3 year old APHA solid paint bred mare... critique please...

Hi All -

Looking for opinions on my three year old mare, Mayanna Gun. She was foaled May 1, 2008. Her breeding is as follows:
Sire - The Big Gun (World Champion Senior Reining APHA) who is out of Colonels Smokingun - also known as Gunner - NRHA Hall of Fame inductee and the highest earning paint in NRHA history. The Big Gun's dam is Cactus Christy who is also a multiple APHA World Champion.

Dam - Yucca Que Duchess who is by Easy Review by Smooth N Easy (APHA World Champion Sire).

She is the nicest three year old I have ever worked with. Gentle, smart, doesn't get upset easily... Love this mare and am thinking of breeding her next year for a chance at a real quality reining horse. What do you see as her weaknesses, and her strengths?








She is 15.1 hands right now and still butt high...
Thanks for your comments...

Im not a critiquer myself but she has a very sweet face, reminds me of my mare. She looks like she will make you very happy in what ever you two decide to do!

That is one darn nice mare!!!! There is so very much to like about her conformation. Darn near perfect, if you ask me. Her front canon is of good length, but a little light of bone. If her knees were any more straight (back) she would be edgeing into calf kneed but as she is she is really , really well built.

She sure is a beauty. Excellent conformation. Maybe a little light in bone, and lacking a sculpted neck.

Thanks for your nice words, all - I started her under saddle about three months ago and we are just now starting to frame up and begin to ask for collection - so it will be interesting to see how her neck and topline muscles and shapes with consistent work. She is my all-around laid back mare - I will show her for fun in weekend gymkhanas, do lots of the local trails, and we are working on horsemanship elements because I like a real well broke horse and I like patterns.

She seems a little long backed as well, but that may change as she evens up as she grows... it will be interesting to see...

Things I like about this mare are her very low hocks and knees. Things I do not like are her longish back and butt High (you commented on) and she is slightly camped under behind. Her neck is immature.

That being said she is over all pleasing to look at and should make a good mount for a variety of things you want to do. The butt high and longish black means she will need to work harder to collect and work off her hind quarters, but that is not insurmountable.

Beyond all that she has what I call "the Look." This "look" says she is not the nutty type.. a horse that will work with you. I have bought less than stellar conformation horses who have "the look." I cannot describe it.. but if you hang around horses a lot you see it and know it.