Conformation Help?

[Sandy B]

Here's one of my special boys - LM Idols Valentino Hawk. He's a 4 year old gelding by Billy Idol and out of a Champion Farms Knighthawk daughter. Valentino is a multiple AMHA World & AMHR National Champion. I'm just a pit partial but I think his conformation is quite stellar.

I have to say I really like this guys conformation! He has a nice topline, a upright neck topped with a pretty head. What I really like that I see lacking in so many minis is this guys hip and the substance he carries. He is refined but not so refined he looks like he might break. He has a nice slope to his shoulder as well and look like he could move well and have enough meat on him he could also drive.

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

A good YouTube video on conformation by a vet -

There are 205 videos on conformation.

 

[Mominis]

Okay I'll be brave and post a pic of one of my geldings...just wondering what some of his faults are...

Sox Trotting...

He's a bit over stretched here...

Not a very good pic...but you can see how he toes out a bit in the back... but normally I can get him to straighten out better in halter class anyway...is that normal?

This is completely just my own opinion. I hope that you take it in the good spirit in which it is written:

First, let me say what a nice horse that you have. But, to take the bad with the good, I would delete the first photo. In that shot, he appears to fall off behind, be mutton withered, and tie in exceptionally low. He also appears very short in the neck and looks to have an awful shoulder. Some photos are just bad. I know that because the second two shots that you posted show a completely different story.

It appears that he is a little splay footed in the right fore and slightly cowhocked, and his forearm to cannon ratio is slanted in the way of the forearm. This tells me that he has promise in regard to upright movement, well that and the angle of his illium and the ability to get under himself. He has a very nice neck in comparison to the first photo and is not at all mutton withered. He looks to have quite a nice croup as well, though I'd like to see the triangle over his tail a bit more refined to show the driving power of that back end.

He has a very pretty head, despite being a tad long of ear. I also would like to see his hooves more blalanced. He's quite long in the toe and low in the heel in these shots, though showing a pastern that is long enough to produce nice, springy action without being so long that one would think him prone to breakdown later in life. The long toe will effect his breakover and muddle his movement and that's an easy fix with a good farrier. His shoulder is quite a bit better in the lower two shots than the upper one. The one positive in the first shot is that it shows his ability to reach up with the inside hind. This is very important to collection and overall athletic ability.

He is a nice gelding.

 

[ohmt]

Taylor-to add to Mominis assessment of your boy, check his hooves to make sure they are level. It is hard to tell from the pictures given, but he is definitely long in the toe (can't comment on the heel) and toeing out is often caused by the outside of the hoof being longer than the inside.

Other than that, I am no conformation expert so I'll leave that to others. I must say though that going by the first picture where it is taken directly from the side therefore not distorting proportions, his neck is of good length. He is a pretty boy in my opinion!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I think the 3rd picture of Destiny really shows several desirable traits very clearly. Great angle to the shoulder, neck ties in high, tight throat latch, alert and pleasing expression, and a very nice topline and tailset. Overall a very good example of the right kind of traits to reproduce.

I like an upright neck and laid back shoulder. I feel Destiny demostrates what I like and these photos capture it... He's a National Champion in halter and a Res. National Grand in driving... form / function flow together.

And one of his daughters, WFM Divine Destiny, showing she got some good genes from both her daddy and mommy. I like her neck and shoulder (and other features...):

 

[Taylor Richelle]

Taylor-to add to Mominis assessment of your boy, check his hooves to make sure they are level. It is hard to tell from the pictures given, but he is definitely long in the toe (can't comment on the heel) and toeing out is often caused by the outside of the hoof being longer than the inside.

Other than that, I am no conformation expert so I'll leave that to others. I must say though that going by the first picture where it is taken directly from the side therefore not distorting proportions, his neck is of good length. He is a pretty boy in my opinion!

Thank you, yes he is due for the farrier to come out and as it happens he has an appt this Friday

 

[Taylor Richelle]

This is completely just my own opinion. I hope that you take it in the good spirit in which it is written:

First, let me say what a nice horse that you have. But, to take the bad with the good, I would delete the first photo. In that shot, he appears to fall off behind, be mutton withered, and tie in exceptionally low. He also appears very short in the neck and looks to have an awful shoulder. Some photos are just bad. I know that because the second two shots that you posted show a completely different story.

It appears that he is a little splay footed in the right fore and slightly cowhocked, and his forearm to cannon ratio is slanted in the way of the forearm. This tells me that he has promise in regard to upright movement, well that and the angle of his illium and the ability to get under himself. He has a very nice neck in comparison to the first photo and is not at all mutton withered. He looks to have quite a nice croup as well, though I'd like to see the triangle over his tail a bit more refined to show the driving power of that back end.

He has a very pretty head, despite being a tad long of ear. I also would like to see his hooves more blalanced. He's quite long in the toe and low in the heel in these shots, though showing a pastern that is long enough to produce nice, springy action without being so long that one would think him prone to breakdown later in life. The long toe will effect his breakover and muddle his movement and that's an easy fix with a good farrier. His shoulder is quite a bit better in the lower two shots than the upper one. The one positive in the first shot is that it shows his ability to reach up with the inside hind. This is very important to collection and overall athletic ability.

He is a nice gelding.

First off I wanted to say thank you for being honest and telling me his faults. I knew he wasn't perfect anyway. But I do love him

You said something about him having "Springy movement"- Oh yes he has an adorable floating trot without the tail flag. I agree the first photo isnt very good and I have better movement photos of him.

To add to you saying something about his "long toes" yes he is due for the farrier and has an appt this Friday.

In my opinion- I have never been a big fan of his shoulders either...sometimes they are fine like in those 2nd shots but sometimes the way he stands just makes him look horrible.

-thanks again for replying!

 

[Jill]

I think the 3rd picture of Destiny really shows several desirable traits very clearly. Great angle to the shoulder, neck ties in high, tight throat latch, alert and pleasing expression, and a very nice topline and tailset. Overall a very good example of the right kind of traits to reproduce.

Thanks, Parmela! Destiny has made me very happy in all kinds of ways over the years

 

[Kkmerrifield]

Ok guys lately it seems to me that there are several questions or comments about our miniature horses conformation. I have heard and heard and heard the things that you do and dont want... but here is my problem: I cant see it!!

People talk about a weak rear end causing stifle issues. What does "good" look like? How about examples of "bad", and why?

On the shoulders, what is "good" and what is" bad" and why?

Also what about" how the neck ties into the shoulder and/or neck". Why?

I realize that we have to use pictures of our own horses if picture examples are used. I think?

Does anyone know of a book that would perhaps show excellent examples that someone even like me can figure out? The books I have looked at just show you the "good" ones and then show you a bad one, I wish they would show both and then show them with bones super imposed... Or something like that. I have found that I do pretty good picking out who will do well in the show ring... but I cant really pick them apart or tell why exactly.

I would love some real informative help on this!

I think it would be helpful to see drawings of a horse with line angles showing good confirmation. Also, how does one know if a horse’s back is long or short?