Conformation Critique?

[sabowin]

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.

Comments

[miladyelizabeth]

Two thoughts - first, he might be more comfortable in a saddle with a round skirt, since he has a relatively short back. Also, do some long/low work with him to build a better topline and that will enhance the muscling next to his withers. Might be easier to get him stretching on long lines/lunge for now since he may not be used to carrying himself that way. A prolite or gel pad will help him use his back better under tack.

He's super cute - good luck with the vetting!

[sabowin]

Thanks for the advice! I believe he hasn't had much work lately, so I definitely appreciate the advice on building topline. I also plan to get advice in person, as I don't have much experience with all of this. But will be buying tack as soon as the purchase is final, so I appreciate your advice in that regard. Thanks!

[suraineko]

He sounds like a trooper.

The odd sweat marks and the dips in his back where the saddle lies makes me think that your saddle may be too narrow for him. A saddle that is too narrow will restrict the muscles and cause atrophy. The horse will be unable to lift their back (they do this by tightning their abs, thats what carries a rider, not the back muscles, if he cant lift his back he cant tighten his abs and won't be able to carry you properly).

However if you buy a saddle that fits his back perfectly now, then you're getting one that fits his atrophied back and you'll maintain the problem. You'll want someone who really knows what their doing to help you condition him and find proper equipment. His body will quickly break down if you do long rides on him in ill-fitting tack.

[sabowin]

The saddle was borrowed. :-) The sweat marks were already starting to dry in these photos (I un-tacked him, checked his feet, then brushed him off before taking the photos). His spine is dry, as well as a small patch on both sides of his withers, but the rest of his back was uniformly wet under the saddle pad area. I do have a concern about fitting a saddle now then conditioning him, though. I don't know of any expert saddle-fitters. Luckily, though, there's a tack shop in town that allows 7-day trials on saddles, so I can return if it doesn't fit. I'm thinking of buying the least expensive western saddle that works for him ASAP (once he's officially mine), then saving up and keeping my eyes peeled for a nice endurance saddle to spend bigger bucks on later. So I guess I could get a western saddle that fits now, and wait until his back is better conditioned before buying the nicer saddle?

[corellian_ninja]

I think he looks like a good boy for the trails, especially if he's sure footed. You look like a nice pair. My animal astounds me with his lack of grace sometimes.

[sabowin]

Heh, yeah. I've ridden some "Tennessee Tripping Horses" and a couple percherons over the past couple years, so riding this guy over rocky terrain is amazing. :-)

[corellian_ninja]

haha yes.. I've started doing some ground pole exercises with my gelding in the hopes it will make him more aware of where he puts his feet, because when we trail ride I'm like WTF DUUUUDE. Its like he's just as much into the scenery as I am.