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Conformation critique looking for another horse

3.3K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  blue eyed pony  
#1 ·
I would love opinions on this horse's conformation, I'm looking to take on another horse and I am considering going to take a look at her unless you guys point out anything obvious, or things I should watch out for as I get a bit blind when I see a horse that I really like.
She's an 11 year old Andalusian mare hasn't been in work recently due to having a foal.
Would like to hear your ideas, thanks very much.
 

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#4 ·
She's pretty but I don't like how she places her front legs...tucked under herself makes me leery...
She is obese, just having a baby or not she is obese with what appears bubbly fat tail head area and a cresty neck...that "look" is not healthy to my way of thinking.
She is obviously out of work...but she isn't balanced in her build.
She appears very front end heavy to me and light in her hind end...and I'm not looking at muscle-tone but bone structure.
I love the gray, I do...but I also look with head and brain and keep my heart severely in check when doing my searching.
I would want to see pictures of her before she was bred, carried and gave birth to see what she was before for a possibility of what she might again become...
What is it you want to do with her might, no would be a large consideration of can she regain and again become what you search for...
:runninghorse2:...
jmo...
 
#7 ·
I'd like to see her move. Her hind end looks weak, and on another horse I'd say she has sickle hocks. I know they breed for more angle in Andalusians, looking for the balance between pretty movement and overdoing it with the angles and creating too much stress on the hocks. I'd definitely look at the hocks closely for any signs of puffiness or capping. Also look at the hind hooves to see if they are balanced and symmetrical.

Agree with HLG that her weight could also be a concern and she could have had laminitis in the past or be prone to it in the future.
 
#8 ·
She is overweight and very much out of shape. That said, Andy's are like arabs in the sense that they don't 'show' muscle development like a QH will. She will probably ALWAYS have a rounded appearance, even if you worked her into better shape.

But, her cresty neck and some evidence of fat pads on her hind end, near the dock, tell me that she is like the Andy that I lease; a very easy keeper. You may or may not be able to change that to a greater or lesser degree.


Her feet are kind of small for such a large horse, but again, my mount is much the same. He is very surefooted, and a pretty smart and solid guy. His trot is very small and a lot of up and down (sewing machine type) action, with a nice 'paddle' to his front legs. Not a big trot. But, he moves out at the walk, and is a very nice fellow.


really, if you like her temperament, and can deal with her need for care as an easy keeper (might need to keep her off grass for months out of the year), then she might be a total lovebug and a gem!




 
#12 ·
What would you want to use her for?
I don't see anything worrying in her back - the fat pockets on her topline are accentuating the levels on her quarters and her withers/crest.
That 'shape' is much more noticeable in Welsh C's and D's where its an accepted feature of the breed and its not all detrimental to them.
On her they'll reduce as she gets back in to work and her shape will look better as she loses some weight and develops muscles that will pull her 'foaling belly' back up
Those fat pockets can indicate metabolic problems so you'd need to test for IR before you purchase so you know exactly what you're dealing with
Her front feet are way too long but correct trimming will sort that out
Check really well for melanoma's, including inside the mouth. A lot of the time they have no negative effect on the horse at all but they're still something to be concerned about and will devalue a horse
 
#13 ·
I really dislike her hind end. It's very Spanish and NOT in a good way... it's Spanish in all the wrong ways. Shallow, flat hip with a very straight stifle and sickle hocks. This conformation is highly conducive to stifle lock, and is (I suspect) responsible for the high prevalence of that problem in the breed.

Her feet are horrendous. I feel they're responsible for the way she stands. A horse standing under itself in front in that way can be indicative of heel pain, as this stance loads the toes. It's harmful long term, but in the short term, it can relieve discomfort.

I do not like her shoulder. She has a shortish scapula and a very long humerus, in addition to being slightly upright. I strongly dislike the convex shape of the underline of her neck, and I suspect it has little to do with her weight and a lot to do with her structure and way of going, especially as she has been out of work. I suspect her front teeth may not meet evenly based on how she holds her mouth and jaw, but I could be being fooled by a floppy lower lip - you'd have to see her to know.

All in all I would pass.
 
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