Opinions on 2 Mares

[morgieporgie]

I need an honest opinion on two mares. I've posted previously when I was looking at two other mares. The last one I was looking at I was all set to buy, but then the owner changed the price and... it fell through. I was given one of the mares below shortly after that

Comments

[belle7067]

Oof. In terms of build, I like the first mare MUCH better. Mare #2 is scrawny and lacking muscle, which is fixable, but her front end is kind of a disaster. She looks back at the knee, and her neck set isn't ideal. She's also dangerously close to being downhill.
Mare #1 has a nice uphill build and a lovely shoulder. It looks like she's built a little stockier and naturally more muscular.
The videos are really hard to judge - lunging doesn't give a great view of the horse's natural movement and especially the first video is too small a circle to let her move out.

[anoneknewmoose]

Just putting in my two cents--it's also really difficult to compare a 2 year old to an 11 year old. Age could (and I think probably will) fix both the muscling and the downhill build, though you're right re: the placement of the filly's neck.

[belle7067]

True - I am apparently ignoring that part of the post!
Still, with a 2 year old that looks like she does, I'd be a little worried about what I'd end up with unless I could at least see the dam and sire.

[morgieporgie]

Yeah sorry about the videos, there aren't a lot of people at my barn, so I had no help with the first one!

As for the second one, her dad can be found here, and momma is a TB who is relatively well put together. She's apparently registered as Devil's Mill Hopper, but I can't find a record of her. There are more pictures of her dad under a link on the left of the page, but no straight confo shots, which bugs me.

[lurath]

Honestly, neither is what I would call breeding quality.
#1 has a long back and also appears to be more straight behind.
#2 has a good humerus for jumping and speed, but does appear to be back at the knee. which is VERY bad for jumping. For a 2 year old she is extremely butt-high, but one can hope that will change.
Both have poor necks and are wasp-waisted. Neither of them have good feet, though just from the pictures #2 appears better.
Honestly? Go for whichever has the better brain for jumping, and keep after either to prevent lameness because either one has points that will likely cause them issues in the future. I'd get #2 just going of the pictures, but I would not use her for jumping.

Feel free to check out eq_conformation for more info yourself - if you know what you are looking for doing a critique on the ACTUAL horse is always better! Or PM me if you want super-detailed critique (as seen in that community).

[greyskyridge]

I agree that neither appears to be breeding quality.

As for between the two, which would make the better sport horse?
I would go for #1.

[lurath]

Ehhh, do I HAVE to choose? :P I'd say if #2 is truly back at the knee (wanting to inspect the real horse here) then #1 is less likely to break down. I like that #2 has a better back though...

[morgieporgie]

I HATE #1's back. Maybe it'll look better with more muscling in her hind end, but I just hate it. I never noticed that #2 is back at the knee. She is extremely butt high, last time she was sticked (a few months ago) she was 16 at her withers and 16.1 at her butt. But then she grew into her butt... and now it's surpassed her again. I know it's hard to do a critique of a filly that just turned 2, especially when she's still growing! I wish I had a head on shot of her last year and one of her now. She's grown into herself a lot.

The reason I wanted this critique (which has been very helpful!) was because where I'm coming from is based solely on behavior. *sigh* I really do need to post the WHOLE story. But this has really been food for thought! Thanks!

[skyringer]

K, well, you know my opinions on Windsor... bad back end, weak stifle, long back, a little too upright

[morgieporgie]

Jenny basically told me that Halo is mine if I want her. For free. But board will be "a little bit more" than it is for Windsor, though that's not sating a lot.

I just feel like Windsor is a money pit at this point because I can pretty much do only groundwork with her, and not consistently. Halo is at the point where groundwork here and there is fine, because she's a baby and really just needs time to grow. By the time she's ready to go, I (hopefully) will be too. I'm thinking I will throw Windsor on Virginia Equestrian as a free broodmare lease for a while, and once somebody takes her I'm free to take Halo.

Oh. Here is a picture of Halo from yesterday (Jenny is getting on Shawn about her feet... ugh). Seriously, getting a 2 yr old to stand still is almost as hard as getting a (semi, really?) neurotic TB to stand still. However, more pluses for Halo... she ties and clips, and apparently loads. Windsor doesn't know how to tie unless Red is with her.

[skyringer]

I want to hit Shawn with his rasp. Just sayin'.

The biggest and most consistent flaw I keep seeing is she's got a TERRIBLE ewe neck and she's back at the knee on her LEFT front, but not so much on her RIGHT. I don't like that LF at all.

[morgieporgie]

Oh I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have another appointment with him in two weeks... and we are going to have a little chat.

I... don't see it? I can see that she's behind a bit, but I don't see a difference between the two.