# What is up with these legs



## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

Found this girl up for sale on face book she is two, they are selling her and her Mum for just £80 the pair, what have them for a project if I had room but I don't. However I feel there is something off with the two year old's legs could just be the way she is standing. I am thinking back at the knees and toed about, but they just look weird to me.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

The one with the star appears to be over at the knee, but it is impossible to tell anything else as both horses seem to be moving around in the photos, not standing square


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

To me she looks badly over at the knee (back at the knee she deffinatly is not)


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

That is what I meant.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

She suffers from the poor conformation associated with being a miniature horse. So many min's that I see around have exactly the same front leg.. over at the knee often coupled with contracted tendons and feet that are, or tend to be, clubby. 

Miniature horses are the result of breeding for a single trait.. Small Size. When you breed for a single trait you WILL eventually have horses that genetically pass on that trait but due to the singular focus, other traits that are important tend to get set aside. Then when the trait is reliable genetically, the breeders try to FIX the other stuff (like conformation or early onset arthritis and so forth). 

It takes a lot more time to create a breed using all the desirable traits and cull heavily from the breeding program those individuals who are too large AND who have poor conformation or poor health.


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

She isn't a miniature horse she is a british shetland.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

SORRY!!!! Wow.. I admit my error!!!!!!! I apologize!!

And you know.. I am doubly sorry because I am quite a fan of Shetlands (their history is an amazing read). 

I can feel my Scottish ancestors glaring at me... and threatening to ban me from their clan as they hit me with their shepherd's crooks. 

Oweee! I have really stepped in it...


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

It is okay used to it on here.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

rbarlo32.. I followed the link to look at some of your Shetlands but no photos showed. I like the black on your signature (what I can see!).


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

I don't own or breed the filly with the bad legs just saw her add and couldn't figure out what was up with her.

Here are some more of Ricky the black stallion
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeding/my-new-stallion-arrived-yesterday-100221/page8/
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/took-lots-photos-boys-today-126939/
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-pictures/my-herd-very-pic-heavy-104540/


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

LOVED your herd photos. 

I can see why you would love Shetlands. REALLY like that stallion. Looks like he could really work. 

Very very nice!! Thanks for the links.. my Scottish ancestors have all said, "Aye. Like that."


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## rbarlo32 (Aug 9, 2010)

Thank you I love him too. He is a very good boy, and work well before he hurt his eye, he was broken to ride, and he would pull fencing things up and done the field without struggle or batting an eye lid.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Your lovely Shetlands look to be much easier to live with than my Scottish ancestors.... LOL

Had a lady in Town who was raising Miniature horses and she would have people stop and want to buy a "Shetland pony" for their kids. She was always insulted at the time that anyone would consider her miniature horses "Shetland ponies." 

Methinks she had that backwards.


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

Her legs like mine do when I don't wear my inserts as weird as that sounds. I'm flat footed so my arches collapse inwards if I don't wear my inserts and she looks like she's doing something similar.


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