Recently a 14YO TB mare became available in my area for purchase. This mare on paper is my DREAM HORSE! She is the affordable version of the horses I cared for growing up.
I met her today and she appears to have several obvious conformation issues. There are so many that I can understand why she was retired after only a couple races and she was NOT used as a broodmare. Some are preference others are structural.
-masculine head.
- ewe neck.
-too short of neck.
-withers are considerably higher than her hindquarters. Conditioning and weight gain would help but it is obvious that she has a very sloped race body type.
-needs serious muscle conditioning. She is a healthy weight but her shoulders and hindquarters need about 50+lbs of muscle between them to help with her proportions. From looking at her she should be about 1.5x wider than she is at her shoulders and hindquarters. I think this muscle gain would also make her short neck look more proportioned.
-back legs are VERY cow hocked! When she stands still her hocks twist in and touch. Her hocks also occasionally hit depending on the position her back legs are in right before she starts walking/trotting. (structural)
-pasterns are very long and and at a bad angle. She is VERY "coon footed." (structural)
With all her conformation issues aside from gentle hacking are there any disciplines that this mare could do?
I really enjoyed the article I have listed in this post. If I am understanding this article correctly it does appear that this mare could be used for dressage, which is what I would want to do with my "dream horse?"
This mare has a fantastic personality and a great mind! She appears to have no vices/triggers that commonly afflict retired race TBs. I know that unless I purchase and ship a mare from the east coast I will never have this opportunity again but at the same her conformation issues are SO obvious I don't think I can look past it.
I would like to suggest to the sellers what sort of owner/home they should be looking for due to her conformation. I know that sounds odd but the owners would appreciate that feedback. This mare is very special to them but they have never had the time to do anything more than arena riding with her/their other horses. They would like her to learn a new discipline at her next home and compete (specifically jumping or dressage).
Am I worrying over nothing? Is there a discipline this mare would be able to learn that wouldn't do a lot of damage to her already compromised body?
I met her today and she appears to have several obvious conformation issues. There are so many that I can understand why she was retired after only a couple races and she was NOT used as a broodmare. Some are preference others are structural.
-masculine head.
- ewe neck.
-too short of neck.
-withers are considerably higher than her hindquarters. Conditioning and weight gain would help but it is obvious that she has a very sloped race body type.
-needs serious muscle conditioning. She is a healthy weight but her shoulders and hindquarters need about 50+lbs of muscle between them to help with her proportions. From looking at her she should be about 1.5x wider than she is at her shoulders and hindquarters. I think this muscle gain would also make her short neck look more proportioned.
-back legs are VERY cow hocked! When she stands still her hocks twist in and touch. Her hocks also occasionally hit depending on the position her back legs are in right before she starts walking/trotting. (structural)
-pasterns are very long and and at a bad angle. She is VERY "coon footed." (structural)
With all her conformation issues aside from gentle hacking are there any disciplines that this mare could do?
The Conformationally Challenged Equine Athlete
No horse is perfect, and many with conformational flaws go on to compete successfully. What can you live with and how?
thehorse.com
I really enjoyed the article I have listed in this post. If I am understanding this article correctly it does appear that this mare could be used for dressage, which is what I would want to do with my "dream horse?"
This mare has a fantastic personality and a great mind! She appears to have no vices/triggers that commonly afflict retired race TBs. I know that unless I purchase and ship a mare from the east coast I will never have this opportunity again but at the same her conformation issues are SO obvious I don't think I can look past it.
I would like to suggest to the sellers what sort of owner/home they should be looking for due to her conformation. I know that sounds odd but the owners would appreciate that feedback. This mare is very special to them but they have never had the time to do anything more than arena riding with her/their other horses. They would like her to learn a new discipline at her next home and compete (specifically jumping or dressage).
Am I worrying over nothing? Is there a discipline this mare would be able to learn that wouldn't do a lot of damage to her already compromised body?