Are most quarter horses bum high??

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TT55

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I have been looking for a second horse and am contemplating a quarter horse or a cross.

So far I have seen 2 or 3 that sound like what I am looking for (all 5 year olds). Two are QHxTB and one is pure QH and all are bum high!

Just wondering if this is the norm for quarter horses? Or do they mature late and will even out? What are the implications of having a bum high horse? (will be trained for polo and would love it if it could jump a small course too)

This is one I like:

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/110546147/all-rounder-red-roan-qh-mare-5yo.html
 
No they don't normally remain bum high. Crosses make it understandable as to why you've been seeing bum high horses but purebreds shouldn't be. The reg QH you linked to is not bum high, it has a jumpers bump.
 
Spring Feather said:
No they don't normally remain bum high. Crosses make it understandable as to why you've been seeing bum high horses but purebreds shouldn't be. The reg QH you linked to is not bum high, it has a jumpers bump.
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Ah I see (just had to google Jumpers bump :P). Might give that one a miss then. It's a bit too far for me anyway.

Why do you expect the crosses would be bum high? Is it a usual thing? The other two i am looking at are both QHxTB... Trying to figure out if the have undesirable conformation or not, but i'm not very good at the conformation game!
 
any quarter horse i have seen or ridden has been built downhill and rides that way too. Completely different thing from a jumpers bump or being bum high.
 
FreshandMinty said:
any quarter horse i have seen or ridden has been built downhill and rides that way too. Completely different thing from a jumpers bump or being bum high.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but being built downhill means the stifle is higher than the elbow? So this doesn't necessarily mean the bum should be higher than the withers? I am just trying to understand if the horses I am looking at actually have conformational flaws or if it is a natural thing... In the photos I have of one horse, he definitely looks a couple of inches taller in his bum than his withers. But his stifle is also higher than his elbow, so he is in my mind, both downhill and bum high. If I understand correctly, bum high horses have a tendency to be on the forehand and not use their hindquarters effectively and this is what I want to avoid. However a lot of quarter horses ARE able to use their hind ends well in the western disciplines, so i'd like to be able to recognise the link between conformation and the horse being able to naturally work well from behind, if that makes sense!
 
Can't help with the confo and it's probably to far but Chamfron stud had some handy looking polo/allrounder types. There is a member from round me I think that's has a lovely looking QH that jumps quite nicely, I don't think the slight downhill tendency prevents them from being nice allrounders it's just probably more desirable for herding cattle??
 
ClobellsandBaubles said:
Can't help with the confo and it's probably to far but Chamfron stud had some handy looking polo/allrounder types. There is a member from round me I think that's has a lovely looking QH that jumps quite nicely, I don't think the slight downhill tendency prevents them from being nice allrounders it's just probably more desirable for herding cattle??
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I have visited their website, they have some lovely looking horses, but yes, too far for me :(
 
I have a 1/2 QH (well American Paint), 1/4 tb, 1/4 Connemara who isn't bum high. He's still got some growing to do as is only 5 next month, but the way he has developed would surprise me if he did eventually end up bum high. He definitely doesn't ride on the forehand, & when my instructor rode him a few weeks ago she was surprised at just how uphill he was, with a lovely length of rein.
Obviously every horse is different & you need to look at the one you are faced with, maybe my boy is an exception to the norm! Good luck on your search!!
 
My friend has one, that rides downhill. Have to say one of only 2 horses I've ever met I'd describe as nasty for no reason. Also tends to have slow walk/ trot, poor canter just shoots off at top speed. Only been hacked (gently), got arthritis aged 9. Personnally wonder if it because it is so heavy topped (not overweight).
 
loz9 said:
I have a 1/2 QH (well American Paint), 1/4 tb, 1/4 Connemara who isn't bum high. He's still got some growing to do as is only 5 next month, but the way he has developed would surprise me if he did eventually end up bum high. He definitely doesn't ride on the forehand, & when my instructor rode him a few weeks ago she was surprised at just how uphill he was, with a lovely length of rein.
Obviously every horse is different & you need to look at the one you are faced with, maybe my boy is an exception to the norm! Good luck on your search!!
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Your boy sounds lovely! Just what i'm after.. .can I have him? :P

I'm starting to learn the conformation required for what I want... the problem is trying to see it!!
 
I've known a few, and tend to be built like brick outhouses, often downhill when standing although tend to be able to stop and spin on a dime so obviously doesn't affect 'em much. The ones I've known have been stubborn as mules and very ungenerous, but I can imagine that's less of a breed trait and more an unlucky common quality...
 
You only have to google 'quarter horse' and click on images. Most will have a rump that is a couple of inches higher than their withers. However, it is a little bit deceiving because they tend to have less wither and more muscle on their rumps than other breeds. But at the end of the day, technically, they are bum high i.e. bum is higher than withers.
 
TT55 said:
Your boy sounds lovely! Just what i'm after.. .can I have him? :P
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Thank you!! He's my first homebred & is definitely with me for life!! Just wish his sire hadn't been gelded otherwise I'd have been back for a couple more :) He's the most laid back, easy to do horse I could have ever dreamed of.

What height are you looking for as there are a few of his half siblings floating about (although not sure of any for sale at the mo) but I can give it a google
 
loz9 said:
Thank you!! He's my first homebred & is definitely with me for life!! Just wish his sire hadn't been gelded otherwise I'd have been back for a couple more :) He's the most laid back, easy to do horse I could have ever dreamed of.

What height are you looking for as there are a few of his half siblings floating about (although not sure of any for sale at the mo) but I can give it a google
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Do you have a pic? I'd love to see him :)

I'm looking for around the 15hh mark but give or take a couple of inches...
 
Thank you everyone for your replies! It's helped me get a better idea of what im looking at...

Actually my horse's next door stable neighbour is a QH and she's a real pain in the bum, so not sure why I'm chasing one haha

If anyone is bored and wouldn't mind doing a conformation critique on these 2 horses, let me know and i'll pm you pics ;)
 
They shouldn't be croup high but should have a well muscled but proportionate bottom. If you visit the AQHA website it has a very useful section on how to assess proper conformation for the breed ;)
 
Think my laptop has just set a new record for crashes in the past 30mins so really hoping this link will work as photobucket isn't playing! & yes I was tormenting him last year on his 4th birthday! He was only meant to make 15hh, but is currently standing at a good 15.2-3hh, so reckon he will probably end up at 16hh!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151616811704400&l=68e928ed21

Had a quick google for siblings & sadly nothing for sale at the moment!
 
You're talking about two different purposes, comparing stock work/reining built horses and horses built to jump - there is a good reason the top ones don't look remotely similar. There is not a single way for a horse to use its hind end and what might be a fault in one could be an attribute in another sphere, although crookedness etc are obviously to be avoided.

This is actually a hot topic in the AQHA - does 'all around horse' mean a single horse that does a variety of jobs adequately, or is it a breed that encompasses different types that excel in their specific fields?

For what it's worth, QHs and similar lead the field in what would be the all-rounder category in North.America. They generally aren't world beaters but are ridable and usually pretty cool, plus a manageable size. I have no idea what sort of quality gets into the general population here though.
 
TT55 said:
Why do you expect the crosses would be bum high? Is it a usual thing? The other two i am looking at are both QHxTB... Trying to figure out if the have undesirable conformation or not, but i'm not very good at the conformation game!
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Because they're often not compatible crosses; some breeds grow at different rates so mixing two diverse breeds can often have growth spurts at different stages. The TB x QH usually works well however; that would be known as an Appendix AQHA over here.

I don't know how many reg AQHAs I own, quite a lot though lol! and I have just as many who livery here, mainly because they are fabulous horses and it is a breed which does serve itself well to doing whatever the owner wants; normally in a quiet and obedient fashion.

Apart from some who have jumpers bump (or hunters bump as it's known over here) AQHAs are not (and should not be) bum high as mature horses, and it's not something that would be desirable in the breed. I've bred and raised a lot of AQHAs over the years and the one thing I've always noticed about the lines that I have is that through all stages of their growth, the vast majority of them remain totally in proportion and grow levelly; quite unlike WBs and TBs who have growth spurts here, there and everywhere. AQHA youngsters don't generally go through the yak stage :smile3:

As mentioned by some others, yes the sort of work they do does often require them to ride downhill, but that doesn't mean that they don't use those fabulous back ends well. Many (particularly stock QH horses) do move differently because they've been bred to work cattle so need to be on all of their toes, not just the hind ones :smile3:

Tarrsteps brings up a great point, and one to which I also subscribe in that AQHAs are a great all round horses. In my experience I would say are good at most things, but not brilliant at anything apart from working cattle .. which is where they absolutely excel!!
 
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TarrSteps said:
I have no idea what sort of quality gets into the general population here though.
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It's a VERY different quality of QH in the UK compared to over here from what I've seen. I have seen some which would be classed as typical working stock or show stock AQHAs over here, but not many. I suspect the bloodlines have gone down different routes to where they've gone here as the UK likely has a very limited gene pool.
 
no they aren't. bar in mind they are not fully mature until thy are about 7 years old, although there should not be too much difference at 5 years.
 
Thanks Spring Feather. I think I might steer clear of said bum high QHxTB, he just looks wrong to me... Or maybe he is just lacking muscle. I don't know. Unless the video the owner is promising to send me blows me away, that is. I have just googled Appendix QH and none look like this one i'm looking at and for the price they're asking, he's probably not worth it.

I'm not looking for a world beater, so I think a QH type might suit! My requirements are that it is uncomplicated, forward going, stops and turns well and that I feel confident on it. TBs and criollos are the main types used in the polo world. The former are a dime a dozen and I often find the don't lend themselves to being very manoeuvrable (and they seem to 'break' a lot!!) and the latter tend to be expensive to buy and lack any speed whatsover. So I am trying to look outside the box a little. I believe they use QHxTBs for polo in the US a fair bit though.

Any opinions on this fella? http://www.horsemart.co.uk/kernow-ima-tommy-tommy-american-quarter-horse/Horses/332471

Conformation shot isn't brilliant, but he doesn't look bum high to me and seems to have the low hocks im looking for.
 
loz9 said:
Think my laptop has just set a new record for crashes in the past 30mins so really hoping this link will work as photobucket isn't playing! & yes I was tormenting him last year on his 4th birthday! He was only meant to make 15hh, but is currently standing at a good 15.2-3hh, so reckon he will probably end up at 16hh!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151616811704400&l=68e928ed21

Had a quick google for siblings & sadly nothing for sale at the moment!
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He looks stunning :) beautiful colour!
 
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