# Critique for eventing?



## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Here's the second horse. 

This is a 8 year old Akhal Teke gelding. He has evented barefoot as well.





































Links to videos:


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Last Horse.

This is a 5 year old Akhal teke filly. She is a year older than the Teke filly I am currently riding. 



















Younger picture of her. 



















Pictures of her first time free jumping. 



















Link to videos:


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Well I know little about eventing OR Akhal Tekes, but I think I like the second gelding best. He seems to have more training and natural ability. I admit though, that I didnt even watch the video of the mare. I just didnt like her build _at all_. 

Actually to tell you the truth...I liked that brown/bay gelding that happened to be in the same video as the second horse's ad video the most, but since he wasn't an option...xD


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

I wasn't impressed with the mare at all. I don't like the way she's built, and her movement wasn't very desirable. The 1st gelding seemed very willing xc, although he sure pinned his ears a lot during flatwork. The 2nd gelding seemed the most level-headed. I wish they had a video of him jumping more than just that grid.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Endiku said:


> Well I know little about eventing OR Akhal Tekes, but I think I like the second gelding best. He seems to have more training and natural ability. I admit though, that I didnt even watch the video of the mare. I just didnt like her build _at all_.
> 
> Actually to tell you the truth...I liked that brown/bay gelding that happened to be in the same video as the second horse's ad video the most, but since he wasn't an option...xD


Yeah, Paelka is WAY out of my price range at $20,000. Otherwise I would look at him. He's a Teke too. 



Quixotic said:


> I wasn't impressed with the mare at all. I don't like the way she's built, and her movement wasn't very desirable. The 1st gelding seemed very willing xc, although he sure pinned his ears a lot during flatwork. The 2nd gelding seemed the most level-headed. I wish they had a video of him jumping more than just that grid.


They don't have a lot of video on him for some reason.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Do you think you guys can explain what you didn't like about the mare? Specifically about her movement and build?


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Well nevermind about the first horse, he has sold now.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Okay here is another horse they happen to have. Do you think he's too light-boned? Or maybe he just needs some more muscle?





































Videos:
Penta at Sweet Water Farm Akhal-Teke - YouTube


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Nothing wrong with that grey's bone. In fact it's more than sufficient for his body mass. He could easly be a couple of hundred pounds heavier and be fine on those legs.

HOWEVER. He appears quite heavy on the forehand in the flatwork pic. Haven't watched the videos.

The horse with very little video, I would avoid... if they bothered to TAKE video, why not take more? Get some better jumping vids? Is there something wrong? But his jumping form appears nice in the photos.

Top horse no way, jumping form is just dreadful and guaranteed that's a horse that knocks a lot of rails. Good job it's already sold.

I'm also looking for an eventer... out of the options you have posted, I think I like the grey best, but I don't much like him either. That neck is just... ick. It's ok in the standing "conformation" photo (which is really bad to judge confo off) but in the flatwork pic it's ewed and he's not using himself correctly.

I am not much a fan of Tekes as a whole, I do like a nice one (as in, bred specifically for eventing and therefore moves and jumps like an event horse) but on the whole I'm not especially enamoured of the breed.

I think constraining yourself to ONE breed is a bad idea... I'm looking at TB's, but that's because I don't have a huge amount of money to spend on a horse and the only cheap horses that are any good for eventing (here, at any decent level) are TB's and standardbreds... and I don't want a standie.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

For the mare-

Honestly, when looking at her, she much reminds me of the Charolei heifers that we raise in build. And when I say that, I dont mean it to be rude or mean- but she has the exact type of conformation of a cow as far as her topline goes. And you _don't_ see jumping cows very often. Her topline is very, very straight. with little hindquarter definition. Add that to high withers (though I wont discredit her for that- it seems that nearly all of the tekes have the same withers) that join to a strangely tied in, short neck- and it almost makes her look like two horses were sewn together poorly. One horse's head and neck, and another horse's body. I just really don't see her being able to collect and round herself well at all with a neck and withers like that, as it seems to tie in wide at the shoulders as well. 

She also appears to be under at the knees with long cannons, both things being very bad for a horse expected to take on a lot of stress. Add that to the fact that she looks like she might be a cribber and is being allowed to free jump fairly high with little to no training (shown with her terrible judgement of the fences) and the _only_ thing that I really see going for her is her open shoulder- which, very possibly, could be counteracted by that wither and her chest.

Thats why I dont like her. She isnt a bad horse, but she's absolutely not the horse I'd recommend for anything more than light riding.

I'm still in favor of the second horse (especially if you can get some more confo pics and jumping videos), though the grey is alright too. However, Blue made an excellent point about not limiting yourself to one breed. You may be missing out on some wonderful animals.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for explaining that! I appreciate it. I can see what you mean about her now. 

I'm still pretty set on a Teke though. After riding Hoanna I just don't see myself getting any other breed. A TB would be alright. I love TB's, I got into horses because of horse racing, but there is just something about Tekes that makes me want to event with one. They just aren't all that common and yet they are such a wonderful breed which is a shame to me. Every Teke I've met has been calm, level-headed, and a fast learner. Including the stallions. 

I'm in no rush though to find the perfect Teke; patience is key when searching for a horse. I'm sure one will eventually come up that fits all the criteria on my list.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

Oh I just happened to find an entire album of that gray gelding today. These of course are older pictures from his previous owner.

https://plus.google.com/photos/1177...745001018731551599/albums/5212340513539201185


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Long straight back, downhill, neck is still ick, and I'm not much a fan of his hindquarter. I have seen Tekes that I absolutely LOVE and would have in a heartbeat... this isn't one of them.

I would pass him by... but it depends what level you want to event to! For me, I'm looking for a horse that will excel at the lower levels, be bold and brave XC (because I'm not), and get to hopefully 1* or 2** level... and higher in SJ, because I'm a sook about solid fences so for my confidence have to be training SJ much higher than I'm training XC. So, I really need something that not only has heart, but a good powerful hind as well. AND built level to uphill with a good shoulder.

edit; for me, neck is more aesthetics than actual function, but I hate a yuck neck, and a neck tied in relatively high with a nice arch to it is good for the dressage phase of eventing, as it will be easier for the horse to properly use itself.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Have to mention, I am assessing him as if he were a TB, because they are actually very similar. A GOOD Teke is very much similar to a good TB.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

I don't see him as downhill, if anything he's uphill. I think in the second picture his front feet are further down than his back end.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

In the first picture, the horizon isn't level. Nor are his feet, indeed his front feet are significantly higher than his hinds (creating the illusion of an uphill horse - VERY common method of trick photography in warmblood stud/sale ads, so I have learned to see through it). In the second picture, relative to the camera, his feet ARE on the same level (if anything fronts are slightly higher up in the image). He is level wither to croup.

That is functionally DOWNhill.

My lad is level at best and people are always telling me how uphill he is.. I have worked with top dressage warmbloods (ok only for a week... but they were some of the best dressage horses in Australia, and quite possibly the world) so I know what uphill REALLY is! Wither to croup is not an accurate judgement. I have met more downhill TB's than any other breed, and their owners swear black and blue that they bought them because they're soooooo uphill and brilliantly built for eventing.

ETA; and every picture of an Akhal-Teke I have ever seen, bar one, was downhill. That's just one of the many similarities they share with OTHER racing-bred animals (yes Tekes are racehorses in their origin country)


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## XxPaintTheSkyXx (Jul 23, 2012)

Read down there


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## XxPaintTheSkyXx (Jul 23, 2012)

AfleetAlex said:


> I've recently started to look around for a horse to do eventing with. I currently lease a greenbroke Akhal teke filly and do some jumping with her. I've fallen in love with the Akhal teke breed so that's all I've been looking at. I'm currently considering these three horses. I'll post each in seperate posts.
> 
> The first horse is a 7 year old Akhal teke gelding. He has evented up to Novice barefoot.
> 
> ...


All the horses are gorgeous and they all look fine for eventing but the first horse might get cancer From the pic of you show jumping it looked like she had pink skin under her coat. Usually in solid white/grey or paint horses you have to be careful if they have blue eyes pink skin and if the bum is pink (ik that's awkward but it saves you from buying a horse that could get cancer.) If your not sure have a vet look at her.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

blue eyed pony said:


> In the first picture, the horizon isn't level. Nor are his feet, indeed his front feet are significantly higher than his hinds (creating the illusion of an uphill horse - VERY common method of trick photography in warmblood stud/sale ads, so I have learned to see through it). In the second picture, relative to the camera, his feet ARE on the same level (if anything fronts are slightly higher up in the image). He is level wither to croup.
> 
> That is functionally DOWNhill.
> 
> ...


I was always taught that if the wither is above the croup that is uphill. I was just reading somewhere though where it said something about the croup and the seventh cervical vertebrae is a better judge of whether or not the horse is uphill or downhill or level. 

Yes I know the Teke is mainly used as a racehorse in Turkmenistan.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

That is true - the seventh cervical vertebra IS a much more reliable guide. The vast majority of horses (even so-called uphill horses) will be slightly downhill, a few will be level, and a very small few will be truly uphill.

My point in mentioning the racing thing is that all racehorses are bred for the same thing - SPEED. So, they will all have a lot of characteristics in common. What do a racing QH, a racing TB, and a racing Teke all have in common? In my experience the majority of ALL 3 breeds are markedly downhill. It's less noticed in TB's and Tekes because they have higher withers than QH.


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## AfleetAlex (Jun 14, 2010)

So what about this guy?










Or this guy?


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Both are downhill, second horse worse than the first.

HOWEVER, I like the second horse more than the first overall. First horse has a long back, I don't like the shoulder, and that hindquarter is less than ideal.

Second horse's hindquarter is worse than the first, but shoulder is better, as is back length.

Not going to comment on the necks, I don't like either. Pastern angles are nice on both, first horse's are perhaps a touch on the long side but that might be an illusion created by those LOVELY short cannons. Second horse's cannons are long.

Neither is ideal... but then, Hickstead was slightly downhill and absolutely NOT built to jump, and look what he could do. There are always the incredible few that defy their conformation.


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