Conformation Clinic #6 ~ Quarter Horse Mare

**divinemisselle** · 02-12-2006, 08:42 AM

Before you respond with a critique, please make sure you thoroughly understand the guidelines. If you haven't already done so, please read them here:

http://forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=5936

Also, please forego comments such as "He sure is pretty." Or "I like him a lot". The participants here are looking for technical critiques.

Time for our next Conformation Clinic candidate!

Breed: Registered QH. Bloodlines are Dash for Cash, sprinting TB, Investors Choice and Sugar Bars.

Sex: Mare.

Age: Her birthdate is 4-21-2002 making her a coming four
year old.

She stands about 15'1" +/- in the picture (which was
taken earlier this spring just as she was turning three.).

Intended use is barrel racing along with trail riding and possibly the occasional local pleasure show.

She was just being started under saddle as the pictures were taken, lightly ridden throughout the summer.

Have fun, and critique away!

HoosierSuz · 02-12-2006, 12:20 PM

She looks in the picture like she still has a little growing to do in order to look totally mature, which is fine considering she's just three when the picture was taken. With some more time and conditioning, I think she'll be a nice looking mare. Right now she's still a little baby-gangly. Her neck is undermuscled and ties in a little funny with her shoulder, but I really like her head. I especially like the fact that while she's paying attention to the world around her (you can see her ears checking things out), she is totally relaxed and still concentrated on the person who's handling her. That tells me she has a good personality and probably takes direction pretty well. She's stood up really well, too, which tells me her owner has given her a very good start in her training.

Her chest looks like it has a lot of depth. Legs look clean and straight. She could use some more muscle in the hind end, but that's just something that will come with work once she gets futher in her training.

I don't know much about barrels (ok, anything), so I can't comment on her suitability. But she looks like a very sweet, workable little horse that's off to a great start.

mellowdane · 02-12-2006, 06:25 PM

Woo.. wierd.. this mare could be a 3yo version of my friends barrel horse. Of course they have similar backgrounds so that has a lot to do with it. Personally I have found their necks to be a little thin and set low on the withers.. but, it hasn't negatively affected my friends horses performance even a little in games. In fact her neck seems very limber and she sort of uses it to swing that front end around and whips around barrels and poles instead of the rolling around them from the hind end like a more compact smaller horse would. Whatever works!

Nice face, suitably feminine, but not super refined. Nice legs, shoulders, chest. Nice hip but not overly large, very normal for that racing sort of look. Is she a little bit of a hard keeper? I know my friends mare is, particularly in the summer under a bit of a work-load, is just a calorie burning machine. Get some muscling on this mare and she is gonna be a lean mean running machine.

She does look like she could use some stomach crunchies or something, her back seems a little low, but looks more like high-withers and needs some muscling more than a structural issue. With her longish body and low neck she may not get her back end up under her as well, so may a harder time rounding her back and collecting for wp work etc..

Overall she is a really nice mare.. would love to see more current mature pictures!

crzyhorseranch · 02-12-2006, 11:43 PM

She has a beautiful head and she seems to be very attentive. Her neck is kinda thin, and doesnt blend smoothly into her whithers. She has great muscles in her shoulders and looks like she has a good muscled chest.
She has beautiful legs with very pretty muscle tone. I think her body and hindquarters blend very smooth, she a well muscled backend. I think she would be good for barrel racing she has the legs and the build for speed. Good luck with her.

**divinemisselle** · 02-13-2006, 12:44 PM

Here is a more recent picture of this mare, showing her maturity and bulk.

allison · 02-14-2006, 06:05 PM

Well she definately has filled out more, since the first photos were taken. She's an overall nice looking mare. Has a very appealing head and eye. Her topline also looks much better than previously (just part of growing up) Legs look good from what I can tell. Her shoulders do look a little straight, might be a little choppy under saddle. Not sure how much that would matter for barrel racing. Since she's not standing on flat ground, it's hard to tell but, I'd like to see her hocks a little lower set, to get up under herself better.
She does not have any real major faults, and looks to be a good riding mare.

**TDH** · 02-15-2006, 11:27 AM

Overall a nice-looking mare! Only thing that stood out in the first pictures was that she looked just a tad on the thin side, not unhealthy but could just be in a growth spurt or something. That makes her neck look thin, but her neck still looks a little thin for a QH in the photo where she's filled out more. However, she does look to have excellent legs, very nice angles through the hip and shoulder both. Very sweet expression, like she would be a doll to handle and hang out with. Nicely put together, with another year and some more muscling on her, she'll be even more of a beauty.

BarrelGirl · 02-15-2006, 03:38 PM

From the gaming side of things... Her hocks are set a little lower, potentially giving her the ability to really flex and get low in the hind end. Her front legs are nice and straight, dropping straight from the midpoint of the shoulder like she should. Her shoulder seems like it's a little steep, but it looks like she has the ability to feely move her shoulder without a whole lot of effort.

I LOVE her barrel. She has a very long, sloping underline complemented with a short, strong back. Higher withers are a good thing for game horses, as it prevents saddle slipping.

She has a clean and small throatlatch, giving her the ability to collect and hold her head nicely. This helps in turning, also. The skinny neck thing I've noticed on other Dash for Cash horses, but it's set high which leaves the shoulders free for movement.

I'd love to see this mare when she's completely done growing. She already has defined muscling in her forelegs, and the gaskin muscle also looks fairly prominent. She has a powerful-looking shoulder. She will become more muscled as she matures, and to me looks like she will be an excellent barrel horse.

ray · 02-15-2006, 09:19 PM

I pretty much am on the same page as the others with this mare, I think the second picture is better as she is filling out and showing maturity. I think her neck is a little thinner than I like but again with muceling and age is should fill a little more. I'd like to see a little more bum, and the withers are a little high, but I think with the thinner neck they are actually exagerated. I like a horse with a little bit of withers, I once had one that had none and it was like riding a fat pony? Lovely mare, nice legs!

gingerfleguel · 02-16-2006, 12:30 PM

To me this mare could still use a little more weight. I understand that she is still young though, and I am sure that the weight will be put on with more time. She has nice straight legs. I think she will make a really nice barrel horse. She has a very nice head that is balanced with the rest of her body. Her neck is a little thin and doesnt join to her front shoulders as much as I would like. She is a very pretty color. She does have a good amount muscle for her age.

02-12-2006, 08:42 AM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,662	Conformation Clinic #6 ~ Quarter Horse Mare Before you respond with a critique, please make sure you thoroughly understand the guidelines. If you haven't already done so, please read them here: http://forum.horsetopia.com/viewtopic.php?t=5936 Also, please forego comments such as "He sure is pretty." Or "I like him a lot". The participants here are looking for technical critiques. Time for our next Conformation Clinic candidate! Breed: Registered QH. Bloodlines are Dash for Cash, sprinting TB, Investors Choice and Sugar Bars. Sex: Mare. Age: Her birthdate is 4-21-2002 making her a coming four year old. She stands about 15'1" +/- in the picture (which was taken earlier this spring just as she was turning three.). Intended use is barrel racing along with trail riding and possibly the occasional local pleasure show. She was just being started under saddle as the pictures were taken, lightly ridden throughout the summer. Have fun, and critique away! __________________ . If Everything Seems to Be Going Right... You Have Obviously Overlooked Something. ~Steven Wright

02-12-2006, 12:20 PM
HoosierSuz Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 382	She looks in the picture like she still has a little growing to do in order to look totally mature, which is fine considering she's just three when the picture was taken. With some more time and conditioning, I think she'll be a nice looking mare. Right now she's still a little baby-gangly. Her neck is undermuscled and ties in a little funny with her shoulder, but I really like her head. I especially like the fact that while she's paying attention to the world around her (you can see her ears checking things out), she is totally relaxed and still concentrated on the person who's handling her. That tells me she has a good personality and probably takes direction pretty well. She's stood up really well, too, which tells me her owner has given her a very good start in her training. Her chest looks like it has a lot of depth. Legs look clean and straight. She could use some more muscle in the hind end, but that's just something that will come with work once she gets futher in her training. I don't know much about barrels (ok, anything), so I can't comment on her suitability. But she looks like a very sweet, workable little horse that's off to a great start.

02-12-2006, 06:25 PM
mellowdane Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Bainbridge Island, WA Posts: 1,090	Woo.. wierd.. this mare could be a 3yo version of my friends barrel horse. Of course they have similar backgrounds so that has a lot to do with it. Personally I have found their necks to be a little thin and set low on the withers.. but, it hasn't negatively affected my friends horses performance even a little in games. In fact her neck seems very limber and she sort of uses it to swing that front end around and whips around barrels and poles instead of the rolling around them from the hind end like a more compact smaller horse would. Whatever works! Nice face, suitably feminine, but not super refined. Nice legs, shoulders, chest. Nice hip but not overly large, very normal for that racing sort of look. Is she a little bit of a hard keeper? I know my friends mare is, particularly in the summer under a bit of a work-load, is just a calorie burning machine. Get some muscling on this mare and she is gonna be a lean mean running machine. She does look like she could use some stomach crunchies or something, her back seems a little low, but looks more like high-withers and needs some muscling more than a structural issue. With her longish body and low neck she may not get her back end up under her as well, so may a harder time rounding her back and collecting for wp work etc.. Overall she is a really nice mare.. would love to see more current mature pictures! __________________ Has is occurred to you that there's a certain inefficiency in questioning me on things you've already made up your mind about? - Spock

02-12-2006, 11:43 PM
crzyhorseranch Yearling Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mineral Wells, Texas Posts: 643	She has a beautiful head and she seems to be very attentive. Her neck is kinda thin, and doesnt blend smoothly into her whithers. She has great muscles in her shoulders and looks like she has a good muscled chest. She has beautiful legs with very pretty muscle tone. I think her body and hindquarters blend very smooth, she a well muscled backend. I think she would be good for barrel racing she has the legs and the build for speed. Good luck with her. __________________ If there were no horses would we be riding cows?

02-13-2006, 12:44 PM
divinemisselle Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 6,662	Here is a more recent picture of this mare, showing her maturity and bulk. __________________ . If Everything Seems to Be Going Right... You Have Obviously Overlooked Something. ~Steven Wright

02-14-2006, 06:05 PM
allison Started Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kenosha, WI. Posts: 2,133	Well she definately has filled out more, since the first photos were taken. She's an overall nice looking mare. Has a very appealing head and eye. Her topline also looks much better than previously (just part of growing up) Legs look good from what I can tell. Her shoulders do look a little straight, might be a little choppy under saddle. Not sure how much that would matter for barrel racing. Since she's not standing on flat ground, it's hard to tell but, I'd like to see her hocks a little lower set, to get up under herself better. She does not have any real major faults, and looks to be a good riding mare. __________________ Horses & Horsepower www.freewebs.com/mustangali_/ "...just like computers refuse to understand how I'm feeling today"

02-15-2006, 11:27 AM
TDH Welcome and Introductions Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,400	Overall a nice-looking mare! Only thing that stood out in the first pictures was that she looked just a tad on the thin side, not unhealthy but could just be in a growth spurt or something. That makes her neck look thin, but her neck still looks a little thin for a QH in the photo where she's filled out more. However, she does look to have excellent legs, very nice angles through the hip and shoulder both. Very sweet expression, like she would be a doll to handle and hang out with. Nicely put together, with another year and some more muscling on her, she'll be even more of a beauty. __________________ "Nature, when she made the Arab, made no mistake." -Homer Davenport-

02-15-2006, 03:38 PM
BarrelGirl Coming two Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,893	From the gaming side of things... Her hocks are set a little lower, potentially giving her the ability to really flex and get low in the hind end. Her front legs are nice and straight, dropping straight from the midpoint of the shoulder like she should. Her shoulder seems like it's a little steep, but it looks like she has the ability to feely move her shoulder without a whole lot of effort. I LOVE her barrel. She has a very long, sloping underline complemented with a short, strong back. Higher withers are a good thing for game horses, as it prevents saddle slipping. She has a clean and small throatlatch, giving her the ability to collect and hold her head nicely. This helps in turning, also. The skinny neck thing I've noticed on other Dash for Cash horses, but it's set high which leaves the shoulders free for movement. I'd love to see this mare when she's completely done growing. She already has defined muscling in her forelegs, and the gaskin muscle also looks fairly prominent. She has a powerful-looking shoulder. She will become more muscled as she matures, and to me looks like she will be an excellent barrel horse.

02-15-2006, 09:19 PM
ray Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 692	I pretty much am on the same page as the others with this mare, I think the second picture is better as she is filling out and showing maturity. I think her neck is a little thinner than I like but again with muceling and age is should fill a little more. I'd like to see a little more bum, and the withers are a little high, but I think with the thinner neck they are actually exagerated. I like a horse with a little bit of withers, I once had one that had none and it was like riding a fat pony? Lovely mare, nice legs! __________________ If wishes were horses, then beggers would ride!

02-16-2006, 12:30 PM
gingerfleguel Kid Safe Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Ottawa Posts: 5,502	To me this mare could still use a little more weight. I understand that she is still young though, and I am sure that the weight will be put on with more time. She has nice straight legs. I think she will make a really nice barrel horse. She has a very nice head that is balanced with the rest of her body. Her neck is a little thin and doesnt join to her front shoulders as much as I would like. She is a very pretty color. She does have a good amount muscle for her age.