# Another OTTB to critique please!



## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Hi guys, the last dude I was lookingat unfortunately got snapped up before I could even go look, and even I'm not reckless enough to buy a horse sight unseen (; So here's another OTTB i'd like critique on, conformation wise! I think she's a pretty little thing, but hey, what do I know. She'll be 5 in November, is 15.1-15.2 hh. Pictures were taken a week off the track, and since she has been let down for two months. 

I'll be hopefully doing some lower level outings with her in whatever I decide she and I both like, so probably a little bit of showing, lower level dressage, a bit of jumping, and pony club.


----------



## Raven13 (Apr 12, 2013)

Beautiful mare, she looks solid. Nice neck, reverse muscling due to her being an OTTB, but nice length and set on well. Good slope to her shoulder. I lover her front legs, they have a nice amount of bone to them, especially for a TB, the only thing that is "wrong" is the canons are a little on the long side, but nothing to worry about. Nice short back, but a bit butt high. Big powerful looking hind quarters, bit straight through the stifle, nice angle to the hocks. 

Go get this one before she gets snatched up too!


----------



## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Thank you so much for the critique! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

funny, I see her totally differently. 

long front canons, weak coupling (wasp waisted), very slight sickle hocked, such a laid back shoulder that it will be very hard to fit a saddle, and Downhill. she is heavy, heavy on her forehand in all those photos.


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Adding to what Tiny said, she also has a rather low set point of shoulder which will restrict her front end free movement and reach as well as how high she gets her knees up over fences. 
The wasp waisted thing may be left over from the track.. but the rest is spot on.


----------



## Raven13 (Apr 12, 2013)

OTTBs can be expected to go on their forehand until they are retrained to carry their weight further back. When racing they pull with the shoulders rather than push with the hind, therefore are used to going on the forehand. Not to mention I never trust still pictures of horses, as there have been plenty times where I have seen a picture of a horse whom I know moves well and the moment at which the shot was taken makes them look as though they are a very poor mover. As for the "wasp wasted"-ness I believe it is due to her being racing fit, as the OP says these pictures were only taken when she was a week off the track, you can expect her to be tucked in like that. Yes, she is downhill (butt high) but only slightly so, and considering her age she may have a little more to grow and level out. She has a nice shoulder, I've seen plenty of horses with far more of a slope. Besides, isn't a "well sloped shoulder" what we're all after in a riding horse for freedom of movement?

She's got some faults, they're all minor. As an over all horse shes lovely. She has somethings to work on in bother filling out and re-training, but seeing as you continue to look at OTTBs you're probably well aware that they usually have somethings to work on an sometimes can be a crapshoot. 

Good luck in whatever you decide


----------



## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Go get her, cuz it looks like where she is is an accident waiting to happen....she is pretty.


----------



## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

Thank you for all the critique! I am going to look at her some time this week, and maybe take a few pictures for further critiquing. I'm not going to rush into a purchase, and I'll be aware of the whole 'lack of reach' thing. But of her conformation faults, are any likely to make her break down/not be fit for a riding horse? How much would her shoulder limit jumping? Also, what effect does a wasp waist have?


----------



## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Ahh... critique of stills.. need to look deeper and remember that a 3 d object has been flattened to a 2D medium. That said, here is the issue with the shoulder if your want to jump. The shoulder is steeper than desirable AND the point of shoulder is set low so that the humerus lays at a low angle and the angle from the scapula to humerus is a bit closed.

In the action shots she show no reach regardless of the level of training. She is not as downhill as many I have seen but she is down hill. One thing I like is her bone coupled with knees and hocks not largely at different heights. 

Her peak of croup is set back a ways.. so her coupling is long and the was waisted business actually makes it more difficult for her to engage her hind quarters and raise her back. 

That shoulder will limit her. 

And racehorses travel on the forehand because they are galloping. They are not pulling with their shoulders.. they are running which moves the center of gravity forward. Look at Muybridge.. much to learn from those old films!!!


----------



## Raven13 (Apr 12, 2013)

I'm not sure where I need to look deeper, I simply was stating that there have been cases where I know a horse moves well in person, but the stills were taken at the wrong time so the horse appears to be a very poor mover in the picture. I don't trust pictures of movement for this reason. 

I fail to see why this nicely conformed horse is getting so much grief. She has quite a nice slope to her shoulder, the point of shoulder is higher than what Elana has marked (the joint is the dimple not the protrusion below it), nearly perfect equilateral triangle for her hind end, is virtually a perfect square (ideal riding horse shape), I feel that her length of back is quite nice as well, not too long or short (and it matches her length of neck). She is tucked under on the hind legs which isn't necessarily completely frowned upon as it can help with engagement and collection. Yes her front leg is a bit set back from the plumb line, but it is so minimally so that I'm tempted to say that it is the angle of the photo or simply where she has it at that moment.

I can't wait until you go to see this horse in person.


----------



## falling (Apr 13, 2014)

I'm really interested by the fact there's two very differing opinions. I'm not worried as much about the whole jumping angle as more her natural ability to raise her back up. I already have one horse limited in that aspect enough for two, so I've been looking for a horse that won't have conformation that will continuously make things more difficult. I understand temperament is a big part, also, but apparently she's super lovely. I have my fingers crossed she won't already be gone by the time I get to see her, but I will keep you all updated, especially if I get better pictures and a video.


----------

