Ugly Duckling or just plain old bad confirmation? *pics*

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Hi Guys,

I'm new on here but absolutely loving it! :) Just a quick question bout this horses confirmation.. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.. He was a Christmas present my friend received from her boyfriend... hes a 4/5 yr old colt and hes lived up a mountain for his whole life. Him and his mother were rescued when he was only a week or two old.. The pics aren't great but you can get an idea..

Anyone no of any horses with less than desirable confirmation that have turned inside out with work and food?? He also has a turn in his left hind but I'll let the vet point that out ;)

Thank you!! xx

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i think if he had a topline, and some muscle, he wouldnt look as bad as he does here. id say give him a chance then crit his confo when hes fit. you will get a better idea then :)
 
V. difficult pic to tell from, certainly doesn't look anything special and his chest looks very odd but could (?!) be the way he's standing, needs to ideally be standing square for evaluation.
 
thanks.. glad its not just me who was seeing that! yeah hes a big wooly bear at the minute! his owner is very novicey tho so i doubt we'll see a topline for a good while.. the fact that is entire as well he should really have a bit more neck?? i was just thinking out loud anyways! he won't have anything done with him for a month or two ill put up more once we get him goin ;)
 
SusieT said:
V. difficult pic to tell from, certainly doesn't look anything special and his chest looks very odd but could (?!) be the way he's standing, needs to ideally be standing square for evaluation.
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yeah that was as square as we could get photo wise.. i'll get more when they take him down to the yard! :)
 
He's a 4 or 5 year old stallion living out with his mother? That is incredibly ignorant of the owner to allow this. What on earth is she thinking? :confused:

Those photos aren't conformation photos so it's a bit unfair to judge from them, however if we must, good golly what is going on with the chest and the enormous belly?
 
haha yeah well the original owners, along with other farmers have rights to a mountain and all the horses are just thrown up there and left.. they're fed, watered and wormed regularly but hes the only stallion up there along with some gorgeous connemaras! id be less than happy if i owned one of those mares and they popped out a foal by him.. hes gettin done once it has warmed/dried up a bit and before the flies come!

yeah the photos are shite but there is just no ignoring that chest!
 
The saggy chest is odd, but may be just the angle. He also looks as though he might need worming? He's a sad little thing at the moment, colt or not, but with 'the snip',TLC, some good food etc. he could turn out very nice. Keep us posted.
 
He looks wormy to me with that huge belly and I think his chest looks odd as his front legs as so far underneath him.

He has a common head and weak quarters but I think would improve 10 fold with a good worming, some decent food and a few weeks of long reining to give him a topline.
 
I think he shows his bad start in life, a lack of nutrition and worming. If he hasn't been already he needs to be wormed, but take advice because if he has a burden it musn't be done too quickly. In England the flies are coming back now, so I'd get him cut asap. I hope he's away from mares now, nobody should let a specimen like that breed I'm afraid.
I'm not sure how he'll look with some correct care and nutrition, but he can only look better! I hope your friend has some expert advice on how to care for him, and good luck to her, hope it works out.
Re worming I suggest sending a sample to Westgate Labs. Re nutrition I normally start by ringing Top Spec, although to be honest I don't always find I need to feed as much in quantity as they recommend.
 
he has been wormed ( i made her go and do it) and i honestly don't know when he'll be "done" as its not up to me.. i have however said it repeatedly that he should be done asap.. but don't think the parties involved really understand the situation fully.

After all she has only been riding a year and her boyfriend.. thinking shes the best rider that ever walked the earth has given her the unbroken colt.. disaster in the making? i think so. I have expressed all the concerns everyone has mentioned but as happens alot here (not sure bout britain) theres a general attitude of "ah sure ****** it, it'll be grand"

once he does come in I'll make sure she has him on proper food and builds him up slowly.. but again as with a lot of beginners she tends to think she knows best at times or that the boyfriend does even though he is a complete cowboy! they're both lovely people and i love them too bits but when it comes to the horses they drive me up the walls!

sorry needed a bit of a vent!! hence thread! :D
 
Spring Feather said:
He's a 4 or 5 year old stallion living out with his mother? That is incredibly ignorant of the owner to allow this. What on earth is she thinking? :confused:

Those photos aren't conformation photos so it's a bit unfair to judge from them, however if we must, good golly what is going on with the chest and the enormous belly?
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My thoughts excatly!
 
Poor little sod, some people have a lot to answer for. If this is the sort of example of breeding on the mountains no wonder the market price of horses is rock bottom. Potters or your equivelant in Ireland I would have thought.
 
Well i'll do my best to guide them in right direction :)

She doesn't know hes on here but everything i have said about him i have said to her face i just wanted to know if i was over reacting or being really picky

thanks to everyone who replied ;)
 
I have a mare who used to stand with her front legs under and had a big chest. Once I got her diet (low sugar ) sorted and feet improved she looks much more 'normal' lol.
Have a look at this article (scroll down for the pic which is not as pronounced as my mare used to be) may be useful to you or not.
http://www.unshod.co.uk/ Oh, Click on articles then low grade laminitis (LGL)...

Re that belly, is his worming up to date and I think an improved diet might help too.

Good luck building him up. :)
 
all horses will improve from good food and good work but the real question is how much they can improve......
With that chest, it would all depend on whats inside it - bone, saggy muscle, fluid etc etc...
 
Send him to me, I love a challenge!

Seriously, I've seen so many poor (as in condition) Irish horses come over and they look a right sight but give them a year on decent keep, worming and maturing and they'll look so different, their mothers wouldn't recognise them.

Ask her to give him lots of time, he'll come. He might not be world beater but I don't think he'll be too shabby. Good luck to her, you'll just have to keep her on the straight and narrow for him, he deserves a chance.
 
Well it doesnt look good but at the end of the day if they get him gelded give him proper care worming food and excersise like any horse he can be made to look presentable.

If they are your friends you should try and encourage and help for the sake of the horse or where may he end up, its very easy to give criticism because you know more but you should use your knowledge to help, i have ridden since before i can remember horsey family but i am sure alot of brashness on new owners behalf is just them being over excited at the whole experience.

If this horse is coming from such a dire situation and these people are willing to try and help him and improve him if you are a better horsewoman then give your time and knowledge with grace, does it really matter what his conformation is doesnt sound like they are going to be doing badminton anytime soon.

It is easy to pick faults with any horse and you know theres always those horses who had the worst strat confo etc and went and won whatever against all odds and while its unlikely this horse will do this if they love him can get him so he is rideable even if they dont keep him he will have a better chance than he does now.

Surely as a horse lover owner helping them instead of picking at the horse and thier ability would give this little soul who has by your own admission had a shocking start maybe just a fighting chance.
 
Maesfen said:
Send him to me, I love a challenge!

Seriously, I've seen so many poor (as in condition) Irish horses come over and they look a right sight but give them a year on decent keep, worming and maturing and they'll look so different, their mothers wouldn't recognise them.

Ask her to give him lots of time, he'll come. He might not be world beater but I don't think he'll be too shabby. Good luck to her, you'll just have to keep her on the straight and narrow for him, he deserves a chance.
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100% agree with that, seen it so many times.
 
Trinity Fox said:
Well it doesnt look good but at the end of the day if they get him gelded give him proper care worming food and excersise like any horse he can be made to look presentable.

If they are your friends you should try and encourage and help for the sake of the horse or where may he end up, its very easy to give criticism because you know more but you should use your knowledge to help, i have ridden since before i can remember horsey family but i am sure alot of brashness on new owners behalf is just them being over excited at the whole experience.

If this horse is coming from such a dire situation and these people are willing to try and help him and improve him if you are a better horsewoman then give your time and knowledge with grace, does it really matter what his conformation is doesnt sound like they are going to be doing badminton anytime soon.

It is easy to pick faults with any horse and you know theres always those horses who had the worst strat confo etc and went and won whatever against all odds and while its unlikely this horse will do this if they love him can get him so he is rideable even if they dont keep him he will have a better chance than he does now.

Surely as a horse lover owner helping them instead of picking at the horse and thier ability would give this little soul who has by your own admission had a shocking start maybe just a fighting chance.
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thank you thats just the kind of kick up the arse i needed! I didn't mean to come across as a know it all.. just needed to get some perspective :)


thanks to everyone who replied! He is on a worming schedule and should be brought in, in the next week or two hopefully! With a bit of persuasion on my part :)
 
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