The brutally honest confo thread!

[Bernster]

AA - what fabulous horses, I love them! I too thought they were the same horse at first. They really do look impressive.

I'm no confo expert so not commenting on confo on this thread, although I seem to have an ok eye as have picked up lots of what other people have said so far. <Feeling smug>

ETA the other interesting thing is that good confo doesn't always seem to equal long term soundness, although you'd think it would. My best soundest horse had pigeon toes and a long back but he's still going strong into his late teens and only ever saw the vet for jabs and teeth. Another horse I had that had pretty good confo overall has had a string of soundness issues. Go figure.

 

[Wagtail]

I didn't say everyone did I you never know one day everyone might meet in the middle but until anyone actually does a decent study it is all opinion and I would suggest none of them are good to use as a benchmark compared to those that have seen more than photos and are knowledgeable.

There really does need to be a good study. It is such a difficult thing to measure though. It's a shame that it would actually have to be physical damage done before people would accept a weight as too heavy. Then it's complicated by the fact that all horses are different. My 15.3 middleweight mare carried my 15 stone husband on gentle hacks and never appeared in the slightest bit to be struggling. But my 17.2hh full Irish draught really looked to be struggling with a 16 stone rider. If only they could talk!

 

[rara007]

Yup, I think it's more of an art than a science a bit like detecting bilateral lameness, its behavioural clues you need. Then you also have the complicating factors of how fat and sound the horse is and how it carries itself plus the work being asked of it. I think you'd need to narrow it right down (to say endurance horses at XYZ level, polo ponies at X goal or small breed natives open showing) to get a meaningful answer and even then it's only going to be applicable to that group.

 

[Feival]

Better pictures

 

[Feival]

 

[Wagtail]

Better pictures

Is this buzz? Love his colour. He doesn't have bad conformation but he doesn't have good either. He has a nice head and neck which is nicely set on and muscled. He is slightly thick through the gullet but not too bad. He has a nice sloping shoulder.) He looks slightly over at the knee but I can't see clearly. He also has quite long pasterns. He is close coupled and looks powerful behind. He is slightly straight through the hock.

 

[Wagtail]

I am sorry not to be able to say many positives about this mare. She is thick through the gullet (I keep saying that), short necked, upright shoulder, long back, long cannons front and back and is bum high. She has a nice bottom, a very kind face though and is probably a star.

 

[Feival]

Yes that's Buzz and yes winnie is my little star.

 

[Looby25]

Just to throw something different into the mix

 

[rara007]

The old boy (17 at time of first photo), one of those annoying ones that despite his faults has worked consistently uphill for over 12 years of reasonable work and taken me places I never thought possible, with only 1 days lameness total, not even a single foot bruise or abscess etc. I think the changing length of his back depending on fitness is quite funny He does not look particularly fat at the moment by pony standards, but 10 years ago he looked twice the length!

and 5 years previously:

and 8 years back:

Doesn't look like he should go like:

and stay sound (and the sig picture for ridden) does he

 

[rara007]

Just to throw something different into the mix

Lovely mare! I have to admit I can't even be 100% on the breed (the belly splash is making me think Clyde but the head looks more shire to me...) so can't really comment other than her front end looks really classy for a heavy and the hind end looks typical for the breeding. Did she have many/any foals? She's aged really well!

 

[alainax]

There's something so tempting about posting in this thread, and I have no idea why! I've been putting it off as this horse is a) a gelding so won't ever breed and b) just the bestestest ever so nothing else really matters! But it is all very interesting.

I also found it completely impossible to get one straight pic! I agree with the others regarding the pic makes all the difference. Some pics can really emphasise a fault, or completely create one!

 

[ester]

Yup, I think it's more of an art than a science a bit like detecting bilateral lameness, its behavioural clues you need. Then you also have the complicating factors of how fat and sound the horse is and how it carries itself plus the work being asked of it. I think you'd need to narrow it right down (to say endurance horses at XYZ level, polo ponies at X goal or small breed natives open showing) to get a meaningful answer and even then it's only going to be applicable to that group.

And no money to be made from it

 

[Bernster]

Just to throw something different into the mix

Gorgeous. And hasn't she aged well?

 

[Dusty M Yeti]

Opinions on this boy please. Sorry about the mud - it was a 'before' pic before bathing for a comp the next day. In the 'after' pic he is gloriously clean but not stood so well for conformation critique

 

[Caol Ila]

There's something so tempting about posting in this thread, and I have no idea why! I've been putting it off as this horse is a) a gelding so won't ever breed and b) just the bestestest ever so nothing else really matters! But it is all very interesting.

I also found it completely impossible to get one straight pic! I agree with the others regarding the pic makes all the difference. Some pics can really emphasise a fault, or completely create one!

Those pictures really don't do him justice, Alaina. The top and bottom ones make him look weird and out of proportion. The middle one is better, but it being a 3/4 shot, you can't say much about his conformation. Looking at the photos, I'd say he appears to be ridiculously long in the back. But I know that while he is a bit long backed, it's not that bad. Cannon bones also appear too long, but I've never thought that about him in real life.

 

[Alec Swan]

Those pictures really don't do him justice, Alaina. &#8230;&#8230;.. .

I agree, the top pic makes him look like a racing snake, which he isn't, and the middle one has him looking like he's got no back leg to speak of, which he's has. The bottom pic; He looks very well and 'well' in his coat too. In reality, he's a smart chap, a lovely stamp of an equine.

I've not had much to do with dressage saddles, I'll admit, but that has to be just about the deepest seat that I've ever seen, on any saddle! Right, that's about it!

Alec.

 

[alainax]

I agree, the top pic makes him look like a racing snake, which he isn't, and the middle one has him looking like he's got no back leg to speak of, which he's has. The bottom pic; He looks very well and 'well' in his coat too. In reality, he's a smart chap, a lovely stamp of an equine.

I've not had much to do with dressage saddles, I'll admit, but that has to be just about the deepest seat that I've ever seen, on any saddle! Right, that's about it!

Alec.

Heh, the deep seat is required to contain my large derriere it is very comfy to be fair!

Thank you for the comment from my rubbish pics!

Those pictures really don't do him justice, Alaina. The top and bottom ones make him look weird and out of proportion. The middle one is better, but it being a 3/4 shot, you can't say much about his conformation. Looking at the photos, I'd say he appears to be ridiculously long in the back. But I know that while he is a bit long backed, it's not that bad. Cannon bones also appear too long, but I've never thought that about him in real life.

Yes your right, pictures are terrible. They do all make him look really long now you mention it! Sorry, I'll comeback another time with more useful pics

 

[Alec Swan]

The old boy (17 at time of first photo), one of those annoying ones that despite his faults has worked consistently uphill for over 12 years of reasonable work and taken me places I never thought possible, with only 1 days lameness total, not even a single foot bruise or abscess etc. I think the changing length of his back depending on fitness is quite funny He does not look particularly fat at the moment by pony standards, but 10 years ago he looked twice the length!

&#8230;&#8230;..

Doesn't look like he should go like:

&#8230;&#8230;..
and stay sound (and the sig picture for ridden) does he

WHAT a smart chap he is!! Harness, that's his forte!

Alec.

 

[Caol Ila]

Heh, the deep seat is required to contain my large derier it is very comfy to be fair!

Thank you for the comment from my rubbish pics!


Yes your right, pictures are terrible. They do all make him look really long now you mention it! Sorry, I'll comeback another time with more useful pics

When you know the horse in person (or is it in equine?), it's easy to tell when a photo is distorting it.

 

[Challaborough Christmas Tree]

Currently horseless at uni but here is my old boy, awful picture and no muscle as he'd just been dragged out of the field for a clean up after lots of time off where I couldn't seem to keep myself in one piece for more than a few weeks. He was getting on a bit at this point too which didn't help the muscle and condition on him coming out of a rough winter. He was very much pretty rather than practical but in the 8 years that I owned him we never had any soundness issues and he turned a hoof to anything.

 

[Looby25]

Lovely mare! I have to admit I can't even be 100% on the breed (the belly splash is making me think Clyde but the head looks more shire to me...) so can't really comment other than her front end looks really classy for a heavy and the hind end looks typical for the breeding. Did she have many/any foals? She's aged really well!

Thanks, she was my soulmate and I lost her last year at the age of 22, she was a Shire
I got her at 16 and she bred at least 7 foals, as well,as qualifying for hoys twice

Gorgeous. And hasn't she aged well?

Thanks, she was the love of my life!

 

[rara007]

wow! She must have had abs of steel Looby! That makes her shape all the more impressive.


Some hairier confo pictures- 2016

and 2008

Thanks Alec That's for sure, though not quite fast enough for the marathons at advanced level he was on the U21 GBR team 3 years running. He's not too shabby at his part time job either but that is more controversial Fortunately I don't think size of rider does impact confo so I'll put the pictures up

 

[LeannePip]

Just to pick this thread up once more!

Would be interested to hear what you think be as honest as you like, i've a few faults in mind, but its always interesting to hear other peoples thoughts!

First photo is from her advert as a 3yo;

From the other week, rising 6;

 

[Tangled]

Love to here your comments on my 7year Welsh Section D. These pictures have been taken in the last 2/3 weeks:



I think he looks much better when is moving though!

Thought I'd bump for my boy and got a better photo this morning &#128522;