Conformation Critique?
This is Scoot, a 12-year-old QH gelding I'm thinking of buying. I'm mostly going to trail ride, and hope to condition both of us for some longer-distance rides next spring and summer. He's not a very experienced trail horse, but has a good heart and a lot of try. He worries about things on the trail, sniffs and snorts, but hasn't yet spooked. He "mans up" and goes past the scary stuff without even a single step sideways. He's very sure-footed. I've been riding dude horses the past year and a half, and have been very impressed that even when trotting on a trail with intermittent rocks, he hasn't yet chipped or clipped a single one. He watches his footing when walking through rockier terrain.
He doesn't cross water yet--that'll be our first major hurdle if I buy him. :-) I've taken two rides on him so far, and am welcome to take more, and will, of course, get a vet check before actually purchasing him.
The owner prior to the gal I'm buying him from (she's only had him a few weeks--bought him as a husband horse which he is not) had him barefoot, and his right front was "clubfooted" (not sure if congenitally, or just trimmed badly enough times). After one shoeing, it looks pretty good to my untrained eye, and he hasn't taken a lame step, to my untrained knowledge. As I said, I will definitely have a vet check. :-)
So, pictures:
He doesn't cross water yet--that'll be our first major hurdle if I buy him. :-) I've taken two rides on him so far, and am welcome to take more, and will, of course, get a vet check before actually purchasing him.
The owner prior to the gal I'm buying him from (she's only had him a few weeks--bought him as a husband horse which he is not) had him barefoot, and his right front was "clubfooted" (not sure if congenitally, or just trimmed badly enough times). After one shoeing, it looks pretty good to my untrained eye, and he hasn't taken a lame step, to my untrained knowledge. As I said, I will definitely have a vet check. :-)
So, pictures:
