# Critique Conformation, Please



## middling (Sep 29, 2009)

This is Peanut. He's a 7 year old gelding in pasture condition. We are just getting started back into riding after two years off. I would like to do Competitive Trail with him and maybe some Hunters. What do you think of him, be honest, my feelings won't be hurt. Sorry he's not really standing square, I didn't have any one to help hold/take pics.


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## middling (Sep 29, 2009)

Forgot to add registered quarter horse. Here's his pedigree on allbreed:
All Breed Pedigree Query


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

Nothing particularly awful jumps out at me, I'd say he has pretty healthy conformation. The things I do notice are that he has a long back, thick under-neck that leads to lack of chest and wither definition, an upright shoulder, and his heels appear to be very low. He also seems to have a bit of a short croup (common for many QHs) with post legs, as well as being slightly butt-high. You could clean up his neck, chest, withers, barrel, and hind by helping him lose some weight and gaining some upper neck muscle.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I don't think he is built in (though it isn't really possible to have a proper critique because you cant see his real leg build from such an uneven stance and odd camera angle), you should re-post and have him squared up (pics from standing height and ground level of front view, rear view and right and left sides) for a good critique, though i do agree about his neck, it ties really oddly into his shoulder.Could just be distortion in the pic though. Hope to see more pics!!


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## middling (Sep 29, 2009)

*Updated Pics, Is he a better weight/fitness*

Okay, new pics from today after 2 months of twice a week riding. I think he's finally lost some of that pasture puff. Hopefully, these pics will allow a better critique, taken with my phone though. Right now, I'm planning to compete in competitive trail with him.


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## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

What a cutie. He looks quite nice, the only thing that really jumped out at me is the fact that he stands under himself in the back.


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

Besides being a very cute guy, lol, he seems to stand pigeon toed in the front legs. His back seems a little bit low slung for a 7 year old. Good hind legs but on both the front and hind, he seems to have very short upright pasterns. How is he to ride? Honestly, I liked his neck in the older pictures than what it looks like now after been worked for a while. Front end muscling seems to have increased more than hind end. Make sure you're doing plenty of collection and pushing up from underneath if he's ready for it. All of this may just because things look a little bit less desirable with a growing winter coat, which he has now.


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## middling (Sep 29, 2009)

He does toe in on the front. I haven't taught him to collect yet. He's a comfortable ride, though definantly heavy on the forehand. We have been working hills on our trail rides, so that's teaching him to use those hindquarters more.


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## GeminiJumper (Jun 12, 2008)

Hill work will definitely help some with his hindquarters. First teach him to be soft in his face and give to pressure. Once he becomes good with that, do half halts and ask him to collect. When he can do that well and he's not being hard in his face, really use your legs to push him up into the bridle and help him drive from his hindquarters.


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## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

The things that stood out at me from the full body shots are that the horse seems to have a short bulky neck, causing lack of movement and flexibility. On second look at the new set of pictures, however, that appears to not be the case. He has a pretty well-sloped shoulder, giving him a good range of movement, a smoother gait and better chance of soundness. He has a long back, and could use some topline work to strengthen it. He will be harder to collect and get him using his hind end.

His legs look crooked, the fronts look like he's pigeon toed or bow-kneed, but I'm not sure it's not just the way he's standing. He's definatley cow-hocked but that's common in QH's.

He's lacking over-all muscle tone, and could stand for a bit more "fine-tuning", but this shouldn't be difficult because he appears to have some natural muscle.

Overall, he's not a bad looking boy.


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## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

He toes in a smidgeon and stands unser himself a tiny bit, but he looks fantastic! Have fun with him


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## middling (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you for all the posts! I'll update in the spring when I've gotten a few more months work on him.


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