# Conformation Critique on my Hanoverian



## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

So, as some of you may know I imported a Hanoverian gelding this winter and I'd love to get some input on him.

He's a 15.3 hh, 5 years old gelding by Cheenook. He was doing jumpers in Germany, but we are using him primarily as a hunter.

He is standing very slightly downhill in this picture.







I'll try and get getter pictures, but this is the only usable one I have on my computer.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Oh he looks very nice!
The only thing that i can say that stands out to me is that his hind legs look a little over-straight and judging from just the one picture, maybe a tad high in the withers.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

A bit long in the back, a bit over straight behind. Short in the croup which is a bit steep. Hocks a bit high as are the knees. Slightly camped under behind (in part due to the short croup and longish back). Hocks may be a bit round but it is hard to tell. A bit built over at the chest. 

Neck has a nice top line. Over all consistant looking horse. Nice Bone. Whithers carry nicely into the back. Knees appear nice and flat. Shapely ears! 

Nice bay horse with chrome. 

Anyone can find things in conformation and this horse has some faults but he is overall a nice picture. How does he ride for you?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Wow. He is a realy quality horse. Love him. Lot of bone, good balance, not too big. He is super!


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

Thank you.
He rides like a dream. Since we change his steel shoes with aluminum shoes his movement has improved and his jumping is fantastic. He's so careful with his legs. 

I'm trying to learn more about functional conformation, so anything you could tell me about what his faults will affect would be great.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Something that kind of sticks out to me is that his feet appear to be very small for his body size. His front feet especially look small and upright. His pasterns also appear to be a bit more upright than I like.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

Pasterns do seem a bit upright, but heck that's all I can see, and I wonder if it is due to his hooves, I'd like to see better shots of them. 

What a beauty he is, congrats!


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

His feet, especially his front feet, are digging into the ground/show a little bit so that might be part of it. He doesn't have huge feet, but I don't think they are as small as they appear. Unfortunately, only other picture I have are of him jumping or head shots. 

I can share two of the jumping ones. I know he's not super even with his front feet, but hopefully that will improve as he gets older.
Ignore my horrid eq over fences:

This jump is 2'9" I believe.

















Took off the last picture as it's not me riding and I don't want any critiques on the rider


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i really like the second picture of him jumping ! what a nice looking horse =]


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

He jumps exactly as I figured he would. He is round but not excessively so and looks the type not to jar the teeth out of his rider as he looks to have a relatively flat back in the process. He could fold tighter over the fence but this is just a hop for him (not that I am suggesting he is sloppy as he is not). 

Critique by photo is fun and easy.. but often does not measure up the actual horse. 

I like your boy.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

Thank you, he's very easy over jumps and I'm glad he's not excessively round, as nice as it looks, too much bascule can be a pain to stay on. He's an amateur horse, so I still think he'll do great as a show horse despite this. I see what you mean, he really is just hopping over the little stuff (I saw it in his sale video as well), but he gets more animated over 3'6" plus jumps. Apparently my trainer popped him over some 4' jumps yesterday and he was fantastic. He's going to start he's 1st year pre-green (3'0") at a show this weekend, so we'll see how that goes.

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/new-horse-what-do-you-think-71485/
^^my previous thread has his sale video. I didn't know it at the time, but the head throwing after the jumps means that he's up...

We're hoping he'll end up being a great 3'6" adult amateur or junior hunter. We'll be playing around with the lower level jumpers too, not much over the 1.10 m, which is what he has been doing. We're also planning on doing some hunter derby classes with him this summer, which I'm really excited about!


Also, maybe it's just because I'm use to TB, but I don't think his withers look high at all. I'd love to see "ideal" wither height. Whenever I see critiques I always seems to think they look fine, when people say they are high. Also, what does wither height actually affect? I know both high and mutton wither affect saddle fitting, but I've also heard that it can affect stride length and jumping because higher withers allow for freer shoulder movement (?).


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