Spring shedding, what do you think?

Ive never posted shadow on here for a critique, so tell me what you think! I bought him to do trail rides basically, and for that he serves well.

He's 14 years old, and I've had him for a little over a year now :0)

He's been sitting all winter and I know he could use some conditioning, be as harsh as youd like, tear him apart.... I know he doesnt have the best confo :0)

Hes looking a little swaybacked. With some muscle,less hair and some cleaning up he will be very handsome.

^ agree but fix the halter the strings are supposed to go in the back not the front but pretty pony!

Thanks, Im going to be getting him into the long riens as soon as my ring isnt so muddy.

Thanks for the tip on the halter, never occured to me =p

Just a little bump :0)

Lots to like about your boy. Great hip, solid loin and loin coupling, medium back, fantastic wither that carries well back, decent neck structure with a clean connection, good bone. Should all make for a solid, athletic, and sound individual that could do just about anything.

He's a bit too straight through the front legs, and the left front leg is rather crooked and interestingly enough he leans on that left shoulder naturally. You'll want to get him carrying his weight more evenly up front and of course, eventually more on the haunches. He also stands over his point of shoulder a bit, which you'll also want to fix to get pressure off that front end. That's where my concern lies with him and where I'd be concentrating my work to improve.

Actually, I rather like him! The first thing I don't like is his colour (ah! I know! I'm one of them weird ones! LOL) but other than that, and the fact that he stands too far underneath himself and he is fairly straight throughout the front end (shoulder, pasterns) he's a very well put together, compact guy!

Swaybacked? I don't think so. In the first picture he gives that impression, but I think it's a combination of his colour and really bad photographer skills in that one photo. His topline looks a little weak (as his bottom line, ie/ he's "saggy") but that could be from too much riding, or from not enough riding and his muscles need to be toned with some rounding out work.

Nice short back, awesome neck connections (probably the best I've seen in awhile!), good solid hip with a clean line all the way down through his back legs which I really like - Not too straight and with enough slope to make him very athletic - , straight legs with a pretty little head!

I think he's a very handsome and going conformation wise, I don't see much that this guy couldn't compete in, and do it well. :)

Thanks! Im not very good at conformation so that makes me smile! What does straight through the front legs mean though?? And I had never noticed that he leaned on his left shoulder, and you said naturally. Is that a normal thing not to be concerned about??? Did you come to that conclusion by looking at the pic on him straight on? And if so, could it possibly be his coloring in that left leg being an illusion, or is there something in the actual shoulder I don't know to recognize?

Thanks again for the great critique :0)

Too straight through the leg refers to there not being enough 'pop' in the knee. If he was any straighter we'd have to call him calf-kneed. It's typical of his breeding and just means that the knee takes more pressure than if the leg was designed more correctly. We don't usually concern ourselves too much about it, unless you were wanting the horse to be a GP jumper, or a racehorse...then it's a big issue.

However, with that crooked left front, that adds a bit more concern...so you'll really not want to let him go around on his forehand. The more he pounds the front end, the more he becomes susceptible to splints, arthritis and things of that nature.

He leans on his left shoulder in pretty much every photo. Natural for a horse to carry more weight on one front leg over the other...it's one of the things we work to fix in our daily riding in the quest for symmetry. Think of it as one-sided posture. Everybody has a dominant leg, the one they tend to step forward with first, the one they tend to stand and lean on...it's like that. It also appears as if that left front foot is different than the rest, narrower and with more heel?

It's just something to take note of and work towards remedying in your riding to encourage soundness and longevity.

Thanks for the tips. I spoke to a trainer yesterday and we're going to be getting him into the long riens and working on building up his top line and very well conditioned before I really get into riding this summer. I can't wait! Thanks again!

Anyone else?