Conformation critique

[amyjoy85]

I was hoping to get some conformation critique on my mare. This picture is old, so she is fatter now. Our 8 year old wants to do some showing and this horse is the most level headed of the 3 for our kids to play with. What faults does she have? Does my daughter stand a chance getting good marks if she used her for halter class? I can post pictures of the other 2 later if she isn't going to do well in halter (one is my profile pic, but he is 24 and doesn't know how to walk--he prances, lol)

).

 

[Marsha Cassada]

She is rather plumper than most horses I've seen showing. Is this for 4H or AMHA? You've done a smooth clipping job!

 

[chandab]

I'm not sure so much plump as a stockier build.
For 4-H or local shows, use the horse that will be best behaved for the child showing the horse. A good presentation will go a long way. If the horse is fidgeting and fussing, the presentation won't look as good as the horse that will stand and perform properly for the child.

 

[Minimor]

Are you looking at AMHA or AMHR shows? Or just 4H and/or open/fun shows?

 

[Pitter Patter]

I'm not sure so much plump as a stockier build.
For 4-H or local shows, use the horse that will be best behaved for the child showing the horse. A good presentation will go a long way. If the horse is fidgeting and fussing, the presentation won't look as good as the horse that will stand and perform properly for the child.

I totally agree. Having many years in 4-H with the kids and a variety of animals including dogs, goats, and llamas and watching friend's kids with horses....how the animal acts with the child is definitely the best way to go rather than how the animal looks, as long as it's healthy. Also make sure the child smiles alot, watches the animal closely and never get between the animal and judge as judge moves around. A good confidence building animal is priceless! Good luck at 4-H

 

[amyjoy85]

She is rather plumper than most horses I've seen showing. Is this for 4H or AMHA? You've done a smooth clipping job!

She is stock type rather than the refined itty bitty arab type. She is fatter now than she was in this picture and we are currently working on that issue. This was just the best picture I could find of her. It would be AMHA for this year and then fall 2022 would be 4-H. Thank you

 

[amyjoy85]

I'm not sure so much plump as a stockier build.
For 4-H or local shows, use the horse that will be best behaved for the child showing the horse. A good presentation will go a long way. If the horse is fidgeting and fussing, the presentation won't look as good as the horse that will stand and perform properly for the child.

She is much more plump now than in this picture, but yes, she is very much stock type. We can't do 4-h til fall 2022 when my oldest is 9, but we do plan to use her for that. She will be amazing.
I'm thinking for more open shows or amha until then. Western Regionals is near us this summer and I think it would be fun to go. We would for sure do showmanship since that is more the handler than the horse, but not sure about halter classes since those are soles conformation based. They have a stock type class now for halter, so we would't have to compete against the skinny minis.

 

[amyjoy85]

Are you looking at AMHA or AMHR shows? Or just 4H and/or open/fun shows?

It would be AMHA or fun shows this year, but 4-H starting in 2022. Western regionals is near us this year and we thought it would be fun to go. Just not sure if we should skip that halter class and just do showmanship. They have a stock type for halter now so we wouldn't have to compete with the skinny minis.

 

[amyjoy85]

I totally agree. Having many years in 4-H with the kids and a variety of animals including dogs, goats, and llamas and watching friend's kids with horses....how the animal acts with the child is definitely the best way to go rather than how the animal looks, as long as it's healthy. Also make sure the child smiles alot, watches the animal closely and never get between the animal and judge as judge moves around. A good confidence building animal is priceless! Good luck at 4-H

Yes, for 4-H she will definitely be who we use. She is such a good horse! We can't do 4-H til 2022 though when my oldest is 9. She can't wait! I'm thinking more for AMHA or open shows that have halter classes based on conformation. We would do showmanship for sure since it's based on the handler and the presentation, just not sure if it's worth doing the conformation classes.

 

[chandab]

Go with the stock type class. And, there would be other in-hand classes she could try at AMHA shows, such as showmanship, in-hand trail, possibly jumping. Not sure how much in-hand classes there are in open shows, but I suppose that depends on if it's an all breed show, so more full-size horses; or an open mini/pony show that would have more in-hand options.

 

[Minimor]

Stock type or not, you will want to condition her and get her muscled up rather than have her fat. Note that at the show you will want to refer to the open halter horses as refined, not skinny. People won't appreciate having their show horses called skinny!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Your plan for children and pretty mare sound wonderful. I wish I had known about Showmanship when I got my first miniature. Let us know how your fare with your showing adventures. Lucky children to have the opportunity!

 

[amyjoy85]

Stock type or not, you will want to condition her and get her muscled up rather than have her fat. Note that at the show you will want to refer to the open halter horses as refined, not skinny. People won't appreciate having their show horses called skinny!

Yep, we have her on a diet and actually weighing hay now rather than guesstimating. She is also getting lots more exercise. Showing or not she needs to lose some weight, lol. Yes, I know to refer to them as refined. I just use the term "skinny mini" usually because I have 1 stock type and 2 arab type, so I call mine the fatty and the skinny minis--and they aren't really skinny either.

 

[amyjoy85]

Your plan for children and pretty mare sound wonderful. I wish I had known about Showmanship when I got my first miniature. Let us know how your fare with your showing adventures. Lucky children to have the opportunity!

Thank you! I grew up in 4-H using a friends horse and my kids are so excited for when they get old enough to join. They love watching shows and want to take a horse and show themselves. I'm excited they have a love of animals

 

[Laura&HerMinis]

She looks pretty good overall, however the first thing I personally noticed was that she has a long back. Ideally, the horse will have a shorter topline than the underline, and on your mare the topline is quite long. I also personally prefer a slightly, very slightly thicker neck, which in my opinion she has. This is just my personal opinion but I feel a slightly thicker neck makes the head more dainty, whereas a thinner neck can make the head look too big and out of proportion. She has a very nice proportion there. Her legs look fairly straight, her rump looks a little bit more “uphill” and not so “tied in smoothly” with the rest of the body, but very slight. She has a pretty head, nice sloping shoulder. Her heart girth is slightly longer than the length from under her girth to the ground, ideally it’s about the same, but I wouldn’t say it’s too bad. This is my new mare:
To me she has very nice proportions, except for the hay belly of course lol. She is five years old. Can’t really tell her shoulder slope cause of that mane though. The two green lines on her body is ideally what we’re looking for, the underline to be longer than the top. She has a really nice neck length and thickness, pretty straight legs, and a nice rump. This is my new 2 year old gelding:
Now he obviously has some growing to do, but he has a slightly longer looking topline. His neck is a bit thinner, but I will be working on bulking him up and he needs to grow anyway. He has a very pretty head, fairly straight legs, rump needs some muscle but is also nice. Heartgirth will grow, but right now it’s a bit shorter than my black mare above. Hope that helps! Also, if anyone knows the color of my gelding, feel free to tell me! The people I adopted him from said he was a palomino, I’ve heard some say they think he’s a palomino going grey, some said silver buckskin, lol I’m so confused!

 

[amyjoy85]

Just now seeing this. Oops. Thank you! Very nice explanations We are going to be working thru the winter to get ready for some shows this spring and summer. We are all excited to have fun with that!

She looks pretty good overall, however the first thing I personally noticed was that she has a long back. Ideally, the horse will have a shorter topline than the underline, and on your mare the topline is quite long. I also personally prefer a slightly, very slightly thicker neck, which in my opinion she has. This is just my personal opinion but I feel a slightly thicker neck makes the head more dainty, whereas a thinner neck can make the head look too big and out of proportion. She has a very nice proportion there. Her legs look fairly straight, her rump looks a little bit more “uphill” and not so “tied in smoothly” with the rest of the body, but very slight. She has a pretty head, nice sloping shoulder. Her heart girth is slightly longer than the length from under her girth to the ground, ideally it’s about the same, but I wouldn’t say it’s too bad. This is my new mare: View attachment 44726
To me she has very nice proportions, except for the hay belly of course lol. She is five years old. Can’t really tell her shoulder slope cause of that mane though. The two green lines on her body is ideally what we’re looking for, the underline to be longer than the top. She has a really nice neck length and thickness, pretty straight legs, and a nice rump. This is my new 2 year old gelding:View attachment 44727
Now he obviously has some growing to do, but he has a slightly longer looking topline. His neck is a bit thinner, but I will be working on bulking him up and he needs to grow anyway. He has a very pretty head, fairly straight legs, rump needs some muscle but is also nice. Heartgirth will grow, but right now it’s a bit shorter than my black mare above. Hope that helps! Also, if anyone knows the color of my gelding, feel free to tell me! The people I adopted him from said he was a palomino, I’ve heard some say they think he’s a palomino going grey, some said silver buckskin, lol I’m so confused!