Pictures Conformation Critique - Post Yours!

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After the thread on Are Local Shows Fixed and many people being blinded by their own horses superb, faultless being I thought it would be good to post a thread where by you put a side on confo shot of your horse, front on too if you think there's an issue there, and take a proper look at our own horses down to the bare bones.

The basic conformation of a horse!

Gray - Tb. Head: neat and well proportioned, small ears suited to size. Neck: well set and lengthly. Shoulders: a nice slope but that's all. Front legs: quite straight through the knee - almost back but not quite, long cannon bones. Pasterns long and upright. Body - nice depth and width, short coupled but in keeping with the rest of him. Backend: nicel rounded, tail well set. Hind legs: a little straight through the thigh. He looks like he turns in but he doesn't! He isn't the best at posing by himself without being a goofball!
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Anything that I have missed? Dont worry! I have a thick skin lol!
 
No pictures to add, but I once owned a horse that when we went to look at the quote came as .....if you look at each part on its own there is a problem, croup high, slightly cow hocked, a symmetrical front feet slight pigeon toed and various other classic conformation faults, but for some reason it all seems to work together, we were together for nearly 20 yrs. but we use to use her in riding club for spot the fault
 
EKW said:
After the thread on Are Local Shows Fixed and many people being blinded by their own horses superb, faultless being I thought it would be good to post a thread where by you put a side on confo shot of your horse, front on too if you think there's an issue there, and take a proper look at our own horses down to the bare bones.

The basic conformation of a horse!

Gray - Tb. Head: neat and well proportioned, small ears suited to size. Neck: well set and lengthly. Shoulders: a nice slope but that's all. Front legs: quite straight through the knee - almost back but not quite, long cannon bones. Pasterns long and upright. Body - nice depth and width, short coupled but in keeping with the rest of him. Backend: nicel rounded, tail well set. Hind legs: a little straight through the thigh. He looks like he turns in but he doesn't! He isn't the best at posing by himself without being a goofball!
65043039_10157392062969721_5259634508507906048_n.jpg


Anything that I have missed? Dont worry! I have a thick skin lol!
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You covered the positives, for me in this photo the negative are he looks thick through his jowl for his type, Im not overly enamoured of his neck set but I think that might be his pose, his wither is bigger and more defined than I would like to see ideally, hes light of gone and looks pinched in behind the knee I think but I cant quite tell with the white legs stood in front of each other! His pasterns look short and slightly upright to me but again its hard to see. His shoulder could be better. His limbs are definitely his weakest aspect. He has a big front and would feel like a big horse to sit on. Hes not quite matched up though, with quite a flat croup which then slopes away. Much better than you see on big hairy cart horses, but not typical of his type.

However I have seen other pics of him looking like a very different horse so just goes to show photos can be deceiving
 
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I'm useless at this, but I know my mare is bum high cut and shut cob 😂 Can anyone give me a more detailed assessment please?

Eta : arghh can't get photo to upload
 
Goodness it just shows how difficult it is to post a pic that tells the whole story, a slighty wrong angle and a horse with basically good confo looks wrong! I am also absolutely "no expert"! TPO, your horse is lovely, he has a nice head and a kind eye but if I am picky, he looks a bit upright n the pastern, straight in the hock and has a "jumpers bum" which some people love. I had a QHxTb with a huge shoulder and yours looks the same. he was a lovely horse but a bugger to fit with a saddle.
BMWKIPP, your mare looks rather long backed and croup high but I like her legs and the angle of her pasterns, she looks a really Kind mELmL_zo6mKNAsZtQYe5qAhRi1cV1GA8RI0DMTgccYIAmM5LaAK8J7wN9DieQCyR4bapUK45Nwab2INJi6Z3d3JLoclkfy...jpguseful type.
EKW I love Tbs, he's my sort of horse and I think you've been fair to him, I also thinkthe pic probaby doesn't do him justice as you cant really see his head which I think would change the pic somewhat.
This is Rose, taken a couple of months ago, she is changing all the time and it's made me realise that although the basic structure doesn't change, the look of them does and it takes someone with a lot of experience to really appreciate the basic structure (which I don't have).
 
BMWKIPP said:
I'm useless with confo and this is the best pic I have of her stood up. In simple terms tell me what you think
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She is croup high, long in the back, rather lacking in bone. Her head is fairly plain for her type and i’m trying to decide if she is back at the knee or if it is the camera angle/way she is stood
 
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Thought I would give him a chance to me he is long in the back and his tail set is a bit low. He has great flat bone and neat ears and feet. I am certain he will attract critisism as he was newly gelded and very young he hasnt improved with age but thats because he is an acute laminitic which has kind of made him look a bit odd
 
So I’m rubbish at conformation but I know Rosie isn’t great. She’s still croup high a tad (but still growing) her back legs are much longer than her front legs which pushes her into the forehand. She’s quite back at the knee. She is pigeon toed on her left fore but it has improved with shoeing. She’s got a very short neck compared to her body.

Her nose is missing in the photo.

But she was free and is amazing!9EF0661C-F4DA-4DD9-A0B8-CF3521986B0E.jpeg
 
windand rain said:
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Thought I would give him a chance to me he is long in the back and his tail set is a bit low. He has great flat bone and neat ears and feet. I am certain he will attract critisism as he was newly gelded and very young he hasnt improved with age but thats because he is an acute laminitic which has kind of made him look a bit odd
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I dont think he is all that long tbh maybe a smidge longer than desirable but not too bad, shoulder looks a bit upright though.
 
I don’t have a single decent shot I could use as a confo shot apart from when I first bought him! This is him at rising 5. I remember I thought he had massive ‘knees’ n feet and seemed very gangly. He’s grown into his frame now. Can’t tell from side on but he’s base narrow and not quite straight through his left fore. This pic makes his head look a bit ugly - he doesn’t actually have a Roman nose!781A11DB-8976-4B01-97EA-DE7016B24818.jpeg
 

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Chippers1 said:
Here's mine, I didn't realise how croup high he was - I suspect it may be the angle of the photo! It's not the best photo but the best one I have at the moment.
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IThe angle of the photo shortens his neck, i think, and probaby makes him look more croup high than he actually is. I really like him, his feet and legs are good and nothing jumps out as being "wrong". I am a sucker for greys but thats prbably because i have forgotten how hard it is to keep them clean.
 
Great thread - here are my two stood like bookends :)

The chestnut I think is quite faultless conformation wise for his breed (Welsh D) - short strong back, nicely set neck and quality pony-ish head.

The grey is slight croup high, long backed, and has a thick neck and small angled throat. Other than that I think he's absolutley perfect. **update - he does have a massive head though!**

Interestingly the Chestnut has the better conf and has had a much easier life, yet he's the one that struggles with soundness.

Looking forward to hearing other peoples thoughts - I'm biased as they are my prides and joys, so I'm no doubt being kind to their conf!
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Thanks @oldie48 :) I think his neck is a little short, and he has a big head ha ha. He moves very close behind which is probably where I lose marks when I show him!
 
Bernster said:
Abi there’s something about her that I like a lot. She looks a nice sort!
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Thanks. She’s a lovely girl. Very kind and honest, just huge and still rides very babyish. I think she would make a good working hunter but I know nothing about showing. She’s a fab jumper though even if she doesn’t like dressage
 
Bernster, there's a load to like about your grey. I am surprised that he's rising five in the pic as he looks more mature, to me he looks like a handsome, kind horse who could go out and do any job.
I didn't say anything about my Rose but her neck is set on a bit low, she's a bit long in the back but she's a mare and her hocks are possibly a bit straight but generally her confo is good and she is an elegant horse. Her stand out feature is her head, which is beautiful.
 
alexomahony said:
Great thread - here are my two stood like bookends :)

The chestnut I think is quite faultless conformation wise for his breed (Welsh D) - short strong back, nicely set neck and quality pony-ish head.

The grey is slight croup high, long backed, and has a thick neck and small angled throat. Other than that I think he's absolutley perfect. **update - he does have a massive head though!**

Interestingly the Chestnut has the better conf and has had a much easier life, yet he's the one that struggles with soundness.

Looking forward to hearing other peoples thoughts - I'm biased as they are my prides and joys, so I'm no doubt being kind to their conf!
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Is the chestnut back at the knee? He looks it in that photo, but it could be the angle.
 
Jinx94 said:
Great idea for a thread!

Here's the best side-on shot of my boy that I can find.

He's quite thick through the gullet, neck is a little high set, short and thick. His shoulder is a bit upright, he's quite short-coupled, but I think his legs are reasonably good 😂

Would welcome critique from others!

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Hes very "pony" and what would have been described as common. Sounds awful but just means hes a chunky, pony type shape and lacks blood and a bit of quality. Short neck, thick through the jowl, good shoulder, he looks to have a nice strong back with wide loins which I always like, typical cobby bum but a lot better than most, in that he is croup high which slopes down to a low set tail. Despite being croupd high his pillar of support is good so he shouldnt ride too downhill.

Limbs are hard to judge due the the way hes stood. Slightly long front pasterns, nice short cannons. He looks like he could do with a tiny bit more bone to balance him out.I imagine he would be comfortable to ride and ride bigger than you would think once you got used to his ears being quite close!
 
alexomahony said:
Great thread - here are my two stood like bookends :)

The chestnut I think is quite faultless conformation wise for his breed (Welsh D) - short strong back, nicely set neck and quality pony-ish head.

The grey is slight croup high, long backed, and has a thick neck and small angled throat. Other than that I think he's absolutley perfect. **update - he does have a massive head though!**

Interestingly the Chestnut has the better conf and has had a much easier life, yet he's the one that struggles with soundness.

Looking forward to hearing other peoples thoughts - I'm biased as they are my prides and joys, so I'm no doubt being kind to their conf!
View attachment 33902
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Lovely, but so interesting that the chestnut, who is absolutely gorgeous, is the one that struggles with soundness. I tend to work on the principle that if nothing jumps out at me, then the confo is probably OK and then it's down to luck with regard to soundness.
 
TPO said:
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Not great as on unlevel ground and he was too interested in the others than paying attention to my mum standing him up.

Hes a 7yr old QH. Have at it...
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I like his neck set, too many QHs have their necks set on at floor height nearly! Croup high but his pillar of support is good so shouldnt ride too downhill. Its much better, as is his overall balance, than most QHs I see. Sightly straight hocks, again common for the breed. His shoulder looks a bit upright and loaded and is front legs are over at the knee.

Qhs are normally confrontational train wrecks but while his conformation isnt great he is actually outstandingly good for hs breed!
 
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oldie48 said:
Goodness it just shows how difficult it is to post a pic that tells the whole story, a slighty wrong angle and a horse with basically good confo looks wrong! I am also absolutely "no expert"! TPO, your horse is lovely, he has a nice head and a kind eye but if I am picky, he looks a bit upright n the pastern, straight in the hock and has a "jumpers bum" which some people love. I had a QHxTb with a huge shoulder and yours looks the same. he was a lovely horse but a bugger to fit with a saddle.
BMWKIPP, your mare looks rather long backed and croup high but I like her legs and the angle of her pasterns, she looks a really Kind View attachment 33895
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Rose is a funny one, I always think she looks a bit plain and weak stood up but her ridden pictures are lovely! Shes a very delicate mare, light of bone but its balanced out as shes quite slight all over. He neck looks a bit long in this pic but I think shes stretched out, it definitely looks weak, but will change as she works more. Shes a bit back at the knee and a bit upright in the pastern. Her shoulder is more upright than I'd like. I'm not convinced I like her hip set but I think shes stood a bit odd in the photo so I'm not convinced about that!
 
Great idea! Mine is still very much a work in progress but getting there! Need a bit more front end top line but that's on it's way. Any other pointers would be great....especially if they can be worked on/hidden :DIMG_2265.JPG
 
Abi90 said:
So I’m rubbish at conformation but I know Rosie isn’t great. She’s still croup high a tad (but still growing) her back legs are much longer than her front legs which pushes her into the forehand. She’s quite back at the knee. She is pigeon toed on her left fore but it has improved with shoeing. She’s got a very short neck compared to her body.

Her nose is missing in the photo.

But she was free and is amazing!View attachment 33897
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You can see she is some sort of draught x TB just by looking at her. Watch her be a fancy warmblood now I've said that! I like her, she isnt perfect but she looks a useful sort! A bit "common" through her head and neck, her neck is too short and thick, but once she matures into her body she will be an attractive workman like mare.He shoulder is ok, nice well muscled forelimb and shortish cannon bones. Her pasterns are short and upright which can make them a bit jarring to ride and make them a bit prone to lower liimb issues as the shock absorption isnt as good.

She isnt actually croup high at all in that photo, and again her pillar of support is good. Her gaskin is a bit weak and under muscled but I think her hind limbs are ok. Her bum is much better than you usually see on these types, a bit of a slopey croup and low set tail but very minor compared to a lot. She looks like she is probably pulling herself along by the front at this point, and once she starts using herself more her bum will round off I think.
 
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