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Breeding Quality Mares Critique

8K views 48 replies 22 participants last post by  AlmagroN 
#1 · (Edited)
So I thought this would be a cool thread to start.
Basically if you have a mare (whether you are going to breed it or not) you can post it and give us information about it and other people can post saying whether or not they think it is breeding quality and an explanation as too why.

I think it would be a nice way to make an educational thread.

Here's a little form you can follow if you like, or you can make your own

Name:
Age:
Breed:
Height:
Pedigree:
Discipline:
Personality:
Other:
Accomplishments:
Photos: (please limit it to 3 photos)
Videos: (please limit it to 2 videos)
So I'll throw my mare to the dogs first.

Meet Brandi!
She's a 9 year old Quarter Horse Mare. She's approximately 14.1hh. And she's a reining mare.
She had a bit of a late start in her reining career, she was started in reining as a 2YO, but after her 3YO year she didn't really have much in the way of professional training. She was barely shown (mostly at a few club shows), and trail ridden a lot. So last show season was spent putting miles on her (she literally wouldn't stop 2 inches when she came to the barn). This year will be us going hard for the money in the Non-Pro events :)

I have had her since December 2008

Personality wise: She's good minded, I've had 5YOs riding her on their own (no lungeline/leadline). She's a saint with little kids. When she's in heat, she's a bit funny sometimes, not really dangerous though, just lacks focus. No real vices, you can bath, clip, tie, etc.

Here's a link to her pedigree: Footworks Wonder Quarter Horse

She doesn't have much in the way of earnings, but I believe I put around 30 NRHA youth points on her, and I was Top 5 in Youth 14-18 in Canada. Made the top 100 in all of NRHA out of nearly 700. And this was all with limited showing last year + her basically being green to the show pen and trying to erase old habits she had.

Here's some photos and videos:





I'd like to note, our rundowns have improved since the video :)



Reining Video (there is bridleless at the end)



So critique away on her for breeding quality, and other people can post their mares too!!

**Note**This thread is for people to post their mares even if they aren't going to breed.
 
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#2 ·
Over all not bad. She is a bit straight through the shoulder and pasterns and you can see the end result in her stops. I would like to see more substance through her stifles but her hocks have a nice angle to them and with work and added muscle through the rear it might improve. Over all she looks a lot like her breeding. If I was going to breed her I would look at horses with lines not known for longer backs as this line tends to produce them and she is a tad long but again that is normal for this line and I have found in no way limits their talent and ability to perform at what they are bred for.
 
#4 ·
Thanks :). She definitely has her faults, I wish she wasn't bum high, and the shoulder/pastern part then NRHA reiner said. She's "tight" up front if you will, and you definitely have to work harder to loosen up that front end then anything else.

We've been working on getting muscling in the right places (ie. stuff that comes from collection and impulsion). I'll have to get new pictures this summer, she looks better this year which I'm happy about.

Anyone else want to post their mares?
 
#6 ·
She's a pretty girl, definitely bum high and everything else nrhareiner said. I only have one mare and she's a 30 yo TWH. I suppose I could post her and we could talk about how she's a terrible breeding mare though in addition to the dangers of breeding such an old horse. :D LOL, but that would ruin this great thread idea.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Here's my girl for the fun of it, especially since she's been used as a brood mare all her life. Be honest please, I've got thick skin.:D

Name:Rio Deja Vu (Deja)

Age:9

Breed: 15/16ths Arabian

Height: 14.2(3) haven't measured exactly

Pedigree: Rio Deja Vu Part-bred Arab She is high percentage CMK, her sire being straight Davenport. The only two horses not being CMK being Bask and the non arab mare.

Discipline:Western

Personality:A sweety, she's my baby doll.

Other: Deja came to me from a bad situation. She was underweight, pregnant, and the people still had her 8 month old filly on her when she was 8months pregnant. She was "broke" when I bought her, but I found out she has only been broke for a year or two. I am starting her over completely as my trail mount and for local shows. I learned from her breeder in January or so that she has actually had 6 foals in her life time. Apperantly she was bred with great success to a paint stallion(DeJaVu's Cheif Taboo) before the lady was forced to sell her horses. At which point Deja was bought by the people I got her from and was bred twice. I bought Deja pregnant and she gave me a beautiful little boy. I have to say that Deja is not a show horse. She is a working horse.

Accomplishments:Trail horse and broodmare

Photos: Three of her and one of what she produces.

Videos: She doesn't move around much, but you can get a look at her confo.


This is her colt, Mana. You can see how he turned out as well if that helps any.

 

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#12 ·
Ooo, this looks like fun. I am never breeding this filly but I'm sure other owners will in the future due to her colour = /

Name: Midnight Mistique Pay The Piper (pearl)
Age: 2 and 4 months
Breed: Reg. Quarter Pony
Colour: Cremello
Height: 12.2 / 13hh
Discipline: Just short trails for now. Future pony club pony.
Personality: Sweet as honey and very very quiet.
Other: Very willing to learn (I broke her and I'm 14 and she put up with all my begginer braker mistakes xD)
Accomplishments: None yet really.
Photos: (My little brother is in the riding pictures)
 

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#13 ·
I wouldn't breed her aztec, she doesn't look really like a 'quarter pony' to me, and she leaves alot left to be desired, IMO.

EventerDrew - I love you mare. Send her to me ASAP, k thanks!
 
#14 · (Edited)
Aztec,

Though at 2 + years she's a work in progress, she's very short in her quarter (from her hip to point of croup) and very long in her back; the opposite of typical QH conformation. Beyond the typical butt high you'd expect at her age and of a QH, she also has an odd topline - looks like the beginnings of a roached back. I'm also concerned that her hind pastern angle is very different than her front.

So - she's adorable, and obviously a wonderful disposition, but, no, not breeding quality.

PS - Is cremello now considered desirable and bred for in the QH world? The first one I saw, okay, 30 years ago, was considered an oddity.

Eventerdrew,

The one sortof kindof confo shot of Nancy Drew in you barn is not a very good one for confo - she's hyper alert, head and neck up and looking around and not standing four square and balanced. Post a better/more traditional confo shot and I'll have a go
 
#15 ·
LOL all reasons why I would not want to breed her myself :P

and I don't think cremello is really all that desirable, it's what you can get from a cremello(palomino, buckskin, etc) that 'colour' people want which is unfortunate but I can almost garauntee that someone will breed her for that reason somewhere down the line(not me!)
 
#16 ·
Name: got kissed [gypsy]
Age: coming 4
Breed: tb/hano
Color: black
Height: about 16.1hh atm
Pedigree: her sire is gaylord and her dam is kiss by lake
Discipline: she was bred for hunters, but i mostly want to use her for eventing
Personality: out going & nosy

i dont plan on breeding her anytime soon, but i do eventually want to [in like 10 years !]





 
#22 · (Edited)
Name: My Kinda September ("Katie")
Age: 17
Breed: Appaloosa
Colour: solid chestnut
Height: 15 hands
Discipline: bred for Halter and All-Around-- producing All-Around and Western Pleasure
Personality: Affectionate, docile, but very smart, sometimes acts a bit "entitled"-- and she is :)
Accomplishments: Unshown herself; National Champion producer, Bronze Medallion producer, Superior producer, Multiple ROM producer.

Pedigree: My Kinda September Appaloosa

Katie, age 14



1999 gelding produced by Katie-- ApHC 2005 Year End National High Point Top Ten- Non Pro Trail, 2006 ApHC National Show Top Ten in Non-Pro Trail, 2006 CFAPHC High Point NonPro Trail and Junior Western Pleasure. multi-ROM Earner including Halter, Trail, NP Showmanship, etc-- Superior in NP Trail.


2001 gelding produced by Katie-- ApHC 2003 Appaloosa National Champion 2 year Old Snaffle Bit Western Pleasure, NSBA Champion. 2x ROM Earner.


When I bought Katie she was already a proven broodmare. She was the last filly out of an elderly mare who had produced a Medallion winning and World Champion full sister to Katie 12 years prior. Katie was sired by an Appaloosa Hall of Fame stallion also in his elderly years. She was a surprise foal-- the elderly horsie couple were cohabitating in their twighlight years and the old mare had been barren for several years. One September morning the owner went out to feed and there was Katie.... being such a late foal and out of a treasured old mare, she was never fit up to show, but was a pet and then a broodmare from the start.

The foal in my avatar is her 2008 colt.
 
#24 ·
eventerdrew - We're pretty sure he plays for the same team, if ya know what I mean!

EastToWest: I like everything but how her neck ties in.
 
#25 ·
Name: My Blueberry Story [Mya]
Age: 8
Breed: Paint
Height: 14.1 & 1/2 hh
Pedigree: n/a
Discipline: All rounderr
Personality: goofy, curious, LOVES to be scratched! LOVES PEOPLE!
Other: she was a rescue! and she was re-trained by myself
Accomplishments: Reserve pleasure pony champ. cc fair :] and third at end of year awards for pony western horsemanship
Photos:
Brown Wood Horse Vertebrate Horse supplies


Brown Horse Terrestrial animal Light Organ


Joint Sculpture Bronze sculpture Metal Bronze


Videos:
 
#26 ·
Name: Slim N Fit
Age: 15
Breed: standardbred
Height: about 16hh
Pedigree:
Discipline: harness racehorse
Personality: not a lovey dovey horse, but gives 110% in a race
Other:slim is a heavy boned mare with lots of muscle. bred and raced first in NZ then shiped to the US. her racing career was ended when she was 9- during a race she tore her XYZ ligament. she was so determined my cousin who drives couldnt even pull her up to stop her. she finished the race like that, never looking back. the vets wanted to put her down on the spot saying she would never walk again. she proved them wrong and now is ok aside from the ankle did calcify and there is no flex in it. but she can ride and does not show a hint of lameness ever.
Accomplishments: lifetime record of 1:54:3 on a half mile track (mile long race)

sorry i dont have any really good confo pics :(


 
#27 ·
I do some 4-H F&S judging around here so this is kind of fun!

If my notes about angles, proportion, triangles and slopes are a little vague lemme know and I can email you with what I'm talking about highlighted.

Here's my thoughts of the run down

Brandi QH Mare
She is massively heavy on the hind end, very suited for reining. :) If I didn't know her age I might guess she’s younger and going through her "racecar" phase (when the legs grow at different rates and the high end is huge like a racecar.) The angle of her croup is too steep even for a QH. In the still picture her stifle looks off to me, it might just be the picture and an odd shadow. but it looks off.

She’s on grass so it's hard to see her hooves but the angles look kind of steep and it looks like she doesn't have much of a heel but her shoulder and hock angles are spot on.

She has a nice deep chest which also looks plenty broad. She has such a nice delicate head and neck! Despite we weak front-end her beautiful topline makes her nearly picture perfect!

I would breed her with a stud that could help round out that hip, and is evenly balanced on the front & hind end, so that you still get the heavy round QH butt matched but it's closer to standard.

Very nice horse that would be a nice producer if matched with the right stud.

Hickory QH Mare
Is she appendix breeding? She has a very TB head & neck. I would really like to see her standing with her front legs more forward b/c i think her pasterns look good but I can't tell of the same line is echoed in the hoof. It's odd she looks longer below the barrel than on her topline. It might be more in proportion than I'm seeing, and my eye is being thrown off by her withers. The withers are very nice, but typically on QH I like to see them more over the leg, but the set back withers also echoes a more recent TB lineage than you would typically see in QH.

She had a beautiful hindquarters normally I would also pick on her croup to dock angle but for some reason when it's combined with her roundness it really works. Also her hocks are a touch higher than the other reining horses displayed here and with reining you want the hocks and knees to be more level that matched with her hocks-in (mostly-right) toe-out there is room for improvement, but they are easier traits to breed out.

She looks like a much better put together package in the moving picture. She’s is definitely a little mover! all-in-all, she’s very pretty, and *IF* I were to breed her I would cross with stud, who is very typ-ie, and you would undoubtedly get a horse that not only can MOVE like yours but looks the part in-hand as well.


With Thanks QH
You can tell from those rear heals this horse reins! She has nice thick pasterns that for super active horses. She has a nice topline even with such far backs withers. Her barrel is leaner than I like in the 2nd picture but it looks good in the 1st and working pictures, so it could just be an off picture. Really with the exception of her zebra stripes, side effect of that beautiful color, she would be ideal to breed.

Deja Arab
Skipping. Pregnancy can throw in and off everything so I'm not even going to try!

Pearl
I would never bred this horse.

Gypsy TB/Han
Very nice legs! If I didn't know better I would have swore she was a Trakehner! For my hunters I like their front & hind quarters more even. With the weaker front end matched with the slightly high shoulder landing is going to be harder on her. How big around are her front legs, it's hard to tell with the boots. The boots seem to imply her legs are not delicate, but maybe more refined?

Her trotting triangles are perfect! She would make a great dressage horse. With some work her build would be MADE for the perfect piaffe! Over all nice, but easy on her landings. Cross country and hunters would be better but stadium jumping will definitely take its tool quicker. You can try to minimize the weaker conformation with preemptive supplements since she’s still developing. If those growth plates haven’t closed she'll be still developing tone over the next year or so.

I would breed her with a full warmblood. Maybe a nice Dutch Warmblood. The Dutch stock and your mares refined features would build that front shoulder up more while still keeping her solid but still feminine features.



After this one I got too tired!

So in total fairness I'll post my mare Julep tomorrow or over the weekend and ya'll can break her down and help me decide on the breed I want to cross her with to get a well-rounded sport horse.
 
#32 ·
Hickory QH Mare
Is she appendix breeding? She has a very TB head & neck. I would really like to see her standing with her front legs more forward b/c i think her pasterns look good but I can't tell of the same line is echoed in the hoof. It's odd she looks longer below the barrel than on her topline. It might be more in proportion than I'm seeing, and my eye is being thrown off by her withers. The withers are very nice, but typically on QH I like to see them more over the leg, but the set back withers also echoes a more recent TB lineage than you would typically see in QH.

She had a beautiful hindquarters normally I would also pick on her croup to dock angle but for some reason when it's combined with her roundness it really works. Also her hocks are a touch higher than the other reining horses displayed here and with reining you want the hocks and knees to be more level that matched with her hocks-in (mostly-right) toe-out there is room for improvement, but they are easier traits to breed out.

She looks like a much better put together package in the moving picture. She’s is definitely a little mover! all-in-all, she’s very pretty, and *IF* I were to breed her I would cross with stud, who is very typ-ie, and you would undoubtedly get a horse that not only can MOVE like yours but looks the part in-hand as well.


Not an ounce of TB in her. Her sire is by Docs Hickory and her dam is a G-daughter of Poco Bueno out of a g-daughter of King. She stops just like her daddy.
 
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