The brutally honest confo thread!

[Elf On A Shelf]

Have fun !

Apart from the upside down neck - which looks way worse because of his big head and the angle he is holding his head at and that he will grow out of - he really wasn't badly put together as a baby. You can see he is going to be chunky and powerful. His hocks turn in slightly but again have probably straightened up alot with age. And his head is too big for him at that stage but his front end is good, he isn't too long nor short in the back and his backend is powerful enough though the tail is slightly low set. But as we know with babies, they grow out of much more than you would ever believe of them.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

A selection of photos of H as a 6yo




And one as a just backed 4yo I found on fb


I'm not a conformation expert but I'm loving seeing photos of all these lovely horses!

 

[MasterBenedict]

Feel free to critique Ben, he is conformationally...interesting!

 

[WelshD]

newly broken in five year old 12.2 British Riding Pony

I would be interested to hear any comments!

 

[DabDab]

I agree - if I was asked to guess his job, I'd say hunter. Not the case though (he'd be an awful hunter!) The dear boy is very special. Despite not looking the part, he has felt the tickle of a tailcoat on many occasions!

You gave strict instructions to pretend we didn't know that! Plus, I think that it is actually quite difficult to find a horse that has a unity of temperament and conformation well suited to the same job.
Hey, we could start a 'funters' owners group (fake hunters)....I have one too - looks like a hunter, jumps like a hunter, gallops like a hunter, hates hunting.

 

[FfionWinnie]

My brutally honest opinion is can none of you take decent photos of your horses stood square with their entire body on show including their feet and a plain back ground and the camera at a decent angle to show a true picture of the poor beast.

Oops. Did I say that out loud.

 

[Fools Motto]

A selection of photos of H as a 6yo




And one as a just backed 4yo I found on fb


I'm not a conformation expert but I'm loving seeing photos of all these lovely horses!

I really like him!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My brutally honest opinion is can none of you take decent photos of your horses stood square with their entire body on show including their feet and a plain back ground and the camera at a decent angle to show a true picture of the poor beast.

Oops. Did I say that out loud.

Yeah there is that too! I have some pics of mine that make them look truly awful! When in reality they aren't that bad just because they are stood wrong at the moment of the picture being taken.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Feel free to critique Ben, he is conformationally...interesting!

He is a cut and shunt, but I bet he is a star.

 

[AdorableAlice]

newly broken in five year old 12.2 British Riding Pony

I would be interested to hear any comments!

Attractive pony, just looking at the confo below the knee. Pictures might be misleading though.

 

[AdorableAlice]

My brutally honest opinion is can none of you take decent photos of your horses stood square with their entire body on show including their feet and a plain back ground and the camera at a decent angle to show a true picture of the poor beast.

Oops. Did I say that out loud.

To be fair the pictures are just random snaps rather than pictures taken for sale purposes.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

 

[FfionWinnie]

To be fair the pictures are just random snaps rather than pictures taken for sale purposes.

Some of these look like different animals in each pic.

 

[AdorableAlice]

A successful racehorse no doubt, but short in the neck and very long in cannon bone, better feet than a lot of TB's though. Who is it ?

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Gray Mountain. Totally American born and bred. He had shocking feet in training, they couldn't cope with the work load. One had 3 cracks from top to bottom, the other front had 2 in. All were stapled together to keep him going. He did both front tendons before coming back and tearing one completely in 2. Very talented, stupidly fragile. He is only 6yo in that pic.

Now he has feet like rocks, doesn't wear shoes and pretends to be a show pony! Lol!

His reincarnation:

 

[AdorableAlice]

Gray Mountain. Totally American born and bred. He had shocking feet in training, they couldn't cope with the work load. One had 3 cracks from top to bottom, the other front had 2 in. All were stapled together to keep him going. He did both front tendons before coming back and tearing one completely in 2. Very talented, stupidly fragile. He is only 6yo in that pic.

Now he has feet like rocks, doesn't wear shoes and pretends to be a show pony! Lol!

His reincarnation:

I wouldn't put that as the same horse !, well done and what a credit to you.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I wouldn't put that as the same horse !, well done and what a credit to you.

Thank you, he is a bit spesh!

 

[Dave's Mam]

This is the best side on pic I have of Dave. He's not standing properly, it was more of a pretty photo to be honest. Feel free to critique.



ETA He's 4 & half in this pic & not yet backed, rather chubs & very woolly.

 

[Wagtail]

I'm more than happy to join in this one, and again not precious!

This is a horse I'm currently debating buying as a summer project with a view to sell. I'm sending in a good vet for a second opinion on limbs. The eledajack/media/3BFB002C-6E85-4D18-B364-0556C54BA36A_zpswywbwcym.jpg.html]

[/URL]horse has more quality about him in the flesh.

Looks a good strong sort. I would worry a little about the pigeon chest as often correlates with girthiness/cold back. A bit thick through the gullet and weak second thigh.

This is a rising 4yo just off the boat from Ireland - purchased for eventing and currently rising 6 with a strong record, stepping up to novice/1* this year

This horse has severe muscle wasting from a too narrow saddle and is over at the knee with upright front pasterns. The backend suggests he has a scopey jump.

This is from a while ago, a 5yo whose intended job was eventing. He broke down at a young

Lovely looking horse but not surprised he broke down with the long cannons and pasterns.

This is a very well bred for eventing horse at 20 years, who broke down as a 6yo and then was on/off until 12 when he was retired (sorry don't have a good confo shot)

Just lovely. I can't see why he would have had so many problems from that picture.

I'm also failing to find a decent confo shot of my mare. She is fully graded and competed 6-7 years of BD with around 250 points. We managed coffin joints but has recently broken down on her achillies tendon whilst not in any real work and has baffled vets!

Lovely looking mare. A bit upright in the shoulder but as you a=say the confo shot is not great.

And this is her foal, bred for duel purpose event/dressage, and also looks like it might be a good downhill ski-er!

Just stunning!

 

[Queenbee]

This could be a really helpful thread if it runs well.

ahaha - I thought exactly the same.

 

[AdorableAlice]

This is the best side on pic I have of Dave. He's not standing properly, it was more of a pretty photo to be honest. Feel free to critique.



ETA He's 4 & half in this pic & not yet backed, rather chubs & very woolly.

I see a very successful pony in the future.

 

[Celtic Fringe]

Young cob age four. I need to take more pics but as he looks like a yak at the moment so it will have to wait until his summer coat comes through. I think I'm aware of his good and bad points but interested in any comments.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I see a very successful pony in the future.

Thank you. Could you whisper in his ear about my aspirations for him?

 

[Dave's Mam]

Slightly less woolly & chubby action shot.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Thank you. Could you whisper in his ear about my aspirations for him?

Sent him a text - behave, you will be fed and pampered, win a rosette and you will be set up for a life of luxury. Get it wrong and you are a kebab.

 

[Dave's Mam]

I've been reading the recent rash of confo threads, and all the very interesting comments from very experienced people. It got me all inspired to start a thread where only the brave put photos up, so that the clever folks on here can comment honestly, without fear of offending. It's such a great way for less experienced forumites to learn about how a horse should be put together.

I'm fully aware of Alf's strengths and weaknesses, and I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist if he gets savaged, so, go ahead...what's good and bad about this old man, and what do you think his job in life should be, based on his type/conformation (I know pretty much everyone knows what his actual job was, but try not to let that get in the way of looking at what's in front of you)
Happy to have weight comments too - as that's another area people often struggle to know what is ideal

Ignore the front end doing carrot stretches - the hind legs are a bit more normal here

I think he looks short & very powerful. His shoulder is steep & his hinds are quite straight. He is lovely & deep in his chest & has a nice chunky, strong looking back end.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Can we hold fire on posting pics for a bit, until people have looked at the ones that are already up? That way, it won't jst turn into a thread full of pictures, with very little feedback!

Sorry, I missed this. Oops.

 

[Spiritedly]

Not the best photo but was taken as a 'before' photo when he arrived a couple of months ago. I think he is also a fairly uncommon....in the UK... crossbreed

 

[JulesRules]

Is anyone able to tell me why my pics aren't working. It's driving me slightly bonkers!! What am I doing wrong?

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/0LQqw

 

[Dave's Mam]

Ooh, this is a really interesting one!

Here's my boy, would be interested to hear opinions on my boy.

Lovely sloping shoulder, front pasterns are long, fetlocks seem to hang behind front feet, hinds better.