[rocky pony]

Would anyone want to critique my guy?
It doesn't really matter a lot to me..he's got the perfect personality for me and that's all that really matters at this point in my horsie-life
I'm basically just curious to see what people have to say about his conformation and movement..I'm still pretty new to the english horse world..or eh, I guess the more organized side of the horse world in general. I've always just ridden around and not really given much thought to anything, but I'm finally starting to catch up here a little bit.

So I'm told he has nice movement..I mean, it certainly looks beautiful to me. I don't know a thing about what to look for as far as comformation..I'm a lot better with quarter horse conformation haha
But what I'm looking to get into is dressage.

So this is Kainne. He's a 16hh 13 y/o grade unraced TB.
I don't have the best conformation pictures of him yet..not sure why. But these are the best I have for that:

(he was underweight in the first picture, it was pretty soon after I bought him)

(sorry for the choppiness of the videos, my camera likes to do that D= )
Walk Video:

Trot Video:

Canter Video:

 

[Romantic Lyric]

Well, he looks like a very comfortable ride to me. Though I'm not sure about his potential as a dressage horse. Based off the videos you posted, I'd say he probably doesn't have much potential as a serious competitor. You could definitely do it at the lower-level more for fun and to connect with your horse and develop your own riding skill. I plan on doing lower-level dressage with my horse someday too.

But to make a serious call, I'd have to see more video of him trotting out more, what you have him doing in the video is more of a western jog, same with his canter, it seems more lope-ish.

I'm not very good with conformation. But his pasterns look a little upright and his neck could tie in a little prettier at the top, but he's very cute and has a sweet eye.

 

[rocky pony]

Well, he looks like a very comfortable ride to me. Though I'm not sure about his potential as a dressage horse. Based off the videos you posted, I'd say he probably doesn't have much potential as a serious competitor. You could definitely do it at the lower-level more for fun and to connect with your horse and develop your own riding skill. I plan on doing lower-level dressage with my horse someday too.

But to make a serious call, I'd have to see more video of him trotting out more, what you have him doing in the video is more of a western jog, same with his canter, it seems more lope-ish.

I'm not very good with conformation. But his pasterns look a little upright and his neck could tie in a little prettier at the top, but he's very cute and has a sweet eye.

Ah, not so comfortable to ride really..haha. Maybe he trots differently when I'm on him..I should really get a video of that. I will definitely try to get better videos of him, I admit they aren't the best.

He really is a great guy

 

[rocky pony]

I don't know if this is any help at all..he is capable of a more energetic trot:

What he usually does during most lunging sessions is probably right in between these two..

 

[JumpingTheMoon]

Only thing that glares at me is lack of topline, otherwise he looks like a nice horse!

 

[Romantic Lyric]

Disclaimer: Take what I say with a grain of salt, because I've taken maybe three dressage lessons in my life, and there are plenty of people on here who do dressage hardcore, so if they contradict me, listen to them.

I see what you mean that he seems to have a bit more energy in that clip. It's hard to tell because he's coming pretty much straight at the camera, BUT to me, it seems like his energy is directed upward, rather than forward. He gets...bouncier, he doesn't, or doesn't look like he "move out" and extend his trot, or just be forward, like great dressage horses can. I'm sure you could change this to a certain extent if you worked with him on it, but some horses just naturally don't have very forward movement, and they usually become western horses.

Here's an example of what I mean by forward in regards to dressage horses:

That horse is obviously worth a lot of money. I'm not saying your horse needs to move exactly like that to do dressage, I'm just saying that the ones that win do.

 

[churumbeque]

would love to see some more weight on him and his back developed. That would improve his looks tremendously.

 

[Eolith]

Yes, he definitely needs a little more muscle toning... his topline isn't very well filled out. I don't entirely agree about the upright versus extended trot. In the clip with his energetic trot, he's got a pretty nicely collected trot... which dressage people like. He's also got the size and likely the ability to really reach out, you just need to find out how to ask him to give it to you.

I think he'll be a great guy for exploring the lower levels of dressage with.

 

[ridergirl23]

^that wasnt really a collected trot, just a slower trot,with more energy

hes cute, and with a little more muscle on him he will be very pretty
he will benefit a lot from dressage, you will see him change into a more muscled, rounded,obediant horse before your eyes! i would suggest you get a trainer
good luck! and i hope you enjoy dressage!

 

[ridergirl23]

oh, and i forgot to add: he has those goreous throughbred legs, which i completely LOVE, they are so 'clean' and sharp looking, TB legs are the best legs a horse can have IMO!

 

[Eolith]

It certainly isn't a formal collected trot that dressage judges look for in the ring... but what is a collected trot if not slow and with energy? A collected trot is meant to be smaller steps with more impulsion, or "bounce". The trot he displays in that clip is far closer to a collected trot than it is to a working or extended trot. ^_^

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

Eolith - at ridergirl23 already pointed out, the horse does not show a collected trot in either of the trot videos. Also, any dressage horse person will tell you that any trot can be made, it is the walk and canter we look at when selecting a dressage horse. A naturally good trot is a bonus, but never necessary.

To me, he looks downhill, has a long swayed back, a short stride and straight hocks. Not the makings of a world class dressage horse but you do have a lot to work on. His walk is definitely his strongest gait, I imagine it's been the one with the least "training" (in this case bad training). To me it also looks like a lot of his issues are man made, training wise. Your biggest things to work on are going to be getting a bigger more relaxed stride in the trot and canter and getting him to reach over his back to the contact and really start up that engine behind. In the trot and canter he pulls himself along with his front legs - we want locomotion from behind! As this develops his trot will become less up and down and more "stretchy" feeling.
Forward and back transitions and transitions between gaits are going to be your best friend with this horse. I highly recommend taking a few dressage lessons, good luck!

 

[~*~anebel~*~]

It certainly isn't a formal collected trot that dressage judges look for in the ring... but what is a collected trot if not slow and with energy? A collected trot is meant to be smaller steps with more impulsion, or "bounce". The trot he displays in that clip is far closer to a collected trot than it is to a working or extended trot. ^_^

First of all, read my above post as the start to this rebuttal.
Second of all, no. A collected trot is never slow. A collected trot is a trot where the horse transfers weight onto his hind legs and relatively elevates his forehand. Because the horse does not show this - it is not a collected trot. It is a working trot. Over 50% of the horse's carriage is on his front legs - therefore it cannot be collected by definition.

I don't have time to elaborate or add videos right now but I will later if this thread is still going when I get home.

 

[thunderhooves]

that lump on his but....ive seen that before, but i forget the name..........its on the end of his....back, you could say.

 

[ridergirl23]

that lump on his but....ive seen that before, but i forget the name..........its on the end of his....back, you could say.

hunter bump is what i believe you were looking for

 

[ridergirl23]

It certainly isn't a formal collected trot that dressage judges look for in the ring... but what is a collected trot if not slow and with energy? A collected trot is meant to be smaller steps with more impulsion, or "bounce". The trot he displays in that clip is far closer to a collected trot than it is to a working or extended trot. ^_^

anabel put everything very well

 

[rocky pony]

Thanks everyone so much for your input! =)
He definitely has been trained a little bit..oddly. I've been working with him a lot on moving a bit less like..how he does haha, I should definitely get a video..as soon as he realized I wanted him to relax a little bit and not carry his head miles into the air, he picked everything up pretty quickly and is looking a lot better already. Once he gets that head down and vertical his movement looks a lot more like I think it's supposed to..like he's reaching out more and not looking like a little spring.

We do have a wonderful dressage trainer that I've been working with..or, had been working with..I really need to plan some more lessons with her as everything has been put off a lot by both Kainne and I repeatedly being injured...
But here we are starting a new year and I have every intention to get back to work! And so it will be! hehe