Oh dear

Poor little mare - it's her type that I tend to end up buying! And they look very different once given some TLC and some work to build up the right muscles. Alfie is a bit "odd" looking he's goose rumped and his legs are a bit stumpy, and his neck is a bit upside down, but I have been playing around with him and working him and he's actually turning out O.K! When it comes to selling him, I will use the correct tack and turnout for pics and make the best of his good points - unlike the poor little mare in the pic:(
 
JFTD said:
Interesting - I'm not sure I would have seen the horse BH seems to be now in him then if that photo is representative - but clearly that would have been my failing (and due to the fact that I'm not used to looking critically at horses like him - give me a native or a cob and I can see it, real horses tend to look the same to me ;) ). All credit to you, there. But I wouldn't have written him off as hopeless either - just as I don't think this mare should be dismissed either :(
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For your delectation my duck ETS: And these are after I clipped his face and pulled his mane! You should have seen him before :eek:

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And just because I like this one (even though he is going like a giraffe and goes much better now)

DSC02621.jpg



Sorry to go off topic all!
 
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rockysmum said:
Just a random thought, but dont you think this shows the people who actually love horses, any horses.

When I look at a horse I dont really see its confirmation faults, unless I have a reason to look.
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Oh I can't help myself. I judge conformation on every horse I ever come across and within minutes of meeting it. If you think that's bad you may want to close your ears to what I'm about to say. Almost the moment any of my foals are born I scrutinise their conformation. It's just something I do automatically I'm afraid and when I do spot a glaring conformation fault I honestly cannot move my eyes away from it and every time I see that horse/foal the fault jumps out at me!
 
jesstickle said:
For your delectation my duck ETS: And these are after I clipped his face and pulled his mane! You should have seen him before :eek:

24507_573018856315_285400682_4443495_7906273_n2.jpg


22035_570274366295_285400682_4318360_3139079_n.jpg


22035_570274236555_285400682_4318356_1023412_n.jpg


And just because I like this one (even though he is going like a giraffe and goes much better now)

DSC02621.jpg



Sorry to go off topic all!
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Well I think he's nice! Looks atheletic and nice to ride!
 
I like the first one - he looks really kind and sweet. He looks like a hairy bear in the second and I love the giraffe-photo as he looks really well and shiny and happy :) (didn't REM have a song - shiny happy knobbers trotting round or something?)

And that is my professional and highly critical opinion.

(Professional muppet, that is)
 
Spring Feather said:
Oh I can't help myself. I judge conformation on every horse I ever come across and within minutes of meeting it. If you think that's bad you may want to close your ears to what I'm about to say. Almost the moment any of my foals are born I scrutinise their conformation. It's just something I do automatically I'm afraid and when I do spot a glaring conformation fault I honestly cannot move my eyes away from it and every time I see that horse/foal the fault jumps out at me!
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I am a bit like that too - but I keep my mouth shut about other people's horses!! I am always picking faults with my own animals, none of them are perfect, but all are capable of doing a job - even Alfie!

The thing that springs out at me the most about a horse is the eyes, if they have a nice, kind eye I can forgive a minor conformation fault, my old mare was pigeon toed but never a day lame in her life!
 
Spring Feather said:
Oh I can't help myself. I judge conformation on every horse I ever come across and within minutes of meeting it. If you think that's bad you may want to close your ears to what I'm about to say. Almost the moment any of my foals are born I scrutinise their conformation. It's just something I do automatically I'm afraid and when I do spot a glaring conformation fault I honestly cannot move my eyes away from it and every time I see that horse/foal the fault jumps out at me!
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I think that's sensible if you're in the business of breeding - I think you can only breed successfully if you're totally honest about your horses and their (heritable) strengths and weaknesses and plan a sensible strategy from that analysis.

But please, if you ever stumble across photos of any of mine, please don't share your thoughts - they're geldings so no risk of me breeding anything horrible and I believe (rightly or wrongly, probably the latter) that they are perfection itself. :D
 
Alfiem said:
The thing that springs out at me the most about a horse is the eyes, if they have a nice, kind eye I can forgive a minor conformation fault, my old mare was pigeon toed but never a day lame in her life!
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Seconded, the cob in my avatar is cow hocked, but he's the kindest, most honest, bravest, best horse in the world and I wouldn't change him for ANYTHING.

love is blind :D

(he's cow hocked perfection, by the way - I'm not contradicting my previous post, honest!)
 
I just want to show how that photo does the mare no favours at all.

ChestnutTB.jpg



With my amazing ( :p ) 'Paint' skills, I have put a nice eyecatching red line in. This shows how the hindquarters are closer to the camera than the front of the horse is. This gives the optical illusion of making her confo look far worse than it actually is.

I personally like to see horses 'in the flesh' and see them move.

Most horses do not have perfect conformation and many that have a proper conformation fault still make useful horses. At the RDA where I used to ride, they had a horse that was over at the knee, but he was quiet and safe. Yes, he did undemanding work (mostly walking) but he was brilliant at it and was sound the whole time that I knew him.

This mare could make someone a lovely horse, I really hope that she finds a kind new owner.
 
FionaM12 said:
I think you've got something there. There are some "horsey" people who see it all as competitive sport only, IMHO. A horse is desirable if it might win prizes, of no interest or laughable if it never will. Personally, I tend to love the quirky ones who've been dealt a poor hand most.

I'm NOT saying all people who compete are callous. There are lots of true horse lovers who enjoy competing but aren't horse snobs.
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Some people will also take any opportunity to air their knowledge (what little they have) in order to make themselves look good.
It doesn't always work though!
 
I will give OP something to laugh about.

Here is my old boy, every confirmation fault known to man, but I adore him.

He will be 36 soon and still going strong, never had a day lame in the 30 years I have owned him.

Will admit he was only 34 in this pic.

picture.php
 
JFTD said:
But please, if you ever stumble across photos of any of mine, please don't share your thoughts - they're geldings so no risk of me breeding anything horrible and I believe (rightly or wrongly, probably the latter) that they are perfection itself. :D
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Have no fear. My tongue is ragged and only half the length it used to be and my teeth are almost blunt ;) :p
 
I was really confused by the colour genetics website there, Faracat! :o

SF - that sounds unpleasant - is it the result of some awful mouth conformation problem :p

:D
 
rockysmum said:
I will give OP something to laugh about.

Here is my old boy, every confirmation fault known to man, but I adore him.

He will be 36 soon and still going strong, never had a day lame in the 30 years I have owned him.

Will admit he was only 34 in this pic.

picture.php
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He's 34 in that photo? :eek::eek: Wow.
 
Horse looking poor, with what appears to be a bottom end dealer coming into winter and being sold for peanuts, relatively speaking....

Yeah, hilarious.
 
Trot_On_Dressage said:
Excuse me i was not laughing at neglected horses! I would not laugh at a poor animal in pain or that what was under fed

I am great fun thanks but i do not have to justify myself to you.
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No, of course you don't. However, as for not laughing at neglected horses, I would politely refer you to my post on page 8 of this thread.
 
FionaM12 said:
He's 34 in that photo? :eek::eek: Wow.
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Actually he might have been 33, not sure exactly which show that was


rhino said:
What a gorgeous, noble head he has, and looking AMAZING for his age - he is a real credit to you :)
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Thank you

Just to show how the camera can lie, this is him the same day. Apologies for the strop he was having at the time. He objects to veteran classes as he is not allowed to show off his gallop

picture.php
 
Going back to the original post I see a fantastic opportunity for before and after pics ;)

Actually looking at her, she has a fabulous bum, nice shoulder and I reckon she will make a lovely little horse for someone who is looking for a long term project. Bargain :D
 
Pictures can tell a thousand lies!
The way the rider is sat makes the horse look down hill!
Yes poor condition, no muscle etc etc.
But the prise reflects this.
She could make a lovely horse to the right person to bring on.
 
I like to critique the conformation of horses I see...I don't tell anyone my opinions, I just like 'judging' them in my head. I used
to love showing when I was
younger in the uk.
I don't laugh at their faults, I believe there are very few horses that have 100% conformation. It's up to us riders and owners to make the best of it we can.
If that little mare was in Sydney, I'd go look at her. I don't think she's 5, and I think she might grow into herself.
I'd also want to decide looking at her in the flesh if I thought that decent farrier, feed & work could improve her.
Kx
 
glenruby said:
I actually would doubt if it is 5 - looks like a much younger animal. Also would be more concerned aou the lemon skewald cob who has the classic stance of a horse with a left forelimb (and possibly bilateral) lameness.
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its funny you should say that (not funny haha) but i had said to my freind as i am looking for another mare to keep mine company that i had seen a sweet lemon and white cob but i was worried about the way it was standing didnt look quite right but we are going to go and have a look on the weekend so will report back thats if they dont read our posts and bash me up lol i called for directions but he had a very strong irish accent ;)
 
This thread has annoyed me. Don't know why as I don't even bother to usually read this kind of thing. BUT having spent much of yesterday moving around very expensive foals belonging to someone else my trailer is currently hitched in my yard. I have a spare few hundred quid and a few acres extra. If anyone genuinely knows the inside info on this dealer as unbiased as possible plus location (I think I am about half an hours drive away).

I may give them a ring this morning. Me and my vet friend are moving another horse out this morning so she'll be with me in the car and we could take a trip over.......


Don't even like TBs or gingers... but you know what...

Please PM me a phone number to give you a ring if you know anything I should know. I dont have time to trawl threads this morning and LO will be up soon (plus OH is out the country for the day LOL!)
 
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