15 Year Old Mare

Dove is a 15 year old Mustang x Appaloosa mare - been a trail horse most of her life, had a good 3 years as a pasture fluff and now dabbling into dressage and jumping. Jack of all trades type. Looking for a general conformation critique looking for flaws or weak areas. Thanks!









Thanks again!

So beautiful and chunky! The first photo makes her look a bit like a Fjord.

She looks like she could use to lose a little weight. Her hindquarters are a little insubstantial compared to the rest of her. Nice short cannons, decent angles to her pasterns and I like the angle of her shoulder. She stands a little under herself, too.

Nothing big jumps out though, she looks nice and solid all around. Beautiful girl!

Hahaha yes, she has always been a very easy keeper :) In her younger trail riding days she had 3 foals and her belly has always hung a bit, but she could definitely stand to lose a bit!

When I pulled her from pasture a year ago her 15hh frame, albeit she has a lot of bone and big feet to support it, was carting around nearly 1300lbs!


Now she hovers around 1150lbs depending how much she's ridden and doing what. Thank you for your critique, much appreciated! I had no big aspirations for her to compete at higher levels, just wanted some opinions! Thanks!

She's definitely chunky! ;) I personally think she's stunning.

Any conformation critique aside (I'll leave that to the experts), I think she's gorgeous! She looks like a real sweetie.

She's a gorgeous girl! An appy and mustang cross... She could probably take a grizzly bear on and win, lol.
Well, here's my usual disclaimer- I'm not an expert, so if someone says I'm wrong, I probably am ;)
Her pasterns looks wonderful- short, strong, and the same angle as her shoulder. Her hocks look pretty round, but her canon bones are nice and short and she has excellent bone. She could possibly be either a tad straight through the hocks or sickle hocked, I'm not sure if it's just how she stands or not, though...
Her shoulder looks nice, more on the straight side I believe, and she has pretty high withers. I love her neck! It looks to tie in pretty well. She has a big, round barrel with a decently deep girth, a nice short back with an absolutely lovely hip and croup.
Overall she's very well balanced throughout her body with a pretty level build. I really, really like her!

What a nice solid mare!

Thanks everyone! I was expecting a couple flaws to be pointed out, thanks for all the positive feedback!

Sadly she seems to be suffering from deteriorating suspensory ligament disease :( it's caught early with only slight discomfort and limp when trotting, giving her 6 solid months off to heal and retiring her as a walk/trot trail horse as long as the ultra sounds show adequate healing.

I've had 3 foals from Dove, kept the last one and love her to pieces but missing the challenges training brings. Definitely considering breeding Dove to a Paint stallion I've had my eye on for years! I've raised and trained over a dozen horses and would enjoy the long term project provided her legs are approved to carry a foal. All just thoughts, I know I can go pick up a foal to raise, but it's different when you own the mare and raise them :) would be to keep as a personal horse with barrel racing in mind, stallion I have in mind is a sucessful competitor all over North America!

What are your thoughts on Dove as a broodmare? Will be getting vet approval but conformationally she's solid and her mind is as docile and willing as they come. The filly I kept out of her has been nothing short of a blessing, Justus is my heart horse. Will post some confo pics of her when I get on my laptop.
Posted via Mobile Device

Justus and Dove are often mistaken for the other, a lot of similarities!



Same willing mind and talent in a small package!


Just wanted to show one of her foals as example!
Posted via Mobile Device

Nice horse. A bit sway backed but nice. Has had some training too as it looks like her neck has developed well (turning over) and her hind quarters are solid. She is a bit sickle hocked too. Her foal is better than she is.

Nice even front over that fence. Nice equitation jumper as he jumps a bit flat and won't jar his rider but he does get his knees up and even so he is pretty in the air. He is not real scopey.. but when I horse is scopey he can also be a rough ride over a fence too.