Conformation critique of my filly?

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Also, I am exercising mighty restraint to keep from responding to your "muscle on the motor" quote. *the pain*

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
Also, I am exercising mighty restraint to keep from responding to your "muscle on the motor" quote. *the pain*

Must.... fight..... Satan.......

 

[DFCottage]

hahahahaha

Well we're gearing up for the show, and just went over to the grounds and made my entry. I swear, they really are trying to wallet punch you these days at the big shows... I'm a USEF member, so that saved me in writing this check a little bit, but it still was $62 for 1 in hand class! ($12 drug fees, $25 for the class and $25 for the 'office fee'. Luckily breeding horses don't need to pay a grounds fee. but then on my way out she says 'wait, what about your horse's ID #?' huh? Didn't pay that last year.. so that'll be another $10 for the show, $75 for the year, or $160 for the lifetime of the horse. UGH!!! This is why I don't ride at these huge shows anymore.. I'm so happy doing just my local circuit and can get away with 2 3-class divisions + office fees for under $100.

Guess the bright lining of tomorrow is that they bring over a bunch of pre-made sandwiches/drinks for all competitors/grooms!

I'll be sure to get lots of pics, can't wait to see what y'all think of her now

 

[ninjapoodles]

Good luck! The last time I showed, I spent several hundred dollars in show fees (office fee, entry fees, stall fee, bedding fee, drug fee, on and on and on) with just my ONE horse. I haven't been back to the 'A' circuit in ages, but my friend who still goes just spent something like $1500 on one Class A show with two horses. The good news was that she got them all qualified for regionals at that one show. So she gets to go spend MORE money at Regionals, and then WAY more at Nationals!

I hope you clean up at your show!

 

[Oblio13]

When I was eventing fairly seriously, I used to budget $20,000 a year for it, and it wasn't enough to do it right. I was cutting corners on everything else in order to drive up and down the east coast breaking my nose, fingers, ribs and shoulder.

 

[ninjapoodles]

This is why it was so refreshing when we started showing dogs, and an entry fee for a puppy or BBE dog was $14!

 

[DFCottage]

Well if you're going to break bones, might as well do it doing something you love I guess... course, I always made up stories... like when I broke my finger years ago... I decided not to say that it got caught in a rein during a class and the horse spooked.. I was in a bar fight with a HUGE guy

haha

Just like the crazy sunburn I got a few weeks ago, was caused by 'road rash after a bad motorcycle accident'

 

[Crunchie]

I think she's gorgeous! I'm terrible at critiquing in any "technical" way. I should know better. My mare was a conformation baby...won at Upperville and Devon (hunter conformation) as a young 'un and was reserve champ in her zone as a 2 and 3 year old, but I couldn't even begin to tell you why.

I see you are in VA...was the show Deep Run?? I love that horse show. The first time I ever showed the above-mentioned mare in the Adults was at that show. It's so pretty. I can't afford to show the As anymore....I know what you mean about the fees. Yikes. I braided and groomed and worked my butt off to be able to keep up financially when I did go to the bigger shows, but I just can't do it anymore.

So....how'd y'all do??

 

[onthespot]

I was expecting some half starved AQHA cross pasture pony. What a treat to see your filly! She is a very nice individual. Some people have already said what I wanted to, but I'll say it anyhow. Two things jumped out at me, her front pasterns and her saggy topline. Topline can change a lot with maturity and conditioning. Those pasterns you are stuck with. Take good care of her, fit her slowly, make SURE you let her mature before you ask a lot of her, otherwise you are in for a short, sweet story with a sad ending. Been there, done that. I like your horse and I think her head is very suitable for her purpose. Looks a lot better than some that made it to the olympics. My friend's horse had a HUGE head but he could jump anything. He said it was like a brick tied to a piece of string, if you could just get the head over the jump, the rest just trailed behind like gossamer.

Good luck with her, and DO post current pics from your show!

 

[DFCottage]

Hi all!
Well, the show was a fairly mild success.. haha Most importantly, she was incredibly well behaved. She stood like a champ for the braider, who even remarked how good she was for a 2 year old. I walked her around the grounds and she was very curious! Didn't flip out, I was expecting something, but she was quite good. Our class got delayed a few minutes, and even with all the colts parading around she stood.. probably so intrigued! Even after we finished I put her on the trailer for about 30 minutes (the guy next to us baby-sat while we got some smoothies) and he said she was wonderful. I have a nice quiet show baby in the making.. yay!

The class was decent.. there was an obvious winner, and I was happy to take home 3rd. (I personally thought she should have gotten second, my baby's conformation was better, but the 2nd place horse was fatter.. so sad how they want these fat fat babies. now. Even the hunters I saw at Upperville this year were tanks! Personally, I'd like to see a slightly lighter baby and not run the risk of joint issues!

So anyway, here are a few non-professional pictures. The prof ones haven't been posted yet, but I am anxiously awaiting them. But you can see how she's balanced out somewhat.