Condition opinions - A bit poor?

only_me

only_me

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Am having an internal puzzle with myself :p Do you think he looks poor or does he look ok? Poor as in the poor side of good.
History - 17h 6 year old (well, 5.5 actually) ISH. Can get poor at this time of year, usually due to increase workload, increased fittness levels and he just seems to drop off.
I thought he was looking a bit empty and starting to hollow around his hips last week, although this week not so sure!
What do you think?
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Opinions?
(please ignore the awful clip, he was clipped the week before christmas and still hasn't grown any hair back :o)
 
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Weight wise I think he is looking pretty spot on but condition wise he is maybe looking slightly 'dull' in the coat? :o (no offence intended :o )

He's such a handsome chap :)
 
I'd be inclined to agree with you.

Not saying he looks 'poor' or bad in anyway, he's still in good confition....but I'd say he's also on the the poor side of good, as his hips do look they've dropped a bit. I wouldn't want him to drop off anymore.
 
3Beasties said:
Weight wise I think he is looking pretty spot on but condition wise he is maybe looking slightly 'dull' in the coat? :o (no offence intended :o )

He's such a handsome chap :)
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Don't worry, no offence taken :) I have been wondering if he has been lacking in anything so have added a vit/min supplement just to see if it helps. His coat is pretty good in RL i think, has a nice shine - pic from saturday and I know I am left behind, I wasn't expecting such a leap from him!(http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...jump_X_TYrella&id=DSC_1305.jpg&pg=7&count=171). It would probably help as well if I groomed him more :p
 
ChristmasSparkles said:
I'd be inclined to agree with you.

Not saying he looks 'poor' or bad in anyway, he's still in good confition....but I'd say he's also on the the poor side of good, as his hips do look they've dropped a bit. I wouldn't want him to drop off anymore.
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That was what I was thinking, the poor side of good. Problem is work will keep increasing as eventing season starts soon & he gets fit quite quickly so will drop more, so hoping if I can up feed now he won't drop as much.

I think I might start him on equi-jewel, to boost weight gain as outshine didn't do anything for him last year.
 
Thanks moomin :)

thatsmygirl said:
Looks just right to me. I think a lot off it is people are to use to seeing fat horses and thinking it's the norm
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Well no, Billy has never been a fat horse we usually either have good or poor/good. He wasn't even overly fat with 3 months off in the field!
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Please note I am NOT criticising the clip but, if the crest line above or in front of the mane thats flopped over was a bit closer to the crest his neck would look more round on top which would make him appear to look more well. I would not be worried as he is but would just like to see a bit more bloom in his coat as that would make a big difference to him. As you say he has increased work and fitness levels i think he looks fine condition wise.
 
only_me said:
Don't worry, no offence taken :) I have been wondering if he has been lacking in anything so have added a vit/min supplement just to see if it helps. His coat is pretty good in RL i think, has a nice shine - pic from saturday and I know I am left behind, I wasn't expecting such a leap from him!(http://www.sportingimagesni.co.uk/m...jump_X_TYrella&id=DSC_1305.jpg&pg=7&count=171). It would probably help as well if I groomed him more :p
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I take back the dull coat comment, he's looking very shiny in that piccy!!

I also suck on the grooming front :o :o
 
crabbymare said:
Please note I am NOT criticising the clip but, if the crest line above or in front of the mane thats flopped over was a bit closer to the crest his neck would look more round on top which would make him appear to look more well. I would not be worried as he is but would just like to see a bit more bloom in his coat as that would make a big difference to him. As you say he has increased work and fitness levels i think he looks fine condition wise.
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Lol, you can criticise away, I don't mind :) Yes, that bit of hair along the neck annoys me - problem is whenever I try to clip it the bugger just lifts his neck up too high for me to reach & I would guess however too scared of giving him a hog :p Will try again when I can get someone to hold his head!
I can't even look at the wobbly line, the tailing off towards the tail, the awful moon under the hips... but I learnt my mistake last year - don't try to fix a clip! :p
 
I think he looks good and with this weather we'll soon have the spring grass shooting through!

My horse puts weight on just looking at grass, there are many times I wish for less of a "good doer" :p
 
only_me said:
Lol, you can criticise away, I don't mind :) Yes, that bit of hair along the neck annoys me - problem is whenever I try to clip it the bugger just lifts his neck up too high for me to reach & I would guess however too scared of giving him a hog :p Will try again when I can get someone to hold his head!
I can't even look at the wobbly line, the tailing off towards the tail, the awful moon under the hips... but I learnt my mistake last year - don't try to fix a clip! :p
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I ignore things like wobbly lines as I am sure the horse waits for you to get them straight and then lays down so that the hair is squished to make them wonky :D I would not bother trying to redo the neck especially if it means he will stick his nose up and play clip me if you can with you, the only reason I mentioned it was because it would give the photo a different look if the crest was rounded and make him appear to be a better weight. I would think that at a show he would not look any worse than anything else there and for eventing I would be more than happy with that weight for him.
 
Nope I think he looks good. The spring grass is on the way and as his work increases he will become more muscley so should look really good come summer. :)
 
He looks good to me. I wouldn't be overly concerned at this time of year, tbh, and if he's lacking anything, it's just muscle I'd say :)
 
If he's supposed to be fit, then I'm afraid he doesn't look it. He is lacking in muscle and 'bloom' generally to my eye.

I don't think he looks poor, but he doesn't have a great deal of condition on him.

(sorry to go against the grain here).
 
amymay said:
If he's supposed to be fit, then I'm afraid he doesn't look it. He is lacking in muscle and 'bloom' generally to my eye.

I don't think he looks poor, but he doesn't have a great deal of condition on him.

(sorry to go against the grain here).
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I'd tend to agree with this. I think he could look better muscle wise and 'bloom' wise.
Not a crit, I'm thinking the same about the 'bloom' thing with my own at the moment and it doesn't help when they are changing coats!!
 
amymay said:
If he's supposed to be fit, then I'm afraid he doesn't look it. He is lacking in muscle and 'bloom' generally to my eye.

I don't think he looks poor, but he doesn't have a great deal of condition on him.

(sorry to go against the grain here).
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ihatework said:
I'd tend to agree with this. I think he could look better muscle wise and 'bloom' wise.
Not a crit, I'm thinking the same about the 'bloom' thing with my own at the moment and it doesn't help when they are changing coats!!
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I agree with AM and IHW. My chap is the same at the mo as his clip is old and scruffy and he's not got the topline I'd like. I'm feeding miconised linseed to make sure his new coat will be nice and sparkly ;)
 
@amymay (can't quote on phone) I didn't say he was fit, just that he is getting fitter :) the muscle is slowly building up and is being worked on, but does take time & first proper event isn't until the end of march :)

Agree with you on the bloom & condition front, hoping it will start to come through soon as he is well enough in himself (too well!) but have put him onto equijewel to add more condition. Might try some oil in feed too :)
 
only_me said:
@amymay (can't quote on phone) I didn't say he was fit, just that he is getting fitter :) the muscle is slowly building up and is being worked on, but does take time & first proper event isn't until the end of march :)
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Ah, ok with you - was making an assumption from your first post. However, four weeks away from his first event and I would want him looking absolutely tip top by now.
 
amymay said:
Ah, ok with you - was making an assumption from your first post. However, four weeks away from his first event and I would want him looking absolutely tip top by now.
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Our eventer is doing his first event at the end of March, he is very well muscled up his topline is really good he just needs to tighten up his tummy now to be ready to go. The slower work should all be done to get to this stage with the faster work putting the final fitness on in the last few weeks. It can be hard to build up the strength once you start competing as they can tend to drop weight when doing fast work.
 
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