New Forest experts

[Marigold4]

Is it my imagination or do lots of New Forests have croup high/downhill conformation? I have been looking at photos of the well-known stallions and they look to me as though they have this tendency. I have recently acquired a little 2 year old/rising 3 as a companion. She is croup high and I was thinking she would grow and level out, but perhaps NFs are just built like that?

 

[Aperchristmas]

I am not even vaguely an expert but I have also noticed this conformation on the NFs I have met. I will await more informed responses about these gorgeous ponies.

 

[shortstuff99]

My newforest wasn't croup high.

 

[scruffyponies]

I'm no conformation expert, but it is definitely the case that they're often almost level between 'wither' (that flat bit above the front legs, lol!) and croup. I have always referred to this as 'flat backed' rather than croup high, but I guess it could be interpreted that way.
I have one who is at the extreme, and I would say he is slightly roach backed.

 

[honetpot]

I think they have relatively short chunky necks, which makes the look less upfront, and less in front, but that how a forester is supposed to be.

 

[J&S]

Just had a quick check of old photos of my NF and definitely not croup high, well defined withers, she also had a nicely set on tail, not sloping.

 

[Marigold4]

Just had a quick check of old photos of my NF and definitely not croup high, well defined withers, she also had a nicely set on tail, not sloping.

Maybe its just the stallions on the New Forest PS website then? I fully accept that there is a New F "look" and they are great ponies - I'm a fan! I'm just wondering whether my young pony is likely to grow much.

 

[Kizzy2004]

I’ve had a fair few foresters myself and ridden others and I’ve never found them to be croup high in my experience.

Some grow quicker then others. Some grow up then fill out, some visa versa and some just slow and steady. They can be late to mature, my current gelding still looked like a 2 yro at 4, all legs and a big head with tiny body, it took him until he was 7 to fill out and stop growing.

 

[Marigold4]

So this gorgeous pony has won everything -level or croup high?

 

[Snow Falcon]

Not an expert by any standard but I've just gone and had a flick through the fabulous nfstallions website you've selected the pic from. Nope, not all are croup high. Withers are sometimes not as defined so may give that appearance.

They can be later to mature. My mare was 7/8 before she filled out into her gangly frame. Shot up as a yearling, measuring just under 13.2!

 

[shortstuff99]

Here is mine when he was in his late 20's and still enjoying dressage at novice level. He was definitely not croup high. I think the horses weight makes it look worse in the above picture.

 

[Kizzy2004]

That’s Farriers Finger Print who as you say has won a lot. I think (happy to be corrected) is stud bred and used at stud and not part of the forest run stallions.

The photo above he would have been around 15 and looking at the earlier photos he doesn’t look croup high, perhaps a life of servicing the ladies has given him a bit of a dipped back and the show weight probably exaggerates it.

 

[Carlosmum]

Personally, I think its just a bad picture of Fingerprint.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

I think in years gone by, before they were so hot on it, stallions were licensed too easily and there were some with questionable conformation.

These days, they are doing an amazing job at improving the breed. I've never had a forester that i would consider croup high and nor would I consider Fingerprint to be croup high.