# Critique for friesian



## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I am no expert but I am trying to learn. I see a little bit calf kneed (?), they look a bit weird in the lower picture. His neck ties in high to the shoulder and is a bit ewe necked. His back legs are a bit post (?) and straight. Is he registered with the friesian registry?


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Eek, he's a bit of a trainwreck! Now bear in mind I'm not a big fan of Friesians to begin with, so it takes a pretty spectacular one for me to actually like it, but looking past that at the conformation just makes me cringe.

He is downhill, extremely long in the cannons, I don't like his back end AT ALL, that neck is just... ew... and that shoulder is not a dressage horse shoulder.

This horse is built like a poor example of a cart horse. He is not, conformationally speaking, a dressage horse. However, that isn't to say he couldn't do low level dressage. I just wouldn't pay big money for him.


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## JulieG (Jun 25, 2013)

I don't know a ton about conformation but his neck does look a little strange. I'm wondering if it's just part of his awkward 2 year old phase? I see a lot of horses go through that and come out just fine in the end.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

blue eyed pony said:


> Eek, he's a bit of a trainwreck! Now bear in mind I'm not a big fan of Friesians to begin with, so it takes a pretty spectacular one for me to actually like it, but looking past that at the conformation just makes me cringe.
> 
> He is downhill, extremely long in the cannons, I don't like his back end AT ALL, that neck is just... ew... and that shoulder is not a dressage horse shoulder.
> 
> This horse is built like a poor example of a cart horse. He is not, conformationally speaking, a dressage horse. However, that isn't to say he couldn't do low level dressage. I just wouldn't pay big money for him.


He is not downhill.

And i would not say he is a "trainwreck"...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

he is a two year old Fresian. judge him on being a Fresian, with a bit of dispensation at being only two. I think he will grow out of a lot of what people are mentioning.

his canons are normal for his breed. the feathers make it hard to judge the length. he is downhill , now. he has a pigeon breast, and lots of them do. he is not ewe necked, but his neck is on the short side, so it will be that much harder for you to encourage him to lengthen it and go forward. his hindend is adequate, IMO. I think for being loved on and ridden as a pleasure horse he will be fine, and might really surprise you. just depends so much on the personality.


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## Zaphyrr (Oct 12, 2013)

Thanks for you're responses, everyone. The neck was worrying me the most, being a bit short. Was worried it might affect his back when i start to ride? I'm not wanting (cant afford lol) an amazing friesian, so I'm just after one that will remain sound through his life. I'm not too concerned about being downhill at this point, hopefully it's just the awkward 2yo phase?

Rookie, he is a B Book 2 gelding


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

Congrats on owning a registered Friesian! In my book brains and personality beat a whole lot of stuff in the end.


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## Zaphyrr (Oct 12, 2013)

He's not mine yet rookie! I haven't met him yet so hopefully he has both


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## Zaphyrr (Oct 12, 2013)

Hi guys,

Just an updated photo, I feel like he is growing into himself now, but I'm still interested in what others think!


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## atomicfruit (Jan 28, 2013)

WOW! Lovely! He certainly grew out of the awkward 2 year old phase. In looking back at the image that made his neck look short, I wonder if his head wasn't turned slightly, which made it look short.... I wouldn't call it short now! Nice big boy!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

looking better than first photos.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

When were the first photos taken? How old is he in the last photo? 

His shoulder lays back nicely and his neck is set high, which can be an advantage in dressage.. and a disadvantage as sometimes the horse _appears_ collected when he is not and is just arching his neck. 

His cannons in front are correct length. I would like his hind cannons to be shorter and he lacks angulation behind which will hurt him when he tries to collect. His coupling is long and weak and he is slightly down hill. His front legs are set forward a bit (at the top.

What will be a challenge with this horse is getting him to reach under himself behind and have impulsion after attaining suppleness. His build will allow false collection and his hind legs to trail out behind as opposed to using his ring of muscles and getting impulsion. He will be difficult to train in dressage for this reason.. and false collection is something you will need to guard against for as long as you ride this horse.


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## Zaphyrr (Oct 12, 2013)

Thanks again guys.
I should say that I am not looking to do any serious competition on him, maybe just a couple of local shows a year. He will mainly be for pleasure and trails.

I haven't asked the breeder when the first photos were taken, but the second was only taken last week (he was 2 at the the start of September).

Is there anything people can see that you would make you run the other direction? The most important thing to me is that he remain sound through his life


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

He is a VERY typical young friesian - expect him to go through some absolutely HIDEOUS stages!
The neck set is completely normal for the breed, they are 'cart horses' - they are bred for that high neck set which as Elana said can be an advantage, or very much a disadvantage depending on how well you ride. 
They are notorious for being leg movers with a back like a jackhammer. I wouldn't buy him for Dressage unless you are already quite an accomplished rider and have a good understanding and feel of producing a swinging back. Friesians are the next level of difficult for getting a back.

As for being downhill, I would be interested to see what he looks like in a couple of years. I have known a couple of friesians from weanlings, and all of them have appeared really quite downhill until after 3 years old. They also looked to have a terrible shoulder until they grew into their oversized bones and angles. 

Elana pointed out the hind legs, they're not great. Do you have any video of him moving. It would be interesting to see how he moves behind.


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