Critique Birdie!

Yesterday, I went to see the horse that I'm getting in the spring. My friend and I rode her and she was wonderful! Nice smooth trot even though she's not gaited. We took some conformation shots - I know they aren't perfect but she wasn't wanting to hold her head up as she should!!

So what do you think of her confo? Let me know all the things you like or don't like about her conformation.

Disclaimer! - She IS chubby! She is a VERY easy keeper and since the people that are giving her to me can't ride anymore she hasn't been ridden very much at all lately. I'm going to get her a grazing muzzle for summer and of course do lots of riding when I get her.

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She looks a bit downhill and she toes out just a touch in the back. OMG, now that is an ass on a horse. Good night!!!!

She is certainly a beauty and I LOVE that color. Do you know do they classify her as a dun or a dunskin?

What do you mean by toes out? I don't know a lot about conformation so I was just wondering. And yes! She does have big hindquarters! Partly though - she needs to lose some weight. I was told she is buckskin. You think she is dun?

The thing that is throwing me off is the dorsal stripe down her back. She may just be a buckskin that has a prominent sooty modifier that is creating a stripe, I don't know. I am a long way from an expert on colors and modifiers and all that.

As for the toeing out. That means that her hocks are a little close together and that her feet angle out to the sides.

Ideally, a horse should be in a straight line from hips to the center of the feet like this


But when a horse toes out (also called cow-hocked), their back legs look like this.


If you would like to learn more about conformation, here is a site with lots of good information.
FAQ Conformation Index

Buckskins, grullos and duns can be confusing! Thanks for explaining about the toeing out!

And thanks for the website! I'll look at it for sure.

wow she has quiet the crusty neck.

I'm not too happy about her back....I'm not sure, but she just seems a little sway backed, or is it just her stomach?

And then there's also something I'm not too fond of about her neck...

Otherwise she looks like a very nice horse, very stocky and sturdy. I love her colour as well. And I won't even get started on that GORGEOUS tail of hers......LOL

Quite bum high and agree with the cow hocked comment. Nice look horse overall but needs to shift some of that weight.