'm also not the only one who evaluated the saddle.. but we'll see, I suppose! We're starting her under western tack, so there's plenty of time to evaluate saddles.


----------



## Spirit11 (Apr 18, 2011)

Thanks for the pics! The first pics of her look almost just like a much younger version of my Spirit, whos owners clamed she was a Morgan. She's also a rescue, and her hooves are three times as bad as your Morgans are! Its made me think that my Spirit might actually be a Morgan like they said. I hope she can look as pretty as your girl once we get her fixed up!


----------



## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

GeminiJumper said:


> I have no real critique to give other than that you found a great buy! She is beautiful! She has Morgan written all over her. When I think of Morgans, she is what I think of. Her feet don't bother me that much.



Exactly what I was going to say about her!! Very pretty girl!!


----------



## aneternalflame (May 25, 2009)

Thank you, guys! I will say, she was an Amish driving horse for quite some time. She is being re-started currently, and is doing pretty well! She's a really sweet horse. In terms of saddles and such, we have lots of time to make final decisions. I do plan on doing dressage and western with her when she gets her basics down.


----------



## Moonstruck (Apr 22, 2011)

I know this was posted a long time ago but I just love your Morgan! and I love the color of that saddle pad too  she's immaculate. 
If I ever found a horse that needed rescuing I would come to you for some advice on beauty and health tips!  lol
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

Very nice! She is like said above the exact thing I think of when I think of a Morgan. You have a dressage saddle on her, so I am guessing that is what you plan on doing with her. I applaud you and your farrier on the improvement in her feet and overall health. She shines and beams good horse care and nutrition. 

For a Morgan she is just about perfect, but as a dressage horse there are some things that her conformation will give you some problems with. Morgans have a very high neck-set so you will really have to work on getting her head lowered into a frame. Also she is a bit downhill therefore will have a little trouble getting under herself in the back. Her shoulder is a little straight and I am guessing she has a lot of knee action. You will get low gait scores because of that.


----------



## aneternalflame (May 25, 2009)

Well, I have no idea what I'm going to do with her really. I might do some dressage or hunter pleasure or western or road hack or harness.. no clue.

Either way this is an old thread lol.


----------



## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

One other thing is the saddle that you have on her does not look like it fits. A dressage saddle should be a bit higher in the cantle then the pommel. She looks like she would take a wide tree. I am going to guess that she has a bit of back sensitivity after riding.


----------

