I am working with a trainer to find a suitable OTTB to do dressage with, but I’d appreciate if anyone here could offer their opinions on this mare.
She last raced in Sept of last year, and has now started her retraining. Does anyone see any concerns with her conformation, or anything that may limit her to correct dressage work? Do her hooves seem overly small? I’m still learning about how to dissect conformation, so any opinions would be appreciated.
Sorry, I feel under-qualified to offer any kind of opinion, just wanted to say she’s a lovely type and I wouldn’t kick her out of my barn :lol:
I have some reservations about critiquing a video of a horse posted by the seller since the seller did not ask for their sale horse to be critiqued. Is this a horse you’ve already ridden and are deciding on a PPE or just an option on the table that you haven’t met yet?
With rare exception, I think undersaddle video is more helpful for the typical AA to assess ridability and current level of training. While we all love extravagant gaits, seeing whether a horse is quietly going W/T/C with nice transitions and a pleasant demeanor goes a lot further day to day.
As above. Ride ability is much more important. Would I look at above and see dressage prospect in bold letters? No, but if you’re looking for a rideable LL horse it may be perfect.
Nothing that proper care and training probably can’t fix. She is standing slightly toed out on the inside hind, and it’s hip-down, indicating a soreness issue. With most OTTBs, it’s an S-I issue. As long as it was due to strain and not an injury, it can be rehabbed within a year. 6 months rest, then afterwards an exercise program to encourage the horse to move in a long, low frame that allows her to stretch while engaging her back. It starts with walking, then moves to walking over poles, still allowing the horse to put his head down. Then it goes to hill work, then builds up to trotting, still with the long and low profile. Eventually, it’s an hour of exercise, with 30 to 35 minutes of trotting, and five minutes of canter. Are you willing to giver her the time and dedication?
She is slightly downhill, so you will have to work longer to get her uphill than a naturally-balanced horse. She will be fine through the lower levels, though.
Can’t tell about her hooves without seeing a pic of the bottoms, especially the hinds. Usually, OTTBs have a contracted heel, thinner soles, and a skinny frog, all of which can be corrected over time if you have a knowledgeable farrier.
I think the white patch at her girth is troublesome. That, to me, indicates trauma to the girth line, because most TBs are not naturally paints.
The shoulder is not sloped enough for high-quality gaits, so she probably will not be able to reach the lengthening required in advanced dressage.
It will take dedication, but she would be fine as a lower level dressage prospect.
She’s cute as Christmas, for sure. I can’t really tell from the picture but when I blow it up, it looks like she may have the hunter’s bump that is resultant of an SI injury. It also looks like a white patch on her shoulder and she has that high, white stocking- that may mean the white patches in her girth area aren’t trauma, after all- just some weird genetic markings. Or the white on her shoulder could be from the same trauma. I hope a veterinarian can evaluate her for you.
For once, a fresh OTTB without awfully shod feet. Her angles are much better than what I am accustomed seeing on the track!
She has a nice pedigree; Mt Livermore is really coveted by eventers for good temperaments and nice basic quality gaits. No experience with her sire, but love all the names up close including Harbor The Gold (Seeking The Gold) and Nijinsky.
Nice type. I think she is a bit tracky still, but I would not kick a mare like that out of my barn. Even though she is green, she seems classy to me and that is a type I gravitate towards while looking for prospects. Give her time. September was not so long ago, and they go through a lot of postural and bodily changes once let down from the track.
Might be worth going to ride her and see how she feels. From the video I’m guessing she has had very little retraining which can turn a lot of people off when shopping for low level dressage mounts.
@NotGrandPrixYet Not uncommon for splashes of white in Nijinsky and STG horses. STG was solid, but I have seen lots of chrome from him. The more ND and Buckpasser in a pedigree, the more they tend to chrome up. I would not assume these are trauma sites given the amount of loud color common in her pedigree… Look at how high the white goes - any time there is white over the knee or hock, it’s a good indication. She also has white patching on her face that isn’t a stripe or blaze…
I would not venture to say anything about a dressage prospect until I had seen movement just like I wouldn’t say anything about jumping ability until I’d seen some jumps. Even purpose bred WB out of specialist lines can perform less well than their conformation and bloodlines would appear to predict.
Yes, the high white stocking and blaze could mean those are pinto pattern spots, rabicano or splash or something.
She has decent overall riding horse confirmation.
The lack of slope on shoulder and the upright pasterns would stop me. I did not watch video.
Ok just saw the video. She is not tracking up behind at the trot. That can be improved but why spend your time working hard for a normal trot? Get a horse that already tracks up and you can start working on a bigger trot. Most OTTB naturally track up behind at the trot. I can’t diagnose why she does this but why take on a rehab or retraining problem?
My Paint had a sewing machine trot to start and we now have a normal trot but she’s never going to be a “Dressage Horse.”
It could be related to what’s being asked. It doesn’t look like she knows how to lunge, and doesn’t really look like she’s used to small circles much. OTTBs take some time to move balanced in a small circle like that. There are a few times where she does track up, and a few times where she doesn’t.
A riding video and a video free, is much more telling to me of a horse’s quality and their potential, than a video on a lunge. I rarely ever make any sort of assessment about a horse except their soundness on the lunge.
Personally, I like her. Very proportionate and I don’t see the downhill - which seems to be kneejerk response to any dressage person evaluating a Thoroughbred. She is on a very small circle and certainly agreeable! Once she brings her head down into the bridle and learns to push off from behind, she will probably track up fine. She looks a tad stiff on her inside hind. Her legs look clean, she has a nice body and neck comes out pretty well. ALOT of Thoroughbreds have spots of white along with the high stockings or lower lip white, indicating a sabino or some other genetic white gene. Personally, I LOVE Thoroughbreds. Bred them for years and still would be if there was a decent market for them in sport. They are my heart, but that doesn’t pay the bills. I have a mare a bit similar to her with a good deal of white and Nijinsky II twice in her pedigree. Her sire had high white stockings and a broad blaze and she passes some white. Buy her and give her a shot! A Thoroughbred treated well will do all they can for you! JMHO - BTW - the trot is the easiest gait to improve. If they have a good walk and canter, that’s more important.
What i see is a very square horse with an upright shoulder who stands over her fore *what i mean by that is there is too much body/chest forward of her legs. She has a straight hock and fairly long cannon bones. Her pastern angle matches her shoulder, so though they’re straight, they are correct in that aspect. Not downhill…her stifle is only an inch or two above her elbow. Hip is nice! LS gap is fine I have NO IDEA what conformationally to look for in a dressage prospect, but i’m guessing some of these traits are not it. She has a lovely long neck that, for an OTTB, isn’t as narrow as so many of them are. Body length not too long/not too short. .
Thanks for the comments, everyone! It’s always good to get the opinion from another set of eyes.
If I like her when I try her, I will certainly be getting a PPE done. For me, the biggest thing I’m looking for is a horse who is willing and who I get along with. I love working with TBs which is why I’m searching for an OTTB prospect. I just wanted to make sure that this mare didn’t have anything obviously amiss that I just didn’t happen to see.
Totally agree with these picks. If you’re thinking about upper level potential then the steep shoulder and pretty straight hocks would give me pause since it’ll be harder to sit behind and lift in front. She looks a bit tight in the trot in the video but it’s a small circle and trots can be improved. I actually thought her canter was nicer than I would expect for her conformation with nice hind leg separation and very balanced for where she is in training. If she seems like a kind girl you click with and you don’t have FEI dreams then probably worth considering. I think the feet are decent for a TB and could be improved with a few good trims.
THANK YOU, BEOWOLF!!! EXACTLY* Everyone loves to pick apart a Thoroughbred. None of these warmbloods would be anything without the Thoroughbred influence. God bless you!
Thank you- I learned something here. I did not know about ND and chrome. I also loved your other post about conformation.
I agree that people can be overly harsh when critiquing non-WBs but as someone who owns and rides a non-WB I honestly think you have to look at the horse in front of you (conformation and movement) because you don’t have the luxury of knowing they have confirmed dressage horses in their pedigree. It’s much easier to take a risk on a horse with less than ideal conformation when you know they have a parent or two siblings successfully doing what you want to do.
The horse I bought is also less than perfect, as are all horses, but you need to figure out what you can live with as a buyer. My horse had a great attitude, and moved better than his conformation said he should and I wanted a horse to develop for my bronze so a tad straight behind and narrow in the chest were not deal breakers for me. Other people might feel differently.
Developing an eye for ideal conformation is a valuable skill and helps with the decision process. Knowing your horse’s weak spots can also help you trouble shoot training issues and physical discomfort when they are just NQR which is going to happen at some point if you own a horse long enough. If everyone just responds with “she seems like a nice horse and fine for lower levels, or maybe you’ll get lucky and go further” OP will never learn to develop her own eye and opinions.
Agreed. The trot is the easiest gait to improve on, and this horse doesn’t look like it knows how to longe comfortably and that it has had only racing training. I see nothing wrong with either gait or confo pics that will preclude a career in at least lower level dressage when it learns how to relax and use its body. Maybe more.
i think a WB race trained would have a similar way of going.
Not a knee jerk reaction here. I have had a lot of OTTBs in my life that I have rehabbed and retrained. One of them turned out to be a fabulous dressage horse. I gave my honest assessment.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
