# Paint Horse Conformation (before I consider buying)



## 16HHPocketPony (Aug 20, 2012)

Hi all! I have been looking at a 12 YO paint mare for purchase as a trail horse, English pleasure horse, and potentially a lower level hunter-jumper. More than that though I'm looking for a gentle, sweet horse that can be my friend and partner, so conformation flaws are not all that big of a deal. Thanks ahead of time! 

Not going to lie...the second picture is just for cutes (but I'm sure all you conformation genius's can get something from it! :lol. Look at that wittle face!!! Oh no..I'm in love.


----------



## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

She appears very butt high. She is sickle hocked. Her feet need attention. I do not like her pasterns, they appear long and weak. She has a nice hindend. Shoulder is pretty steep.

She appears to be fit and healthy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

She looks good enough for your purpose. A bit downhill and I would like her point of shoulder more open.. and she is camped under behind. she is a nice horse. How much training has she had at age 12 and how much experience do you have? Very important those two things match up. 

The only thing that concerns me is something you said.. that has NOTHING to do with conformation.


> I'm looking for a gentle, sweet horse that can be my friend and partner


Horses are not dogs.. and so friend and partner is not really what develops. You and the horse may click and work well together in that sense of partnership.. but the stories of the Black Stallion, My Friend Flicka and Misty of Chincoteague are just that.. STORIES. 

Horses are herd animals and if you have only one horse, that horse may rely on you as the "herd." In a herd there is a pecking order and you need to be at a higher spot on that order than the horse.

Maybe you know all of this and the ONLY reason I am saying this is because recently there have been a number of posts by people wanting their horse to be a "friend." That sort of thinking can be dangerous if the person does not understand the need to have a higher spot in the pecking order. 






​


----------



## 16HHPocketPony (Aug 20, 2012)

Elana said:


> She looks good enough for your purpose. A bit downhill and I would like her point of shoulder more open.. and she is camped under behind. she is a nice horse. How much training has she had at age 12 and how much experience do you have? Very important those two things match up.
> 
> The only thing that concerns me is something you said.. that has NOTHING to do with conformation.
> 
> ...


Thank you--All I was saying is that as long as she is rideable and healthy--I am happy (as I have no intention to do any upper level showing--as I said, perhaps some jumping, but nothing too fancy!)  This horse would be a rebound from a horse that is too much--I believe you actually commented on said post and helped me with that! I can assure you that after that I am being super cautious about making sure the horse I end up with is very nearly "bombproof". She has been a lesson horse (for a confident 10 year old) and the current owner has had her since she was two. She is a wonderful riding horse and very gentle--I really did like her! Conformation is super important--but even if she isn't perfect--as long as she's healthy she is good enough for me  Thanks for your reply!


----------



## Allegro (Nov 16, 2012)

She is a little down hill. Also noticed she has a pretty upright shoulder which can cause a rough gait and she has sickle hocks which predisposes her to curbs. Other then that, she looks pretty good. Her head looks pretty good.


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

16HHPocketPony said:


> Hi all! I have been looking at a 12 YO paint mare for purchase as a trail horse, English pleasure horse, and potentially a lower level hunter-jumper. More than that though I'm looking for a gentle, sweet horse that can be my friend and partner, so conformation flaws are not all that big of a deal. Thanks ahead of time!
> 
> Not going to lie...the second picture is just for cutes (but I'm sure all you conformation genius's can get something from it! :lol. Look at that wittle face!!! Oh no..I'm in love.


She's built a little downhill, which predisposes her to be heavy on the forehand. Not a real issue except that she may put some strain on your neck and shoulders while you try to get her to lighten up. She'll only be able to do just SO much of that because of her build. Not a reason to not buy her, IMO, unless you wanted a Grand Prix Dressage horse. She might not be the smoothest ride in town but for hunt seat where you mostly post, not really a problem. Canter might be a little heavy. I'm commenting on this because I have a QH that is very heavy on the forehand and built downhill too, it's something that seems to run in the stock breeds, and since I'm used to riding Arabs who are not generally heavy my neck and shoulders HURT and I've gotten muscle spasms after riding the QH. 

She's a little sickle hocked and camped under, but if she's too straight and posty legged it's not good either, so you kind of have to pick your poison. 

She's straight in the shoulder, so going to have kind of a choppy gait would be my guess, not real free in the shoulder for long extensions. Again, not a reason not to buy unless you want to do upper level dressage, which you say you don't. 

Her back is a tad long for my taste and can be a weakness that eventually could lead to being unridable. Not a HUGE issue, my old QH had the same thing and I rode him til he was 28 with no problems, just something to watch out for. 

If she's got the training you want and the personality and attitude that you need right now, go for it! She's very cute!:lol:

And I forgot to mention, I prejudiced, I am a total SUCKER for a chestnut overo......recently went to a sale to buy a BAY with little to NO white and lookie what I brought home:


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

Agree with above. Personally, although I loved to death my QH, "Ro Go Bar" (1982-2009, RIP), he was built downhill--Appendix, and built that way to race--it was the ONE thing I didn't like about him. I owned him from the time he was 7yo to his death at 27yo. He couldn't jump, and he suffered from arthritis in his front legs towards the end of his life. Don't know why people breed this stuff in. =/


----------



## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I agree Cpl, it seems like when humans get involved in breeding stuff we just screw it up to meet our idea of 'beautiful' and frequently it has nothing to do with 'form to function'. I REALLY see that in the Arabs. 

But, Honey Boo Boo up there is just as downhill as the OP's mare and Skippy the same, both are gonna be heavy on the forehand and feel like they're pulling even when they aren't.


----------

