# confo critique - AQHA Hunter/all-around



## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

Hi guys - I would love to get a critique of this guy. He's a 16.2H quarter horse with a decent amount of Tb in him, not appendix though. I have shown him alot in the all-around events - Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, Horsemanship, Western Riding, and Showmanship. Have been working on him over fences and would like to get other people's opinion on his conformation, mainly as a hunter but also as a general all-around QH. Thanks! The first one is of him at 6yo, the second is as a 2yo, and the third is at 6yo.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

The only thing that is see wrong with his is his front knees. Not sure exactly what it is though...


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

i noticed his knee too. Other than that he looks lovely


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## Kyani (Apr 30, 2007)

He looks a decent sort. Nice head/neck/shoulder. Neck set a little low for my taste but I suppose good for HUS/western disciplines.

He IS very over at the knee, which would be my major worry, since he's young so it's unlikely to be from overwork and more of a conformational issue. Unless he has been SERIOUSLY overworked in his short life which is of course a worry in itself. His hindlegs are also weak, sickle-hocked and with upright pasterns, but not the worst ever ever.

I'm also not a huge fan of his behind, but that could be mostly lack of muscling.

EDIT: Just to say he does like SLIGHTLY over at the knee in thr 2yr old pic, but no where near as bad as now, so something has worsened it, but probably because he was born with the tendency to go that way.

Also, are you sure that's the same horse! How different is his colour - wow!


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

Something about the neck and shoulder bugs me. ???


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## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

Otherwise....






GORGEOUS!


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

They've said the knees, and the sickle-hocks... 
I wish his hocks would tie in a little lower, but that's just being picky. I don't love his shoulder... I like them on a 45 degree angle and his is a little upright--just a little. Like his neck, though I would like to see just a tad more muscling on the top line. He's very balanced, though, and not butt-high.


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## Kyani (Apr 30, 2007)

Out of interest, when was he backed? And do you have any pictures of him with a little more weight on?


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks - he was backed as a 3yo. I don't have any pics with more weight on him - if we put anymore on him than it is in these pics it seems to go to his belly, and he has something called anhydrosis, ie he can't sweat, which makes it hard for him to keep weight on and you really don't want him to carry around excess at all. 

As far as soundness goes, he has never had any issues with his legs - he is currently 9 and has been shown pretty hard.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Well his stifle is very high, meaning he is downhill. His neck doesn't tie into his shoulder all too well, but thats nothing big. He has a goose rump. I disagree with Sickle Hocked. He isn't sickle hocked, he has perfect hocks, nice and straight. Proper hock angle. Normal pasturn slope. I would need a front view to correctly assume this but, he looks buck kneed. Possibly thats why you all are worrying about his knees, it looks like he is trying to support himself. Buck knees give that look.


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I agree that his hawks have a very nice angle.


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

Here is a picture of him from the front. Sorry it is a proof from a show, but it's all I have.









And the two most recent photos from shows.


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

It's almost like his cannon bone bows out on the front, strange.

edit- He's darling though, his back feet are itty bitty cute.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

*Buck kneed*


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

.Delete. said:


> *Buck kneed*


what exactly is that?


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Commonly called "over at the knees". This is a forward deviation of the knee set too far forward in the horse's leg.


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

oh ok. I've heard of over the knee, just never buck kneed. Thanks Delete!


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Any time


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

He actually looks like he is over at the knee.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

...Isn't that what i said...


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Delete maybe she just didn't read what you wrote. Sometimes it's best not to say anything at all.


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## Kyani (Apr 30, 2007)

Lots of people have said over at the knee, delete, and you weren't the first. Although you werethe first to call it buck kneed - thanks for explaining, I was never quite sure what that meant.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Mhm


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