Thoughts on a young coloured mare?

[PiebaldRosie]

Hello everyone Decided to make this my first 'proper' thread here even though I've been a lurker for a bit. Please don't bite! Thought I'd share with you "my" coloureds. They're technically my godmother's but she doesn't have the time to ride them all and can never get rid of me during Uni holidays! I am also known as the 'endless headcollar collector'. Even though I've never had my own (have shared/loaned in the past) I seem to have a rather large and ever-expanding collection of headcollars, as you will see from the following photos!

Rosie is a 25yr + piebald cob who is now retired, but before her retirement she enjoyed a couple of years overtaking Arabs at fun rides and generally learning how to hippo-shuffle/scramble (attempted jump) over various obstacles on fun rides. She's a lovely girl and it's a shame she didn't come to us 15 years earlier!

Once it was discovered that Rosie's body just wasn't up to riding any more, she was put out in a field in the village with all the other older mares. Think she's loving it but when I visit I do get the feeling she misses hooning about and seeing the world a bit.

No CC on the photos of Rosie please, she's getting on a bit but does her best!

Cue the arrival of many unsuitable horses on loan to fill the Rosie-shaped gap...one who started humping Rosie and her friend....one who jumped out of the field onto the yard, and another one who stayed for less than a week.

Then we heard about Annie. She's a 5 year old suspected trotter X TB X something else (suggestions welcome, no one is sure!) and has a heart of gold. She's definitely got fire in her belly but is lovely with it. She hasn't been in an arena in her whole life as of yet but that is soon to change in the next couple of months. I think she enjoys hacking though, she's so nosy.

Sorry for the photo overload; didn't realise how snap-happy I was! Just looking for thoughts on Annie's colouring (maybe a bit of showing) and generally how she's put together. Thanks in advance!

 

[Honey08]

Hello!
Firstly, how old is Rosie in those pics? She looks amazing for a horse of 25ish.

Your skewbald is lovely. I love chestnut and white skewbalds. she also has good markings. You should be able to do coloured classes with her and have fun. Confo wise, she looks like she could fill out a little more, and could possibly be a bit back at the knee, hard to tell from the photos.

 

[PiebaldRosie]

Hello!
Firstly, how old is Rosie in those pics? She looks amazing for a horse of 25ish.

Your skewbald is lovely. I love chestnut and white skewbalds. she also has good markings. You should be able to do coloured classes with her and have fun. Confo wise, she looks like she could fill out a little more, and could possibly be a bit back at the knee, hard to tell from the photos.

No one knows for sure how old she is, to be honest! Seems like she's been hanging around forever. I only know she's 25+ because a neighbour's daughter learnt to ride on Rosie when Rosie was 10 and the girl is 15+ now. Would be interested to get the dentist to check her exact age next time though.

Thankyou, I'm glad you think she'd be alright in coloured classes-I've always previously had obscurely marked coloureds who aren't very well marked so here's hoping for her! Definitely agree with the filling out too-doesn't feel like there's a lot around you when you're in the saddle. I'm hoping she'll build up with some schooling and arena renting in the summer hopefully. Thanks for the crit on her being over at the knee, too. Will try and get some proper photos that are a bit clearer confo-wise!

 

[Moomin1]

I would say slightly splay footed at the front, and a little upright on the pasterns on front. Other than that, lacking in topline (to be expected at present), but a nice sort!

 

[PiebaldRosie]

I would say slightly splay footed at the front, and a little upright on the pasterns on front. Other than that, lacking in topline (to be expected at present), but a nice sort!

Thanks! It's interesting you say about the splay footedness. I've thought there was something a little off on the angle of her front legs but have never been able to put my finger on it-that might just be it. We do lots of hacking in hilly areas at the moment which will probably help topline, but with no school it's a bit difficult, especially as she has quite a sensitive mouth and is funny with too much contact. Any tips on topline/contact?

 

[Moomin1]

Thanks! It's interesting you say about the splay footedness. I've thought there was something a little off on the angle of her front legs but have never been able to put my finger on it-that might just be it. We do lots of hacking in hilly areas at the moment which will probably help topline, but with no school it's a bit difficult, especially as she has quite a sensitive mouth and is funny with too much contact. Any tips on topline/contact?

I am no expert on the schooling/bringing on side of things tbh, other than using your leg to push her forwards into your hand as much as possible. At her stage though, I would probably take things steady and keep going with the hillwork in walk and trot for a while to get her balance and strength up to start with.

 

[Queenbee]

I am no expert on the schooling/bringing on side of things tbh, other than using your leg to push her forwards into your hand as much as possible. At her stage though, I would probably take things steady and keep going with the hillwork in walk and trot for a while to get her balance and strength up to start with.

Agree with moomin, and would also say that lots and lots of transitions, I love going to halt and gently asking for a step back, the second one step back is given, drive forward into walk again, later on this can be upped to transitioning straight into canter. The downward transitions get the body working correctly when you go forward again and the results come quickly in terms of the horses carriage.

 

[PiebaldRosie]

Thanks Queenbee and Moomin, they're some really good tips! Especially like the step back then walking on; she's quite a clever horse and I think that'll get her thinking a bit! Anything else apart from transitions/circles I can do to get her thinking the first time we make it to an arena?

 

[AmyMay]

Well I will give you some cc on Rosie. What a lovely, lovely mare!

 

[Gracie21]

Oh they're both beautiful!!

 

[Nudibranch]

What a sweet pair. The skewbald has lovely markings, and nice long ears - I'm a sucker for long ears. My piebald youngster has a right set of donkey ears, I think his breeder was a bit offended when I said how long mum's ears were. I meant it was a good thing!

Would agree on long and low, with lots of hillwork. I bet she'll look like a different horse once she's fit.

 

[Moon]

Beautiful! And lovely to know that Rosie has brought so much pleasure to people and seems to have had a fab life in return

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

2 stunners! I have a soft spot for Rosie already because I too have a 25+yr old retired mare called Rosie! she is chestnut and doesnt look as good as your Rosie but like your Rosie she taught many people to ride and was used on begginers hacks.
Secondly, I love your Skewbald. May I have her please? She looks so kind!
And you do have some nice headcollars

 

[PiebaldRosie]

Thanks everyone, glad you like them both!

What a sweet pair. The skewbald has lovely markings, and nice long ears - I'm a sucker for long ears. My piebald youngster has a right set of donkey ears, I think his breeder was a bit offended when I said how long mum's ears were. I meant it was a good thing!

Would agree on long and low, with lots of hillwork. I bet she'll look like a different horse once she's fit.

Haha it's funny you should say that- I'm a sucker for big ears too, it's one of the first things I noticed about Annie! Is your youngster the one in your avatar? If so, he's gorgeous!

2 stunners! I have a soft spot for Rosie already because I too have a 25+yr old retired mare called Rosie! she is chestnut and doesnt look as good as your Rosie but like your Rosie she taught many people to ride and was used on begginers hacks.
Secondly, I love your Skewbald. May I have her please? She looks so kind!
And you do have some nice headcollars

Thankyou! How funny you've got a Rosie too!

 

[redmone]

Love them both!

Rosie looks like she's still got a glint in her eye and could teach everyone else a thing or two!!!!

 

[EmilyE7]

Both lovely!

But I love Rosie, she looks like a real sweetie

 

[PiebaldRosie]

Love them both!

Rosie looks like she's still got a glint in her eye and could teach everyone else a thing or two!!!!

Hah, you're definitely right there about the glint- someone fell off her once because they sat down on her too hard after mounting. It was an adult, mind. She's the type to become a Barbie pony for kids for the day but becomes neighing shrieking speed demon the minute the trailer comes out/the slightest sign of a fun ride! Bless.

 

[angelish]

hello
there both lovely
annie looks like she'll turn into a lovely looking horse once she builds up some top line , her weight looks fine in my opinion she just need to muscle up especially along her neck , i'd personally pull her mane fairly short which will improve the look of her neck until she builds up a bit as a long mane tends to make the neck look weaker same as a very short mane would make a big neck look even bigger

 

[Shysmum]

Rosie has a fan club

 

[PiebaldRosie]

hello
there both lovely
annie looks like she'll turn into a lovely looking horse once she builds up some top line , her weight looks fine in my opinion she just need to muscle up especially along her neck , i'd personally pull her mane fairly short which will improve the look of her neck until she builds up a bit as a long mane tends to make the neck look weaker same as a very short mane would make a big neck look even bigger

Thanks for the advice- we're torn about pulling her mane at the minute! Not sure if major showing is on the cards this year-we were thinking we'd keep it long for Arab plaiting/general horse preening purposes, and because it's such a nice texture! But equally when she starts building up and it makes her neck look funny it might be worth getting rid!

Rosie has a fan club

So lovely to see, I'm sure she appreciates it a lot, she loves attention from people and other horses (sadly we become the loudest thing apart from the announcer at fun rides )