# Critique my mystery horse...



## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Greetings all,
I'm new here and just purchased this fellow. The pictures are the best I could do for now, he was very excited and nervous to be released from QT and did not want to square up or stand still!
































































I have had him one month tomorrow. He is still quite skinny, though he has started to gain. And his feet were a nasty mess that the farrier trimmed as a start last week but will need several more trimmings to get where they need to be. He is about 17h and 4 years old, ridden through New Holland bareback and the only info given was that he was from Florida. His coat looks like he was clipped and is growing in. He has the American Warmblood Society brand on his hip, they confirmed from the photo of it that it is theirs, but there are about 3000 bay geldings about his age so they couldn't tell me who he is... So he is my mystery horse.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

He's beautiful!


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Thank you  I am adding a couple of videos of T in his little QT paddock so you can see him move around a bit. He has not been ridden yet. His trot screams dressage to me but we'll see what his forte is when he is up to a good weight and I get some condition on him. We are going to start some longe and roundpen work now that he is allowed to be near the other horses and has a clean bill of health from the vet and farrier.





I also wanted to say that if anyone happens to recognize him please let me know! I would love to know about his previous life but New Holland won't give out the consignor's info and there really isn't anything else to go on to try to track him other than hoping maybe someone will see the pics here and have some info.


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## jbolt (Jan 1, 2012)

Beautiful boy, the only thing I can see is that he may be very SLIGHTLY sickle hocked. It could be the pics though. and maybe a bit roach backed?


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

I wouldn't say whether or not he was roach backed until her was up to weight. I am betting that that appearance would disappear.


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## jbolt (Jan 1, 2012)

NdAppy said:


> I wouldn't say whether or not he was roach backed until her was up to weight. I am betting that that appearance would disappear.


 probably, i know legs and feet, still learning all the other parts......


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Thank you for your replies, yes he does have a slight "hunter's bump" but I am thinking when he gains a couple of hundred pounds it will be less pronounced. I've seen worse, but they are always much more noticeable when a horse is too thin.

Take a look at his front right hoof and tell me what you think. Farrier is working on that one especially to get the angle better, it was less than a 1 but still a little clubby. All the feet were really overgrown, but the other 3 look much better than they did. The one with the clubby tendency still bothers me to look at though.

He was very frightened, depressed and sick when he arrived and couldn't be talked into eating anything except for a little warm bran mash a couple of times a day for a good week and a half. He had a pretty bad respiratory infection but I have a very good vet who took good care of him. He is still not the most enthusiastic eater, but eventually he cleans up everything we are putting in front of him so I think it won't be long before I get him where I want him weight-wise.


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Thank you everyone who has replied. Are my pictures not good enough? Wondering why only 3 kind folks responded here yet many pages for the young girl with the little pinto filly saying the same thing over and over again when she clearly won't listen to anyone about anything. Poor kid, life is going to be hard on her, and most unfortunately on her horses as a side effect.

I, on the other hand, take constructive criticism well and would love some insights so that I can do the best I can go give this boy a job he'll be happy with and capable of in his new second chance at life


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## LoveMyDrummerBoy (Nov 5, 2009)

I love him!! What are you planning to do with him? I love his build. Great neck, especially in the last picture.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

You aren't going to receive as many replies as on the other thread, simply because her horse needed the bare basics (Vet, Food, Farrier, safe living environment) and you already have seen to those. 

I don't know much about conformation in horses (I paid my trainer, who does, to help choose my horse), my comments to that girl were limited to "provide that poor horse with the basics that ALL horses need" and it would be a waste of time for me to tell you that, you obviously know the basics already as you aren't insisting your horse doesn't need more weight, that his feet don't need a farrier and that random sharp objects and barbed wire make for a great pasture! 

I think your horse is lovely looking and absolutely TALL!! :shock: but as far as actual conformation, I haven't got a clue. I adore warmbloods though.... should you tire of him, there's a nice barn here with several other warmbloods who would make great friends for him.


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Thank you both  I do have all the basics covered and he is coming along well and making a lot of progress. He was very fearful when he arrived. He is still nervous around his head but much better than he was, I am afraid he has some bad memories from his previous life.

I was thinking we would work on some dressage to start off when he is ready, though one of the trainers I know is dying to see him jump. Not so sure about that with his right front issue. I just want him to be sound, healthy and have some work that he enjoys. He is a real sweetie.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

He does, as you have noted, have a hunters bump (not bad). He has good bone but he is a little tied in behind the knee. I could tell he was large due to the flares on the outside of the hind hooves. I also expected he needed foot care. Probably be good to have him shod all the way round! 

He almost looks to be a cross between a Thoroughbred and a Cleveland Bay. He has the size for that cross and the refined head, neck and throatlatch. 

Nice horse. Good potential. What do you plan to do? I see (maybe) some lower level eventing.. maybe some hunting.. some dressage...


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## dirtroadangel (Jan 24, 2012)

It's a wonderful things you did giving this beautiful horse a chance for a better life, luckily he is young. My horse has a club foot due to navicular(hopefully not your case) and I massage the leg and do simple stretchs. It helps alot with circulation which is 
veryimportant. Good luck
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

He is absolutely adorable! I LOVE his shoulder. He does look slightly sickle hocked, but it's no big deal. Mudpie had a "hunter's bump" when I first got him, but it was really just a result of him being so skinny – the vet said that it was just the shape of his spine and was obvious because he was underweight. With groceries, love, and TLC, as well as some muscle through his topline and neck, he should be absolutely fine!

He looks like a huge beastie, or else the person holding him was tiny! xD I look forward to seeing more of him!!


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

LOL, that's me holding him and I'm about 5'7" and add on another inch or two for the boot heel  I have to dig up the picture of him when he was waiting for pickup, he had lost a tremendous amount of weight in just the week between when he went through New Holland and sold to the meat man and when I picked him up the following Monday. Poor guy, he must have been low man in the lot because he was really beat to oblivion. Here he is waiting for his ride home at the pickup barn on the day he came home to me:










The vet and farrier are reserving judgement on Navicular until the farrier has a few corrective trims on him. His feet were horribly neglected and in very bad shape. My farrier didn't want to put shoes on him just yet, he is on a 3 week trim schedule and he may want to put the shoes on after the next trim, we'll see how they look then. He is optimistic that he can be managed with good foot care and sound for most work, but time will tell.


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

**waves at a fellow New Jersey-an**

I know nothing about conformation but wanted to say he is simply gorgeous. I just love bright red bays! Good luck with him!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

What I know about conformation could be fitted into a small sparkly handbag, but I will say that I think he looks like a very handsome chap. When he has got that weight on, and the muscle built up he will look stunning. 

I've had to google 'hunters bump' because I really didn't know what what you were referring. To me, it just looks like an under-fed and under-worked hindquarters.

Nice face, kind eye. Can I have him please?


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Waving back, I'm in Mercer county 

LOL, I'm afraid I have to keep him, my two little boys who named him (from the movie How to Train your Dragon) would be very sad if he went away! They enjoy stuffing him full of treats and brushing his face.


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## ConfusciusWasAGreatTeachr (Oct 29, 2011)

He has flaring on his feet. I thought his neck looked like it could use a little muscle building on top, but both these things can be changed. Apart from those I really like him.


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## sierrams1123 (Jul 8, 2011)

Very cute little guy, he looks like a TB to me......nicely put together.
I also agree with the comment made about the back/weight thing, he could def use some added weight.

My only question is about his feet, def looks like some flaring on his back feet.
I also want to point out this picture, is it just dirt at the top of his hooves or are they growing in funny?


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## sierrams1123 (Jul 8, 2011)

edit: now that I look a little more it looks like its just dirt.....that one picture can be a little deceiving though


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Is that what it is when the wall of the hoof, well, flares out in one spot? Mudpie's back left hoof is funky and while it doesn't cause any problems, I've always wondered what it was....?

What exactly is flaring, and how does it affect a horse?

This guy's hooves do look a little odd...


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Yes, that was just mud from his QT paddock which was a mud pit. He was really happy to be out walking around for the first time and didn't want to stand still for me to clean off his feet very well that day, he wanted to explore!

The flaring was much worse, this is after his first trim. His feet were very overgrown, chipped and unbalanced. It will definitely take a few more trims before they are where we'd like them to be, but this is a huge improvement over where they were! :wink:


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## TheLastUnicorn (Jun 11, 2010)

Overall he is a nice looking boy.

From the profile shot his LS placement looks a little behind the hip, and his loin is a bit longer because of this... But the rest of his body structure looks pretty strong. His back is not roached, he just needs a bit of weight, I believe the same is true of his "hunters bump"... A bit more weight (not much) and more work and he should have a lovely strong looking topline.

His hinds look a bit sickle hocked to me too, which could be why his feet tend to flare a bit. Regular trims should prevent it from being an issue. His left front cannon has some rotation, which may cause odd flaring on that hoof as well, or not depending on whether it affects his movement.

There isn't anything that is really bad about this horse, a fine toothed comb might dig up a few more faults,, but overall a nice looking guy.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

I noticed the hoof wall near the heels "flares out." This is usually because the horse is large and the hoof wall is not all that thick. It is common in Warmbloods and it is common in Cleveland Bays. 

The thing is usually fixed by shoeing. The shoes lend support and the flares are gone. The issue that can be caused is seediness if the hoof wall separates a bit. 

Someone mentioned navicular. NONE of the images of this horse would indicate navicular to me. He stands in all the photos with his front feet well under him. 

A navicular horse, that is in pain will alternately point one front foot and then the other while standing around. If asked to stand up square, that horse will tend to shift weight off the front to the rear. I do not see that at all. 

His feet are a bit blocky with deep heels and short toes. Not really clubbed footed at all. It is just they way his feet are. 

He is a nice horse. Like I said.. a bit tied in behind the knee but with all his bone it is likely not an issue.


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks! The vet did a thorough check on him when he arrived and said he wanted to see him again after a few trims when he comes back for Springtime vaccinations because his hooves were so bad. But he was moving sound even before he got the first trim in spite of how badly overgrown they were. He is a work in progress since he was a rescue but we we are working toward getting him to a good place with time and patience


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Not so long ago a horse like him would have easily fetched $5k. 

How times change.


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## TheLastUnicorn (Jun 11, 2010)

The flaring can happen if his diet has been less than ideal and overgrown too and may right itself with proper nutrition.

We saw this with a couple of light breed we brought in as rescues.

Good luck with him, he should be a lot of fun.


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## Dragonrider (Jan 22, 2012)

I don't know how it was for him before he got to the auction and the feedlot but when he was there he was lucky to get much to eat at all judging by the amount of weight he lost in just a week. Now he has more in front of him than he can eat, he is a very slow eater! So the weight is going on slowly but that's not a bad thing, he is gaining.

At some point in his short life someone cared enough about him to get him inspected, branded and registered with the AWS. He has good manners and he has had some training. I took him to the indoor this morning, clipped on a longe line and he knew exactly what to do as soon as I walked a few steps and picked up a nice trot for a few rounds before coming in to me for approval. He seems to be the kind of horse that will do anything for you once he has that trust in you, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do together!


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