# OTTB critique PIC HEAVY



## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

Congratulations on how much better he looks  He still is in obvious need of a top line but is coming along quite nicely. It's only been roughly 2 months though so perhaps by Summer he'll have it. I personally wouldn't ride him with that top line but that's your call. I can't say much for his other conformation as I don't know all that much. I rescued a horse in August though so I'm all over the top line monitoring


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

I have been doing some lunge work with him and he is understanding it very well. I think he gets off balance some times but I know that comes with muscling. I was thinking about sending him to a dressage trainer next month so she can really get the muscle building and basics started. I will be going up to the barn 1 day a week for 2 lessons in the one day because it is kind of far from where I live.


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

He is looking much better and should only continue to improve. None of these photos are quite square on, but what I can see in the fifth shot looks pretty good. I did notice that he appears to have a dip the area of his coupling and in most of the recent photos is standing slightly camped under behind. I was wondered if he has been adjusted by a chiropractor since you have had him? To me it looks like he might be out in the back end.


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Tryst said:


> He is looking much better and should only continue to improve. None of these photos are quite square on, but what I can see in the fifth shot looks pretty good. I did notice that he appears to have a dip the area of his coupling and in most of the recent photos is standing slightly camped under behind. I was wondered if he has been adjusted by a chiropractor since you have had him? To me it looks like he might be out in the back end.


I haven't had a chiro see him yet. The closest one is a little over an hour away and I was going to wait until he gained all of his weight to have anything like that done. Or does being underweight matter for a chiro?
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I personally think you should hold off on riding him for at least another month and let him use all of his calories for gaining weight, and wait at least two or three months before even considering sending him to a dressage trainer. At this point he just needs FAT, _then_ he can work on muscle after another 100 lbs or so. Right now his body isn't going to make muscle because he is still underweight, and he probably isn't strong enough for the training.

He's looking a lot better though. It hasn't been long at all... just keep doing what you're doing and he'll look great in no time  Its your call for when to have a Chiro look at him. I don't think that his weight matters much but when I was rehabbing a TB filly I was cautioned to get her feet in order before Chiro, because if the feet weren't great beforehand, they would just undo any correction the chiropractor did and make him sore all over again.


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Endiku said:


> I personally think you should hold off on riding him for at least another month and let him use all of his calories for gaining weight, and wait at least two or three months before even considering sending him to a dressage trainer. At this point he just needs FAT, _then_ he can work on muscle after another 100 lbs or so. Right now his body isn't going to make muscle because he is still underweight, and he probably isn't strong enough for the training.
> 
> He's looking a lot better though. It hasn't been long at all... just keep doing what you're doing and he'll look great in no time  Its your call for when to have a Chiro look at him. I don't think that his weight matters much but when I was rehabbing a TB filly I was cautioned to get her feet in order before Chiro, because if the feet weren't great beforehand, they would just undo any correction the chiropractor did and make him sore all over again.


I'm glad his ribs aren't visible anymore  it seems all he needs is a top line. He now has a jiggly butt lol. He's progressed a lot faster than I thought he would. The only riding I was planning on doing is walking around maybe trotting a bit and not for very long. Just because he hasn't been ridden in almost 2 months. I am thinking of getting him to a chiro but I would need to check and see which one id like him to see. His feet are done regularly. The topline is mainly going to be muscle building isn't it?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Right now, it is still showing so much spine because he is too thin. Once he adds another 100 lbs or so, it will still look weak but will not have that caved-in look on the sides that it has now. Then you can start adding muscle to round him out. At a good weight he won't have that dip between his hips and back, and his tailhead won't rise above the rest of his spine.


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Endiku said:


> Right now, it is still showing so much spine because he is too thin. Once he adds another 100 lbs or so, it will still look weak but will not have that caved-in look on the sides that it has now. Then you can start adding muscle to round him out. At a good weight he won't have that dip between his hips and back, and his tailhead won't rise above the rest of his spine.


Okay I see what you mean. I just started adding soaked beet pulp daily along with 24/7 hay, and ultrafiber, amplify, and probios 2x a day. I had to put pancake syrup in the beet pulp to make him eat it at first. Now he has no problem with it. He seems to be doing pretty well with this combo so I'm going to stick with it. I tried using as much fiber rich food as possible and I love amplify it is 30 percent fat and it's a pellet so it all gets eaten.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

You're obviously doing something right. He really does look great for the time you've had him. Cases like these just take time!


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Endiku said:


> You're obviously doing something right. He really does look great for the time you've had him. Cases like these just take time!


Thank you  I'm hoping he will be a good eventer and great partner for many years. Did you have any comments on his conformation, bone structure, etc? I'm not great with conformation.
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I think he's nice. Clean legs although they're a bit tied in at the knees, decent back length, nice neck. His shoulder is a bit steep but not worryingly so...it may affect his dressage abilities though. I'm not an English rider so I really can't comment on any of that. I don't see why he couldn't do some low level dressage/jumping though.


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## hisangelonly (Oct 29, 2011)

Endiku said:


> I think he's nice. Clean legs although they're a bit tied in at the knees, decent back length, nice neck. His shoulder is a bit steep but not worryingly so...it may affect his dressage abilities though. I'm not an English rider so I really can't comment on any of that. I don't see why he couldn't do some low level dressage/jumping though.


Does being tied in at the knee affect soundness in the future? I'm looking to go novice MAYBE training level on him. It all depends on him and how much he's willing to give me.
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

He isn't severe so I wouldn't think so. Its a very common fault. Just make sure he's always warmed up and cooled down properly.


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