horses

[gaited horse]

confermation can someone tell me if my horse has good confermation he is a kentucky muontion saddle horse/ kentucky natral gaited horse.


good pic

<a href="http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/?action=view&current=IMG_0411.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/IMG_0411.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>




goofy pic

<a href="http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/?action=view&current=IMG_0422.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/IMG_0422.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[WisconsinChick]

Can someone tell me if my horse has good conformation? He is a Kentucky Mountion Saddle Horse/ Kentucky Natural Gaited Horse.


Good pic

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/?action=view&current=IMG_0411.jpg


Goofy pic

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/sueandkids2007/?action=view&current=IMG_0422.jpg



If you use correct puncuation, or any at all for that matter, it makes it readable. You should always preview your post before you submit it so you can check to see if the link works.

Also, the title needs to be more descriptive so that people that know about that particular topic will answer.

EXAMPLE: Hows my horse's conformation?

 

[WisconsinChick]

*punctuation sorry

 

[Florida chick]

Honestly no, he has horrible confirmation. He has an oversized large hammer head. His hocks look like they touch. He is toeing out in the front ( would need a pic from the front on flat ground to tell for sure.) He is too straight shouldered and has a poor topline. His neck is all wrong. He has Ewe neck. This site should help you. IMHO this horse is a poor example or a gaited breed and will have trouble gaiting. Here is a great site. Goodluck on your search. http://gaitedhorses.net/ConformationLesson/WholeHorse/JQ2.jpg
http://gaitedhorses.net/ConformationLesson/WholeHorse/WholeHorseA.html

 

[peepkeeper]

What do want to use him for? If he's for pleasure and general trail riding stuff he should be fine. He looks all right to me. I don't think he would do very well at shows. I notice that his neck is very straight, does he have any issues bending and giving to the bit? You might want to work with him on flexing his neck under saddle. Also his topline isn't straight. He might be subject to back issues, you want to not give him a too heavy rider and work on gently conditioning him to build up his strength and endurance. Otherwise ok. Love the fly mask.

 

[patandchickens]

My first impression is that he's been ridden badly for a number of years - his neck muscling is rather pathological. (I hope this is a newly purchased horse - if he's been yours for years, I apologize but that truly is how he looks). If he were my horse I would put him in a snaffle and ride him on a light rein with his neck and head relatively low until he lost those muscles and learned to get his hind end up under him (conformation allowing). *Then* the rider could ask him for somewhat higher head carriage. This is a good example of things that happen when people have a preconcieved notion of how high a horse's head should be and/or what bit he should be ridden in

The hammer head (its size may be partly the photo angle), the narrow chest, narrow base, cow hocks and toeing out don't actually bother me a huge amount in a KMSH since IME they're fairly typical for the breed and presumably this is meant for a pleasure horse (as in, riding for pleasure) rather than a grand prix jumper or anything like that. His shoulder is straighter than what I'm used to seeing on KMSH's but its shape and set are typical of the breed otherwise, and again, if this is meant as a horse that you just ride around and enjoy I don't think it's likely to limit the horse's usefulness.

L hock (can't see the R one) *may* be a bit boggy or perhaps spaviny, but it is really hard for me to tell, and again the hind fetlocks *may* be a bit enlarged, all of which would be consistant with the way his breed is often ridden and the way his neck looks. Even if what I'm seeing is real, no way to tell from a picture whether there's much functional significance in terms of soundness. No other obvious unsoundnesses (tho I wish his feet were bigger and perhaps shapelier), and other than the neck muscling he looks in ok shape.

I haven't had really worked with KMSH's, but the ones I've met, plus related breeds like tenessee walkers and saddlebreds that I have worked with, generally have very good levelheaded brains and are a pleasure to deal with, and I see no reason to think this guy would be an exception

Have fun with him,

Pat, really not a big fan of the breed, but observing that they seem to work out fine as recreational horses, so I'm not sure how much point there is in getting all hung up on biomechanics or conformation with 'em

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Unrelated to your question, but an FYI. When you post photos like that from photobucket, you leave your album 'open' so people can go in and see all your photos. I've seen others on the forum doing it, and you may not want to be 'sharing' everything you have.

Always use the 'img' link on your thumbnail instead, just copy/paste:

 

[gaited horse]

when i go to the boarding stable tonight i will try to get a better pic

 

[Bec]

I think he is pretty! I agree with above though, work on bringing the head down under saddle, but if he is just a pleasure horse and he is there purley for your enjoyment, love him no matter what. If you are not going to be showing him, then it shouldn't matter as long as he is healthy and has no health issues that would make him uncomfortable.
I love the pic with the fly mask!!!

 

[fullhouse]

Please consider making your Photobucket private. You never know who is downloading your pics and using them however they like.