# Conformation Critique



## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Long legs!
Nice big shoulder 
Neck is thin and very thoroughbredy but not set too badly
High in the wither, as is common in the breed
She is bench-kneed in the fronts and her pasterns are a tad long
Back is an ok length
Hard to say about her hind legs. Her hocks are low but she gives the impression that she would line up close to correct, were she standing square.
apart from her front legs, she looks like a fairly athletic mare and even those flaws may not hinder her in future depending on the severity


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## rlr21791 (Oct 2, 2012)

Her legs are what I originally noticed when I first seen her. I love them! She is a good solid 17 hands. She is a VERY athletic mare. My friend who is a trainer, thinks she would make a great jumper due to her being very brave. However she much prefer to run through fields rather than jump. 
This is her pedigree Harleys Shadow Horse Pedigree
i believe she is bred fairly well.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

her front legs are pretty light of bone. maybe a little bench kneed, but a long canon. otherwise, pretty nice mare.

here is an image that came up for a Google search on bench-kneed:


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## Tryst (Feb 8, 2012)

She is quite tied in at the knee, so I would definitely support those legs if you jump her. Overall a nice athletic looking mare. 

I don't see bench kneed. Maybe a touch over at the knee, but not bench kneed.


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## bitinsane (Jun 5, 2013)

Her pasterns scare me. I wouldn't jump her.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

She's not a bad looking little mare. I agree with most of what Lilruffian said, except for the bench knees. I'm not seeing it either. Her pasterns are a bit long but I think they would have better angles if her feet were trimmed a bit better. They appear to be pretty run forward with severely under-run heels.

Other than that, the only thing I can see is that she is lacking muscle pretty badly. Her topline is not very good at all and her hind end is very gaunt.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you feeding her?


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

It looks like she toes out (at least in the front leg pic, may be how she's standing) which gives the appearance of bench knees but I don't think she actually has that.


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## ZaneyZanne123 (Nov 9, 2013)

I can put her on a grid if you want. The front picture and the profile pictures of her are usable and I can throw that on my "grid" also. Because of my slow connection at this point I cannot get the photo with the grid back up but I can definatly give an analysis.


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## rlr21791 (Oct 2, 2012)

ZaneyZanne123 said:


> I can put her on a grid if you want. The front picture and the profile pictures of her are usable and I can throw that on my "grid" also. Because of my slow connection at this point I cannot get the photo with the grid back up but I can definatly give an analysis.


 That would be great!


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## rlr21791 (Oct 2, 2012)

smrobs said:


> She's not a bad looking little mare. I agree with most of what Lilruffian said, except for the bench knees. I'm not seeing it either. Her pasterns are a bit long but I think they would have better angles if her feet were trimmed a bit better. They appear to be pretty run forward with severely under-run heels.
> 
> Other than that, the only thing I can see is that she is lacking muscle pretty badly. Her topline is not very good at all and her hind end is very gaunt.
> 
> If you don't mind me asking, what are you feeding her?


Her feet haven't been trimmed in over a year. Everytime the farrier comes out, he says the walls are too thin to trim. 
She doesn't get worked a ton, we have been experimenting with different food, so hopefully with more work and finally (fingers crossed) getting her foor figured out she will start to get some muscle. Right now we are feeding 24/7 alfalfa/grass mix and 6lbs nutrena perform. 
The pictures are from the summer before I got her when I was halter breaking her and the other one is from November of this last year when I first got her as mine. I think she has come a long away!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

She is looking a ton better, congrats . I can't really speak poorly of what she's being fed, especially since she is gaining on it, but being the person I am, who can't stand thin horses :wink::lol:, I'd probably go ahead and add a few alfalfa pellets for a bit more controlled protein without the added sugars of a "complete" feed and some oil for the added fat. Have you had her teeth checked? If not, that might help. Bad teeth can keep a horse from gaining weight adequately.

As for the farrier, I'd be looking for a new one. I've seen lots of horses with really crappy feet and I've never heard any farrier say that their feet are "too bad" to be trimmed. Keeping her on a regular trim schedule with a good trimmer/farrier may actually help her feet grow better walls. As it is right now, they are constantly being stretched away from the laminae, which will weaken them even farther and invite thrush and WLD, which can destroy even good feet.


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## rlr21791 (Oct 2, 2012)

smrobs said:


> She is looking a ton better, congrats . I can't really speak poorly of what she's being fed, especially since she is gaining on it, but being the person I am, who can't stand thin horses :wink::lol:, I'd probably go ahead and add a few alfalfa pellets for a bit more controlled protein without the added sugars of a "complete" feed and some oil for the added fat. Have you had her teeth checked? If not, that might help. Bad teeth can keep a horse from gaining weight adequately.
> 
> As for the farrier, I'd be looking for a new one. I've seen lots of horses with really crappy feet and I've never heard any farrier say that their feet are "too bad" to be trimmed. Keeping her on a regular trim schedule with a good trimmer/farrier may actually help her feet grow better walls. As it is right now, they are constantly being stretched away from the laminae, which will weaken them even farther and invite thrush and WLD, which can destroy even good feet.


Her teeth aren't terrible. The vet will not do them until Sept however since there is a possibility that she is in foal. But they will be getting done then. I did have a new farrier come out and do her last night, he didn't take much off either, but did round the toes out. I think part of the problem with the previous farrier was she only had her feet done now twice in her entire life and she doesn't do well with people besides myself touching her feet. So the first time was a challenge and she kicked him pretty good.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Yeah, the farrier doesn't need to take a ton off they just need to do them!

Don't use him again then, if he can't tell you he doesn't want to work on her and just wastes your time..

What does potential of a foal have to do with teeth?


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## rlr21791 (Oct 2, 2012)

Yea I wont be going back to the first guy. The guy who did her last night seemed to be more willing to help her get over her fear of having her feet handled and wasn't rough with her.
I'm not a vet, but I guess something with the sedation can cause problems during the first 8 weeks and right at the end of pregnancy.


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