Conformation critique please

[Bonny]

I would like to know how Bonny's confo is for a mini. Please list her strengths and weakness.

Thank you.

 

[Brandi*]

I don't know much about conformation but I like her long legs. She looks nice and stretched out compared to some mini's who look so compact with short legs. How tall is she?

 

[Bonny]

sorry I double posted. I put the wrong video in this one. She was a bucking bronco. The other video she is walking nice.

She is 34 inches tall.

Here is the right video.

http://s180.photobucket.com/albums/x12/479...=wetbonn045.flv

 

[MBhorses]

how old is she?she is cute.

 

[Bonny]

Thanks she is 4-ish.

 

[Bonny]

Also I wanted to ask if she would be built to drive. My son would like eventually to train her ( with the help of a trainer) to drive.

 

[Magic]

She's very pretty, she looks younger than she is, perhaps because of her slight build. I think that she looks like she would do ok in driving. Her neck ties in low, so she will have more of a problem holding a correct head-set, but she looks sound and could be a wonderful little driving horse. Make sure that you take plenty of time to build up her muscling and endurance to avoid injuries or souring her. Very sweet face she has, and with those long legs she should look very pretty in a cart.

 

[Bonny]

Thank you very much. I had a friend tell me she had significant conformation flaws, But didnt mention what they were. She also compared her confo to a standard size horse. Is that the norm?

If you see a major conformational flaw that would make her not worthy of breeding please tell me.

 

[ClickMini]

She might make a good performance horse, but there is no way I would breed her. She has a very low-set neck, and is weak on the hind end. I would enjoy her as a performance horse, not a breeder.

 

[Warpony]

A horse is a horse, no matter the size, so I hold all of mine to the same standards whether they are full sized or mini. The same things that make a full sized horse more likely to perform well and stay sound apply to mini horses as well... at least that is what I believe.

I really like your mare, I think she is lovely and would make a great driving horse. LOVE those long legs and I really like her proportions. I'd be proud to have her in my pasture.

IMO the things that would make her less than breeding quality for me are the following: as already mentioned her neck ties in kind of low, in the video her shoulder looks more upright than I like and she looks a bit downhill (her back end looks higher than her front end). She is kind of weak in the back end. It's hard to explain what I mean by that though.

I really like her a lot. Getting her fit and building some muscle in her back end would make her look even better. She does have flaws that would keep me from breeding her, but nothing that would keep me from driving, loving and enjoying her. Did I mention that I really like her?

 

[Bonny]

Thank you for your reply.

 

[shelia]

I would suggest you get a little weight on her and build up some muscle and then in the summer when she is clipped or shed out submit pictures again.

Shelia B.

 

[Bonny]

This may sound a bit like a weird question but here goes. How exactly do I add muscle to a mini? She doesnt drive, she is to small to ride, nor is she broke. Will longing be enough? I am working on teaching her to longe. When my standard mare needed muscle we were able to ride, trot, trail and so on. So obviously this is different!

 

[wildoak]

Adding muscle isn't an overnight proposition. I start mine, assuming they are mature and in reasonably good health/condition, with about 15 minutes a day either round pen, longeing or working off the golf cart, and build up from there. As work and fitness increase, their feed should increase as well. Use a good quality feed & hay/alfalfa. There are products on the market too that help increase muscle. It is a little different issue since they can't be ridden - I love my golf cart for that reason, it's as close as I can get to taking them out on the trail, gets them out of the round pen and away from constant circling. We lap the pastures, go up and down hills, and everywhere the cart is able.

Jan

 

[Bonny]

Well she will look better soon. I feed a good 12% complete feed. I add beet pulp and oil.

I have so much to teach her. I can also have her pony with me when I ride my mare.

 

[ClickMini]

Hi Bonny,

You are off to a good start teaching her to longe. You can definitely use ground poles/cavaletti also, to help have her pick her legs up a little extra. You can use some low jumping, a couple of times per week. You can ground drive her, especially if she is going to learn to pull a cart, this is a necessary step! You can round pen her also, although I would mix it in with other exercise techniques. Your little mare will benefit greatly from exercises that get her to collect and shift her weight onto her haunches, and also the jumping and cavaletti work.

I have a couple of good books here to give me ideas for longing and ground driving exercises, and there is a good one for cavaletti work also. I recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/Schooling-Horses-Han...231&sr=8-15

http://www.amazon.com/Longeing-Longlining-...1319&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Cavalletti-Schooling...1563&sr=1-3

I guess the best part about conditioning a mini is that we get fit too, as a side-effect!

 

[Bonny]

Wonderful ideas, thank you. I know she would enjoy that.She seems to have gotten more active the last few days. I think she is starting to feel at home, and feeling better also.

 

[nootka]

In my observation and experience, the most difficult thing to do is to put muscle/condition on a thin horse while you're working them.

First, it's easiest to let them sort of take it easy as they're getting more weight on them. It is so much easier and faster to build muscle onto a horse that's a tiny bit fat. If you are going to keep working her, just take it slowly, and build up.

she will look much better with weight on her frame, but it also won't change the basic conformation issues she's up against.

Can't wait to see her when she's fitted up. Congrats on your new girl.

Liz

 

[mizbeth]

Hi

Yes, your little girl appears much younger than 4ish in those photos. I do agree that feed is the outmost of importance and will help fill her out all over. A good pelleted feed and good qualify hay will be important. The more you feed her good food, the more active and better she will feel.

Good luck with her I know you will enjoy her!

Beth

 

[Bonny]

Thanks again!

I need to post the pics of my other girl, who is a standard size paint mare. When I rescued her she was a mess! She was very thin, wormy and sick. She is a very vibrant 10-ish year old mare now!

It took me almost a year to get her where she needs to be, but it was so worth it!

before ( march 07)

after (aug 07)

and for fun

a dirty horse! (jan,8)