[AliceCT]

So one of the other boarders at my barn picked up this guy about 2 years ago from a kill pen. Because of some health issues she has, she has been unable to work with him for a year and he has had very little riding (she never rode him, but there are some pictures from the person who sent him to auction of him being ridden on trails even though he was too young!). He has a great personality and I have agreed to work with him and buy him. I'm mostly going to be using him on trails. I've ridden him several times now and he's pretty fearless and very willing to learn. But I'm struggling to find a saddle that fits him well. Do you think more muscle will help his saddle fit? Anyways, I was wondering what your thoughts were his conformation and if there is anything I should watch out for.

His tail is going everywhere in these pics because of flies.

 

[Zimalia22]

While the horse may have been in an auction, it was not in a kill pen. The reason? Canner plants will not buy greys.
If the horse was bought by a canner buyer, it was because he knew he could resell it for more than he paid for it.

 

[AliceCT]

While the horse may have been in an auction, it was not in a kill pen. The reason? Canner plants will not buy greys.
If the horse was bought by a canner buyer, it was because he knew he could resell it for more than he paid for it.

Yeah, I've heard of things like that and I know that they can be kind of a scam. I don't know the whole story, just what I've been told.

 

[QtrBel]

At this point on his life it is irrelevant where he came from for the purpose of a conformation critique. He needs to be square on level ground. No shadows. Both sides and front/back. Not fair to judge him based on these. He has a kind eye and looks like a sweetie. If he rides well for you and he's learning then enjoy. As for saddle fit - what kind of a saddle are you looking at. What do you have and do you have pics of the saddle on him - no pad. Different angles so we see fit.

 

[tinyliny]

@Zimalia22 . . why will canners not buy gray horses?

the horse is nice looking. might be part Appaloosa. Does not look like a difficult fit for a saddle. Beyond being a bit hammer-headed, he's a nicely built horse!

 

[QtrBel]

I would think it has to do with incidence of cancer as that is a no go for selling.

 

[Knave]

@tinyliny I believe it’s cancer.

 

[wvfarrier]

I agree he appears to have a kind eye but I do not like his neck or front shoulder angle. His stifles are a little low too. If he was in shape you may get different opinions 🤷‍♂️

 

[Zimalia22]

It is the high occurrences of cancers in greys.

 

[boots]

I agree with @QtrBel. We could tell more seeing a saddle on him, without shadowing if possible, no pad.

When he gets more muscle it will change things. Maybe a little. Maybe more. But you ought to be able to find something suitable for now.

 

[tinyliny]

@tinyliny I believe it’s cancer.

how does that affect turning the horse into meat? Cancer is not transmissable through consumption of meat, as far as I know. I'm not trying to be argumentative, just wanting to comprehend this.

 

[Knave]

I don’t understand it myself @tinyliny, but my father told me you can’t take a grey horse into Canada because of cancer. I wouldn’t think it would be of that consequence myself, but I have been told that. I’m sure @Zimalia22 knows why it is of import.

 

[ksbowman]

My sale barns won't take a cow with cancer and that is an edible meat.

 

[AliceCT]

I'll definitely try to get some better pics of him, and pics of the saddle without the pad. The one I have is a pretty cheap western saddle and I know it is too big up front and has pressure points on his back. It tilts forward and is loose in the back. It is supposedly "semi-QH bars" but who knows what that actually means to this brand. I'm getting an Australian saddle on Wednesday. I think I'll take pictures of him with that one and see if y'all think it works. Someday I may want to get a western saddle that is more expensive and actually fits well and I need to know what works for him before I do that. My mare is built differently so her saddle doesn't fit him.

I agree on the shoulder angle. I'm hoping the other things change with time and a little more exercise. My mare is a registered paint and built completely differently, so I'm still trying to wrap my head around how he is built and what are normal differences vs. abnormal ones. I plan on eventually making him my "husband safe horse" because he loves people, doesn't spook easily, and is slow.

I don’t understand it myself @tinyliny, but my father told me you can’t take a grey horse into Canada because of cancer. I wouldn’t think it would be of that consequence myself, but I have been told that. I’m sure @Zimalia22 knows why it is of import.

Does this only apply to Canada? This auction was in Oklahoma, so I'm pretty sure he would have been sent to Mexico and I have a feeling that they are a little more lax on the horses they accept. It doesn't really matter. My original thought was that he was posted to FB so someone would pick him up and they could use that money to buy less desirable horses. I'm suspicious like that. But I know the lady who rescued him had good intentions.

 

[horselovinguy]

What I see is a lack of muscle, but also fat at the wither where he is sunken and wither prominent.
If you would consider using a built-up saddle pad it might help with finding a nice saddle fit for him easier.
He's nice looking, a bit under muscled but that can be changed with work.

He could also use a bit of weight, yes fat cause his shoulder points are also seen yet. With a bit more weight, not obese, but 50 - 75 pounds on him could make a huge difference in getting a nice fit of a saddle on him.
Nice horse...if he meets your needs and you are willing to handle a project....
As a trail horse if he has a brain, enjoys his job and is safe on his feet...
You know the animal, handle already and if price is right....you just acquired a new horse.
Yup, for some things I am a enabler! 🙂
🐴....

 

[Knave]

I don’t know. @Zimalia22 would know. I thought you could sell a cancer eye cow @ksbowman. I remember when I was young we had cancer eye cows, but I don’t see them anymore. They culled anything with the appearance of it developing as I got a little older, like jr high. I remember them saying it was hereditary. Eventually they cleaned them out of the herd, but we also don’t have the Herefords around anymore. To be honest I miss them, but not the cancer eye.

 

[AliceCT]

What I see is a lack of muscle, but also fat at the wither where he is sunken and wither prominent.
If you would consider using a built-up saddle pad it might help with finding a nice saddle fit for him easier.
He's nice looking, a bit under muscled but that can be changed with work.

He could also use a bit of weight, yes fat cause his shoulder points are also seen yet. With a bit more weight, not obese, but 50 - 75 pounds on him could make a huge difference in getting a nice fit of a saddle on him.
Nice horse...if he meets your needs and you are willing to handle a project....
As a trail horse if he has a brain, enjoys his job and is safe on his feet...
You know the animal, handle already and if price is right....you just acquired a new horse.
Yup, for some things I am a enabler! 🙂
🐴....

I'll start feeding him some muscle building feed. I'm sure he'll love that. Project horses are my favorite, so he is perfect, lol!

 

[QtrBel]

There are untreatable viruses that cause cancer and those may or may not be transmitable to humans or other species. I'd say may affect texture and flavor.

 

[Finalcanter]

I agree he appears to have a kind eye but I do not like his neck or front shoulder angle. His stifles are a little low too. If he was in shape you may get different opinions 🤷‍♂️

I'm thinking this way as well, imo.

I think more conformation images would be useful, although I'm not sure that will change much with the way his neck and head are set up. Not sure if that will get in the way of riding him, but he definitely looks a bit front heavy. It could also be the uneven stance or ground.
He looks a little jug-headish (I mean coarse) to me, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose!

 

[AliceCT]

Here are a couple of saddles on here. Hopefully it isn't too shadowy. We live in the land of the endless sun right now.
This is the cheap wintec synthetic saddle.

And this is the aussie saddle. I really want an aussie saddle and miss my old one, but I'm not keen on keeping this one. The back looks odd to me. Suggestions for a nice but light saddle?

Also, I know this pic isn't perfect, but he is square in this pic and the ground is level. I think his shoulder looks a little less steep, but he's still on the straight side.

I need someone to hold him if I'm going to get better conformation pictures.