Confo Critique

[midnightsecret]

Hello all

Comments

[landrews]

Strictly from the pics, I don't see any reason this horse couldn't perform lower level dressage and eventing. She's not even really stifle high, and while she could a better angle on her shoulder and pasterns, she seems to step out well enough, and step under well-enough (in the one engaged trot pic). In general, QH/TB crosses are solid for many sports. In lower-level dressage (Second Level) and eventing (Training/maybePrelim), obedience, submission, and accuracy can get even a mediocre mover top placings :-). Unless she's suffering from a conformational-based lameness right now (navicular. ringbone), I don't see much for concern, but your instructor, obviously, has actually seen the horse in action. Sometimes it's the mental game they can't play

[xihateyourx]

this. I would be suspect that your trainer has a horse she wants to sell you?

[megfuzzle]

I'm a big fan of 'go out there and do it, and if you run into a problem, address it then'. Eventing is so much more than conformation. It's about heart and boldness, and love of what the horse is doing. There are conformationally sound horses that just can't get past first level in dressage. There are Olympic gold medalists who rode horses that shouldn't have been able to do 3rd level, much less Grand Prix....

Go out there, have fun with your mare as long as she's generally sound and happy -- enjoy the ride until you hit that wall. Know that if you grow in leaps and bounds, you may outgrow the mare, or she may surprise you. Either way, no use worrying about it if you haven't hit the wall yet.

[midnightsecret]

Thanks :-) Great advice!

I think I'm over thinking things as I wait for her to heal from her suspensory injury. I do tend to do that... haha.

[lurath]

These pictures are not good to judge conformation with (need straight on, barrel level, weight on all legs). That being said, it looks like she might have straighter back legs, and is over-at-the-knee. She humerus angle also appears to be more horizontal than upright, which will make larger jumps difficult for her. From the front she appears base narrow and toes out. None of these things are glaring (you would be the better judge since these pictures aren't ideal), but these are all things that can lead to soundness issues.

I guess it really depends on what levels you want to go up to. It dosen't hurt to try - just listen to your horse.

[harnessphoto]

She's a nice looking horse... why is she lame? I'd be much more concerned about THAT than what she looks like or your trainer's opinion. Is your trainer's fear based on the fact that your horse can't stay sound? If that's the case, your trainer is right. If, however, your trainer says she doesn't have the ability 'just cuz', I'd be looking for a new trainer. I've found that breed and conformation don't have much to do with a horse's ability to compete (I have a TERRIBLY built standardbred who was completing Top 10 in 50 mile endurance rides up and down the east coast) so much as health and proper training (old injuries unrelated to conformation have made me stop competing said horse).

[midnightsecret]

Sadly, she has a suspensory injury, nothing related to conformation. She hasn't been lame for more than a few days at a time (being silly in the paddock with her friends and straining muscles, that kind of thing) before this. I have had her for about 5 years now.

I think maybe I'm just frustrated with her because she has and will be unsound for so long (a year+). However, my vet says that she will make a full recovery with time.

My trainer hasn't been my trainer very long and hasn't really seen her at her peak. We are riding again (w/t/c), but her movement is nowhere close to where it was. My trainer made some comments about her conformation that had me questioning my horse seriously (mostly about her pasterns), and I wanted to see what people thought of her pre-injury.

Thanks for you comment.

[harnessphoto]

Ugh. Suspensory injuries suck big time. My horse blew both of his hind suspensories and bowed a tendon up front at the track. You never know when it's going to creep back up. Sadly, with that kind of injury, I think I'd side with your trainer on eventing. My horse did make a full recovery from his injuries and went on to a successful endurance career, but age was on his side when he got hurt. I've seen horses be 100% sound coming off of suspensories, but at 10 years old and with a long road to recovery ahead of her, I don't know that I'd push for that career path. I'd be WAY more worried about her injury than her conformation. If her pasterns are sinking as a result of the injury, that may be a conformational flaw that will affect her ability to work in the future.

[midnightsecret]

Ouch that sucks so bad. Poor guy.

My mare injured her RH, and is doing well in her recovery. The ultrasounds my vet did showed that she was healing really well (we did them every 6 weeks up until a couple of months ago). He doesn't think she will have any issues once her rehab is complete. I fully expect it to take another year or so before we are back where we were pre-injury.

In your experience, even with a clean bill of health from the vet, are horses with this type of injury more prone to reinjure?

[re_vised]

I don't see any reason why your mare cannot compete in the lower levels. You say she is lame - why? Does that have anything to do with why your trainer feels she won't do well in the disciplines?

I had a QH who was bred for reining, but was grew much too large to do reining. (He was 16.2hh.) Instead, I started doing dressage with him. My trainer liked him, and we did well in First and Second. However, she was convinced we'd never get past those levels because he was a Quarter Horse gosh darn it! We went on to compete, and do fairly well in Third. He was by no means going to advance to PSG, but he was solid and we had consistent scores, with positive comments. When I sold him several years ago, my trainer made a comment about how she was wrong about him. He now lives with a wonderful woman who started at Training and has now worked up to Second.

[midnightsecret]

That's great to hear! I think the QH bloodlines are one reason why she is hesitant about her, but once we are back into things from her suspensory injury (ouch...) I hope to make her change her mind. :-)

[re_vised]

I hope that she makes a full recovery. At the very least, you have a beautiful girl!

[midnightsecret]

Thank you! She sure thinks so. :-)

[bella_cheval]

Nothing to add but she has such a gorgeous face!

[midnightsecret]

Thanks! :-D