Norah -
I wanted to comment on this one.
My "wants" for a Foundation pony do run to the heavier boned pony. I LOVE the ponies that Holly/Lewella have - haven't managed to go that route yet. I always seem to go a slightly different way when doing my purchasing, LOL.
Just got back from Congress and I don't think I saw any two ponies showing in the Foundation Division that looked the same - except for many that I personally felt should have been in the Classic classes (except that that can be taken as "...you're just upset because your colt placed 3rd..." and I'm not!). However, can't complain as my less refined and much heavier built YEARLING did extremely well - placing 1st in his yearling class, Reserve Champion Jr Foundation stallion & Reserve Champion Foundation stallion overall. Several folks were upset that he placed third in the Futurity - but that's OK. He works for me and I'm thinking that he is EXACTLY what I need/wanted to cross back to some of my more refined Foundation mares. I believe he will add just a bit of extra pretty too! We'll have to wait and see if he does what I think he will - but I've seen these ponies do what I want when crossed with the bloodlines I have in my mares...
I'm still learning what is "acceptable" for the showring vs what might be "true" Foundation, too. And I have two fillies that don't qualify as Foundation due to having Captains' Showman in their pedigress - close up (either he or his sire is a "B" registered Shetland). BUT they sure won't show as Classics!! One also has a winning Modern (as a foal) sire and a winning Modern Grandsire - both from Taylor pony farm breeding - but again - she's a Foundation in my opinion. We'll see - she might "clean up" to go as a Classic. She's two this year and has just started her basic "heavy harness" training for driving as a pair/3 abreast & 4 abreast farm/working hitch with her dam and aunt and several other ponies I have. I don't have any decent photos of her - though got several today - she's standing up under herself rather than either square or slightly stretched (she was tied at her feed bucket).
At Congress, I saw several Modern mares & stallions that I wondered about! They had b-u-tiful bodies and heavier frames and more substancial legs. They had "cute", short "pony" heads - not the longer straighter profiled "hackney" head (though weren't dished). I wonder now how they would cross on some of my Foundation type mares - briinging in more bone, substance - but w/o the extravagant and higher movement (which I don't want!). Again - I'm very new at this game and will be asking more questions overall of the many long time breeders of Shetlands... Also, the type that I personally like may be off standard for the actual Foundation Shetland...
Here is MY picture of our colt. To see his pro pics that I haven't received yet (I'm only ordering 3 - don't like most of them & have other things to purchase) - go to
https://www.caseymcbridephotography.com/ and look at Class 5 (Tues morning), 121 - last morning class Wed), 126, 128 & 129 - Wed afternoon. You can also see what was shown and what won/placed - in those judges opinions. I was disappointed not to see more Foundation ponies. (there were 21 fillies in the WEANLING combined Foundation/Classic Futurity class, not sure how many carried thru in the other classes - seemed the older they got - the smaller the numbers!).
He is related to Leanna's ponies on the topside (Grahams' Pony Farm breeding) and is 100 % Arenosa breeding on the bottom. The Graham's had ponies winning some of the first Foundation Classes at Congress IF I'm remembering right? Not sure about that! He looks very pretty and "araby type" at this angle, but very stocky built, less "araby" in his pro pics. Pretty amazing to me to see this in the various photos and now I REALLY UNDERSTAND why folks say take photos in different position and see how they look in each - then decide how to pose them in the ring!
Here is a filly that I really LIKE. She didn't make it to Congress, but she is Foundation, Futurity nominated. She is from my breeding program. She will go to two more shows in TX this year, I will make some decisions about her and we'll aim for Congress next year... She "tickles" my fancy and her full sister is built like a Sherman tank! I will have clipped photos of the 2012 full sister in a couple of weeks... Where I personally fault this filly (she's a yearling) and where I feel I WILL HAVE to be CAREFUL with my future breeding choices - is she lacks substance AND muscling in her legs. She's built like I love them to be built (and a little on the hefty side?) up in her body - she moves the way I like (or did - didn't really see her move when I took these photos at the barn she's at) - but she's standing a little lite in her "underpinning". For me, that's a problem! She does, however, stand with a leg at each corner and they are straight. She also moves straight... Stepping underself and into her front hoofprint at a walk, and slighly in front at a trot... I personally feel she has both too much heel and too much toe, but that is where she is at the trainers barn right now. We'll see how she does... AND she has a wonderful personality - which as an amature owner/breeder and a family oriented handler (with two new granddaughters) that is also VERY important and ties into our choices.
and
Here is an unclipped photo of her full sister - studying the photo - she, too, is "lite in her underpinning"... Again, we'll see in the future how these two do in the showring as well as in the breeding shed after I DRIVE them. They are not as refined in the throatlatch as most like - but they work for me. That may be "cleaned up" depending on what they are bred to in the future...
