Conformation Clinic # 17 ~ Thoroughbred Mare

WYJumper · 08-08-2006, 10:22 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.

Breed: Thoroughbred
Age: 7, Height: 16.2 hands, Gender: Mare

This is Athena, registered name Dramatic Kiss. Her sire is Vaudeville, Dam is Quitakiss.
She is currently being shown Dressage training level and some first level.

EquineAlberta · 08-08-2006, 12:09 PM

Classic TB mare!

She is refined but not too dainty.

Her shoulders appear well muscled, with a well pronouced wither. She has a nice long and slender neck, and a clean throatlatch.

The way this mare's hind end is built though, I think she will have troubles with the higher levels of dressage. Like most thoroughbreds, she is quite straight in her hind legs (side view), which makes carrying weight behind harder for her. Her hind legs are also slightly strung out (hocks further back then point of hindquarters). As well she toes out slightly behind. All of these weaknesses are typical of racebred thoroughbreds and make prolonged weight baring difficult (for collections and advanced movements).

I like the shape of her hindquarters, but they do seem weak from the side, particularly when compared to her shoulders.

I think she appears well suited to low level dressage, and would be interested to see if she could be a nice 3' hunter, or even a low level eventer.

karen2

Palomino06 · 08-08-2006, 12:34 PM

This mare has very nice stright legs. And her neck and back are very clean. Her hindend, however, seems quite small in comparason to the rest of her body. However, her chest and shoulders are amazingly well muscled, and she has a great slope to her shoulder. And a nice deep chest. I think she'd also make a great eventer. She's a nice, solid built mare.

banjo's mom · 08-08-2006, 01:11 PM

I agree that her rear seems a bit out of proportion whith her shoulders.
I don't like the high withers, but that's just my personal preference.
Saddle sores and back irritations are more likely to affect a horse
with pronounced withers. I had a standardbred mare with withers much
like that mare's, and she was constantly rolling and tearing open the skin
on her withers. It would get infected and had to be drained often.

pippy · 08-08-2006, 10:34 PM

In my opinion, the back end on this horse looks good, except that in the one picture, she looks a bit cow hocked but the front end is where I think the confirmation is off. I think it starts at her shoulder - to sharp of an angle, I'm thinking if the angle was not so high, her front end would be in better porportion to her rear end. Her neck is ewed some, making the withers more pronounced. I think she looks a bit lower in the front then the back. It looks to me like her back is very short.

banjo's mom · 08-09-2006, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pippy

In my opinion, the back end on this horse looks good, except that in the one picture, she looks a bit cow hocked but the front end is where I think the confirmation is off. I think it starts at her shoulder - to sharp of an angle, I'm thinking if the angle was not so high, her front end would be in better porportion to her rear end. Her neck is ewed some, making the withers more pronounced. I think she looks a bit lower in the front then the back. It looks to me like her back is very short.

Pippy's right. (Don't know why I didn't see that...

)

HoosierSuz · 08-15-2006, 08:22 AM

I like her. Very typey TB. Like my TB, she will need work to strengthen and improve her topline, muscling up more along the spine and giving her neck some more heft, especially for a dressage horse. She has nice slopey pasterns in front, and I like her shoulder and short back. Nice mare!

**gbarmranch** · 08-15-2006, 08:41 AM

Nice top line - looks as if she may be a little high in the withers, but well set hocks, clean looking legs, and a nice size foot - good HUS build and body type.

JuJuBear · 08-15-2006, 09:09 AM

What is HUS Build???

**Orchid** · 08-15-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuJuBear

What is HUS Build???

Hunter Under Saddle.

**TDH** · 08-15-2006, 09:40 AM

It's been a while since I've done one of these, but I'll contribute what I can.

I really like this horse. Lovely her overall build and expression, beautiful shoulder, conformationally quite correct, overall really a nice mare particularly once she gets conditioned. The two things I would question are first her neck; it does appear to be a bit ewed. Also her hind legs don't quite meet the angles I like to see through the hocks. Otherwise... for the lower levels of dressage, I think she might do quite well.

Wildwoodapp · 08-22-2006, 08:18 PM

I think this mare is an excellent representative of her breed. She is well balanced with a nice slope to her shoulder and a slender neck. She could use some weight according to the prevailing standards, but does not appear to be really underweight. It is difficult to determine from pictures, but I don't think this mare is ewe necked. If her mane was combed down evenly I don't think there would be any question about her being ewe necked. I believe she just has very prominent whithers, which to my mind is a very good thing. If a horse has good whithers you don't have to tighten the girth to the point of discomfort, the whithers hold the saddle in place.
My two cents worth on a spur of the moment stop off at my favorite horse forum.

Starburst · 08-22-2006, 08:46 PM

i think that she looks to be too weak in the hindquarters for upper level dressage. she also looks like she needs to gain some weight and some more muscle. i think that she would be good for someone who has time to tone the muscles and put weight on her

allison · 08-24-2006, 05:13 PM

Overall, very attractive mare. Awesome shoulder, but I would think she'd be a tad heavy on the forehand. Needs more conditioning, and rear muscle. Her body blends together pretty well though. I also noticed that her right rear leg looks a bit crooked, but otherwise legs look good. The mare has a descent head, with a nice eye. Not too crazy about her neck, doesn't tie in that well to her withers. Still overall a nice looking mare.

08-08-2006, 10:22 AM
WYJumper Product Reviews & Conf. Clinic Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Least Populated State Posts: 1,342	Conformation Clinic # 17 ~ Thoroughbred 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. Breed: Thoroughbred Age: 7, Height: 16.2 hands, Gender: Mare This is Athena, registered name Dramatic Kiss. Her sire is Vaudeville, Dam is Quitakiss. She is currently being shown Dressage training level and some first level. __________________ Steph

08-08-2006, 12:09 PM
EquineAlberta Seasoned Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,699	Classic TB mare! She is refined but not too dainty. Her shoulders appear well muscled, with a well pronouced wither. She has a nice long and slender neck, and a clean throatlatch. The way this mare's hind end is built though, I think she will have troubles with the higher levels of dressage. Like most thoroughbreds, she is quite straight in her hind legs (side view), which makes carrying weight behind harder for her. Her hind legs are also slightly strung out (hocks further back then point of hindquarters). As well she toes out slightly behind. All of these weaknesses are typical of racebred thoroughbreds and make prolonged weight baring difficult (for collections and advanced movements). I like the shape of her hindquarters, but they do seem weak from the side, particularly when compared to her shoulders. I think she appears well suited to low level dressage, and would be interested to see if she could be a nice 3' hunter, or even a low level eventer. karen2 __________________ Hillside Stable, Ardrossan, AB CHT Horse Stories!

08-08-2006, 12:34 PM
Palomino06 Weanling Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ontario Posts: 355	This mare has very nice stright legs. And her neck and back are very clean. Her hindend, however, seems quite small in comparason to the rest of her body. However, her chest and shoulders are amazingly well muscled, and she has a great slope to her shoulder. And a nice deep chest. I think she'd also make a great eventer. She's a nice, solid built mare. __________________ \"If horses knew their strength, we should not ride anymore.\" - Mark Twain \"You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper.\" - Dagobert D. Runes

08-08-2006, 01:11 PM
banjo's mom Yearling Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mountains of WV! Posts: 558	I agree that her rear seems a bit out of proportion whith her shoulders. I don't like the high withers, but that's just my personal preference. Saddle sores and back irritations are more likely to affect a horse with pronounced withers. I had a standardbred mare with withers much like that mare's, and she was constantly rolling and tearing open the skin on her withers. It would get infected and had to be drained often. __________________ ~____/> ..//..\\.. The best way to handle a horse, is to think like one. -Elisabeth

08-08-2006, 10:34 PM
pippy Long Yearling Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: minnesota Posts: 1,174	In my opinion, the back end on this horse looks good, except that in the one picture, she looks a bit cow hocked but the front end is where I think the confirmation is off. I think it starts at her shoulder - to sharp of an angle, I'm thinking if the angle was not so high, her front end would be in better porportion to her rear end. Her neck is ewed some, making the withers more pronounced. I think she looks a bit lower in the front then the back. It looks to me like her back is very short. __________________ Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.\" â€“ Swami Sivananda Saraswati

08-15-2006, 08:22 AM
HoosierSuz Weanling Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 382	I like her. Very typey TB. Like my TB, she will need work to strengthen and improve her topline, muscling up more along the spine and giving her neck some more heft, especially for a dressage horse. She has nice slopey pasterns in front, and I like her shoulder and short back. Nice mare!

08-15-2006, 08:41 AM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 29,584	Nice top line - looks as if she may be a little high in the withers, but well set hocks, clean looking legs, and a nice size foot - good HUS build and body type. __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

08-15-2006, 09:09 AM
JuJuBear Yearling Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Antioch, Ca Posts: 666	What is HUS Build??? __________________ Facts are stupid things. -Ronald Reagan

08-15-2006, 09:40 AM
TDH Welcome and Introductions Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,400	It's been a while since I've done one of these, but I'll contribute what I can. I really like this horse. Lovely her overall build and expression, beautiful shoulder, conformationally quite correct, overall really a nice mare particularly once she gets conditioned. The two things I would question are first her neck; it does appear to be a bit ewed. Also her hind legs don't quite meet the angles I like to see through the hocks. Otherwise... for the lower levels of dressage, I think she might do quite well. __________________ "Nature, when she made the Arab, made no mistake." -Homer Davenport-

08-22-2006, 08:18 PM
Wildwoodapp Newborn Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 40	I think this mare is an excellent representative of her breed. She is well balanced with a nice slope to her shoulder and a slender neck. She could use some weight according to the prevailing standards, but does not appear to be really underweight. It is difficult to determine from pictures, but I don't think this mare is ewe necked. If her mane was combed down evenly I don't think there would be any question about her being ewe necked. I believe she just has very prominent whithers, which to my mind is a very good thing. If a horse has good whithers you don't have to tighten the girth to the point of discomfort, the whithers hold the saddle in place. My two cents worth on a spur of the moment stop off at my favorite horse forum. __________________ http://wildwoodappaloosas.com

08-22-2006, 08:46 PM
Starburst Newborn Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 39	i think that she looks to be too weak in the hindquarters for upper level dressage. she also looks like she needs to gain some weight and some more muscle. i think that she would be good for someone who has time to tone the muscles and put weight on her

08-24-2006, 05:13 PM
allison Started Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kenosha, WI. Posts: 2,133	Overall, very attractive mare. Awesome shoulder, but I would think she'd be a tad heavy on the forehand. Needs more conditioning, and rear muscle. Her body blends together pretty well though. I also noticed that her right rear leg looks a bit crooked, but otherwise legs look good. The mare has a descent head, with a nice eye. Not too crazy about her neck, doesn't tie in that well to her withers. Still overall a nice looking mare. __________________ Horses & Horsepower www.freewebs.com/mustangali_/ "...just like computers refuse to understand how I'm feeling today"