# Looking at this QH tomorrow. Critique?



## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

2007 Bay Grandson of Dry Doc & Greatgrandson of Easily Smashed Will be used for intermediate to advanced trail riding. Will be testing him out on the trails and not the ring tomorrow.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

He appears to be worth a look. Nice bloodlines and appears to have a good temperament if he can do all the things they claim. A bit long through the back and weak through the coupling with a weaker hind end. Would probably have difficulty collecting but should make a decent trail/working horse.

My only concern, and I'm hoping it's just due to a wonky picture angle, is that his feet look a little jacked in that one side picture. Not sure if that's the way they really look or if it's a botched photoshop job.

Keep in mind that this all may just be funky things that aren't really there in real life. I'm only judging from one picture. His fronts look severely under-run and judging from the angles of his hooves and just the way his lower legs look, it looks like someone either really stood him up (shortened the toe and left the heel long, which would make the under-run heels worse) or put wedge pads on him to stand him up (which also make it worse). His hinds look pretty much the same; severely under-run, upright with long heels.

I'd darn sure have a thorough PPE done on him.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

this horse reminds me of a friends horse who was a great looking fellow, but the way his hocks moved was odd, and I think would lead to being lame in oldder years.


this horse is a bit cowhocked, and looking at the walking shot, I think he may have that same "rolling" gait, where the hock moves a lot from side to side when the horse pushes off , and it literally makes the hoof rotate on the ground at push off. really hard to explain. I wish there was a video of him walking. I could be totally, completely off base, but the way in the walking picture he steps under himself quite a bit, with the hock angling outward, then, as he pushes off that hock, I bet it will swing around to be more inside. a lot of side to side motion, kind of rocking and rolling, not straight through.

anyone know what I am talking about and is there a name for this?

this photo:


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't have a real name for it, but I know what can cause it in some horses. If the hind feet aren't balanced to the bone structure of the leg (many farriers just balance the bottom of the hoof to the heel bulbs but those aren't always correct), it can cause the "wobbly leg syndrome". 

Watched a good farrier friend (only non-family member I would ever trust to touch my horses' feet) show off on how easy it is to cause. He purposefully trimmed a horse by balancing his hind feet to the bulbs only. When the horse walked off, his hocks were wobbling all over the place. Bring him back in and trim him to the bone structure and he walked off just straight as you please without a hint of wobble.


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

Here he is moving. Tell me more! Advanced trail riding is my goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NPJjvr4zI


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

i dunno . . . . awful lot of tail swishing going on there.

I know that you'll get a lot of negative feedback in general when you ask for a public critique, but I gotta say, this one just looks like an uncomfortable horse, for what reason I cannot say.


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

smrobs said:


> He appears to be worth a look. Nice bloodlines and appears to have a good temperament if he can do all the things they claim. A bit long through the back and weak through the coupling with a weaker hind end. Would probably have difficulty collecting but should make a decent trail/working horse.
> 
> My only concern, and I'm hoping it's just due to a wonky picture angle, is that his feet look a little jacked in that one side picture. Not sure if that's the way they really look or if it's a botched photoshop job.
> 
> ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NPJjvr4zI


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

smrobs said:


> I don't have a real name for it, but I know what can cause it in some horses. If the hind feet aren't balanced to the bone structure of the leg (many farriers just balance the bottom of the hoof to the heel bulbs but those aren't always correct), it can cause the "wobbly leg syndrome".
> 
> Watched a good farrier friend (only non-family member I would ever trust to touch my horses' feet) show off on how easy it is to cause. He purposefully trimmed a horse by balancing his hind feet to the bulbs only. When the horse walked off, his hocks were wobbling all over the place. Bring him back in and trim him to the bone structure and he walked off just straight as you please without a hint of wobble.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NPJjvr4zI


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> i dunno . . . . awful lot of tail swishing going on there.
> 
> I know that you'll get a lot of negative feedback in general when you ask for a public critique, but I gotta say, this one just looks like an uncomfortable horse, for what reason I cannot say.


I always appreciate your opinion Tiny but he looks a LOT more comfortable than my choppy Pali. Just sayin".


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

it could be part of him just not being used to riding in an arena, with other horses. liike I said, . . I dunno. 

I try to be positive in my outlook on online presentations of horses, and what I wrote was just an impression. there was just something about his way of going that rang a bell in my memory of another horse . But, trying him out will be the real litmus test on whether or not he "feels" good. '
He has many good points to his conformation, and the horse I mentioned , when I spoke of one he reminded me of , was a lovely fellow. he was a bit "trippy" on the trails, but if you got him willing to work, his gaits were good, and I actually got some good scores riding him in dressage. So, who knows?


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## Change (Jul 19, 2014)

I like him, but he does seem a bit narrow in the rear compared to the width of his chest, and I wasn't real happy with how his hind feet almost single track under him at the trot. On intermediate to advance trails, I'd worry about his hind feet interfering with/clipping each other.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

cow hocked . hocks in, hooves splayed out in the photo from the rear.
he is pretty , if he has a willing good temperament, feels good , not rough etc,
then ??


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## EponaLynn (Jul 16, 2013)

Spirit Lifter said:


> Here he is moving. Tell me more! Advanced trail riding is my goal.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-NPJjvr4zI


Wow, I'm surprised that they'd post this video, the rider sure doesn't look like she's having an easy time of it.

Let us know how he turns out, he sure is pretty.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

Horrid video. Rider does not control him, or cannot .

PPE . that hind end.. PPE


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

IMHO, that horse needs some serious re-training. He apparently cannot go around on a loose rein and she was having trouble controlling him in the canter. His body is all over the place and, frankly, he doesn't look even remotely enjoyable to ride. It looks to me like one big long fight :?.

Their excuse is that it was his first show but IME, a horse with good basic training doesn't _suddenly _start having such serious problems just because you added another horse around them while you were riding.


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## CandyCanes (Jul 1, 2013)

I don't do western, buttt.... As far as I know they are the same as English riding, in terms of that they like to be able to _control_ their horses


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## HagonNag (Jul 17, 2010)

I am FAR from an expert, but that horse's hind legs are working way too close together. I think it was Change that mentioned possibly clipping? That's what I saw...potential clipping. He has a lovely eye and a kind expression, but I'd have his back legs gone over by someone who really, really knew what he was looking at. Something's off. I don't know enough to know what it is, but I know I'm seeing something off.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Based on the video I wouldn't even bother to go and see him unless I was prepared to put in a lot of time retraining and training because he's go a lot of bad habits going on there and he looks really tense and anxious at times
On top of that I avoid a horse that has that hollowed out stretched look in front of a high angular croup - so often means an old sacroiliac problem and could explain his odd hock action and legs going in all directions other than where they should be
Sorry


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Well they did say he "wasn't finished". I would entirely agree. Not sure I'd pay $2,700 for a horse that will need a _ton_ of re-training. 

I also don't care for the combination bit they are riding him in. Of course, that can be changed. 

He seems like a nice enough horse. The rider just isn't helping him any.

I agree that he's quick sickle-hocked in back. But if you are going to be trail riding him instead of barrel racing, he may be just fine.


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## Spirit Lifter (Apr 23, 2012)

Thanks guys. Based on all the feedback I'm going to pass on this pretty little fella.


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## nitapitalou (Jan 20, 2014)

I think passing him up is a wise choice. At first glance he seems kinda pretty, but when you watch the video of him moving, things don't look so pretty.

I honestly thought the little grey that was packing around the little girl was cuter, but then I have a thing for greys


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