First click on this link and assess the colt. My honest first thought was “cart horse.” Then I read the article and just accept I will never be good at conformation.
What is it that made you think cart horse? Maybe you are being distracted by the woolly coat and lack of “American style” trimming and polish?
He certainly does not have a dainty head but he doesn’t scream cart horse to me.
Many of the yearlings in the fancy sales look like horses already, so it can be a surprise to see those that actually look like yearlings.
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You have to look at the breeding as well. The yearling you posted is as well bred as they come, so he would have to have some real conformation red flags to put buyers off of him.
I don’t see anything that worries me about him. What are you seeing?
He may be a bit long in the pasterns but at this age I don’t know that I would be concerned. He has a great shoulder and although this is a photo, so we can’t be sure, he looks as if he moves well. He’s stepping well under himself.
I hope some of our race horse breeders will give an opinion. I just don’t see anything “common” about him.
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I’m also curious what made you think “cart horse.”
It’s not the best picture to assess conformation. I see a large, well proportioned, mature-looking yearling. If he was in the US, he would have likely received a Clairol treatment and a hundred more hours walking.
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I think he very much resembles his sire in terms of phenotype. He looks like a mini-Galileo. From the head to that flat, straight hip & hock profile. Not surprised he pulled in the big money. Killer pedigree with killer performers top and bottom.
If I’m not mistaken, he’s a Dubawi, not a Galileo. Lot 222 out of Sky Lantern. He does favor Dubawi.
Like @skydy said, it’s not as much of a conformation game when you have that kind of breeding so long the horse is serviceably correct and vets clean.
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He’s by Dubawi and out of the Irish bred champion, multiple Grade1 winning mare Sky Lantern.
This is embarrassing. I need to read for comprehension. I thought the picture was of one of the Galileo colts mentioned…
I don’t think he looks like a cart horse. He looks like a proper yearling to me.
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:lol: We’ve all been there with the reading comprehension moments… me more than most… :winkgrin:
I’ve been there as well. More than once.:yes:
It’s been embarrassingly frequent lately… But thanks for being gentle about it, you two!
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I like his shoulder but not his hindquarters. So hard to judge from one still shot. And if his mane were cleaned up he would look nicer! (most of mine have manes like Friesians, but for the sales ring…)
But honestly, when you look at him does “cart horse” come to mind?
I’m interested in what “cart horse” characteristics the OP is seeing that I seem to be missing.:yes:
This. Good up front, makes the hind end look weak. And here is the sale topper =
It must be the camera angle.
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/follow-day-2-keeneland-september-yearling-sale/
https://www.keeneland.com/sales/new-12-million-sale-topper-marks-tuesday-session (click on lower pic to enlarge)
The Keeneland colts look rump high, the Tattersalls colts look the opposite.
Weell… the first colt is a bit too straight in the hock for me. So is the last colt at Keenland. LIke the second one. the filly the best. Cart horse? nah…
I’m sure you know this, but essentially all yearlings go through rump high stages. Even just the month difference in sale times can lead to yearlings at different points in their maturity.
We also get our top yearlings fit in the US prior to the sales with low impact exercise like hand walking, eurociser walk/jogging, and even swimming.
Being downhill doesn’t affect dirt action in the same manner it can affect going over boggy turf. IMO we have a lot more horses in the US built that way period because it’s not really a conformation flaw.
I’m with you, Palm Beach. First of all, YEARLING??? I think the posts above describing him as “mature” are an understatement. The only thing about this colt that looks like a yearling is his little yearling tail. His head looks huge, not for a grown horse, but for a baby, and his plumpness, which I’m sure would be obviously baby fat in a better photo, does give him that non-descript cart horse look. Even his mane looks heavy and full, and short due to trimming, not youth. If I were just thumbing through a stack of horse photos, I would not identifiy him properly, although, as I flip back and forth to look at the photo while typing this, I am seeing him more as the baby he is.
