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Hanoverian NA Mare inspection - a chronicle of events

Let’s just say my new Pivo has a learning curve. This is all I got haha. Will keep working at it! If I could offer a critique of her… neck is a titch short, and set on low. Back is long, loin could be stronger. Could use more angulation in her hind legs. Could have a more feminine head.

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I hope you don’t mind, but I will be stealing this phrase from here forward…. :rofl::rofl::joy:

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I wouldn’t want a longer neck on her. If fits her body.

Her neck emergence is a bit lowER (relative to Dressage-bred horses) because she’s a TB and that’s very common with TBs. It’s still in the right place - the bottom tie-in is above the point of her shoulder, which isn’t low, and the top ties in nicely relative to her back. It’s her taller withers that’s making the top connection look a bit low

Her back isn’t long. It looks longer because her loin is straighter as it heads up to the SI. So yes, her loin is a little weaker than it could be

Her hind legs could be a bit more angular, but they aren’t too straight as they are now.

Her shoulder is on the straighter side, but the shoulder angle (scapula to humerus) looks to be at least 90* which is what you need.

My biggest “fix” would be to improve the placement of her front legs in relation to her withers. They are acceptable where they are, but they really need to be farther out. That’s a large part of why her conformation doesn’t allow superb jumping form, but the shoulder/humerus setup does allow for reasonable form in terms of at least safety, meaning, not dangling knees.

I would want her bred to a stallion who produces strong loins

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Love how descriptive your post was. I’m trying to get better at judging sport horse confirmation- what resources could you recommend?

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Me? Judy Waldrope! www.jwequine.com

She and a group essentially pioneered the notion of “functional conformation”, which is how conformation affects how a horse actually MOVES, not just some ideal standing there.

Gone is the old “stifle to elbow” as a measure of up/downhill, that’s irrelevant. Gone is the idea that boxes define if a horse has good confo.

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Thank you!

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For the free jumping I did this weekend, outside of my Old Man horse whinnying to her like she was about to face off with a herd of cougars which sent her into a tizzy for a bit, I’d say it went well. I did block off for quite a few feet after the last jump but she was ducking to the center at the earliest opportunity. I can block off further yet. The extra distance did help her stay straight.

I ended up basically leading her to the first jump and then clucking and letting go. Otherwise she builds too much steam.

We ended on a 2’9" oxer, which I started increasing the spread of. She was bold (too bold maybe) through the whole thing. Lots of snacks were had throughout.

For her conformation and front leg placement, that’s what the “pillar of support” is referencing, yes? You’re right, she does not hang her knees, but she does not snap them either.

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I, and she, are currently on the struggle bus with getting more forward and through. Various things have come up during our last couple rides that derailed them almost entirely (5 year old brain), and I work on what needs to be worked on, even if that’s “no you may not scream and bolt because the other horsey got taken in from the pasture for a brushing”.

Something I’m seeing when I’m riding is too much movement of my lower leg. Definitely something I need to work on, it bothers me watching it rock back and forth, even a little. Quieter, quieter…

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:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

awesome!

this is often a very good idea, for a variety of reasons :slight_smile:

Yes! Pillar of support. Draw a line through the crease in the forearm. It should come nicely in front of the withers at the top, AND, bisect the rear of the hoof at the bottom. The closer to the withers, and the farther behind the foot, the lower the PoS score is.

Growing pains (mental) :slight_smile:

You might be pinching with your knee, and/or tensing your hip flexors, both of which prevent you from sinking weight through your heels.

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Pinching with my knee for sure. It doesn’t help that I’ve put so many miles on my synthetic saddle (Thorowgood, custom flocked for her) that I’ve buffed the lower flap to a slippery mess. I think I’ll try a little bit of tack stick on it to see if that helps encourage me to release my knees better.

Thanks for all your comments, they are so helpful! We’ve got a lot to work on, but are plucking away at it. It can only get so good in a month and a half, so I’m not pushing or grinding.

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Gymnastics as you are doing and I would focus a lot on the walk, both ridden and in hand. When ridden get your Marilyn Monroe hips into it! Ask her to use herself and reach out into your hand. In hand carry a dressage whip behind you. You can use ground poles and slowly roll them out inch by inch. Same in hand with the trot.

How’s her canter? I used lunging to teach a TB that couldn’t carry himself and time does the trick!

Nice mare. She came from Jessica’s?

I have helped run a lot of Hanoverian (and ISR/Old) Inspections.
They won’t care one way or another if your mare is clipped, so that is totally up to you
Definitely hire a handler and if they have an assistant to whip, let them whip
Make sure you have your paperwork well in hand - seriously this is overlooked by a lot of people and can majorly hold up the process
Watch some footage of past inspections- quality movement is more important than good behavior :wink:

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What exactly does the whipper do?

Paperwork is 110% in order. I am a real weirdo about being totally motally prepared for stuff on that front. I have read, and reread the requirements probably 100 times.

Do you have video suggestions? I’ve tried to Google and YouTube and it’s really hit or miss.

Thank you!

Here’s my attempt at the triangle. The PIVO had lost me 4 times at this point, so sorry if it’s a little misshapen or I look a little flustered haha

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I also messed around with my clicker training today. Too hot to do much else, tomorrow will be the same.

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I am no expert in this area, but I think your petite stature is going to put you at a disadvantage unless you hire a pro handler. There’s a reason you see so many 6ft+ men handling horses at these inspections - they have the leg length and stride length to get a huge trot in hand. While your mare looks lovely, I’m not sure you would be able to get or keep up with a quality trot in hand.

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Aw comeon, I’m 5’1" when I’m real proud of myself! I can TOTALLY keep up with my 16.3 mare!

Ha, no. While I would LOVE to say I handled her myself, unless they give me an ATV its just not going to happen. This is too expensive to risk my stumpy ass legs messing it up. So, I totally agree with you! I will continue to practice it though, because it makes me feel like I’m doing something to prepare haha

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I regularly pony her on trails and that makes it so clear how big her big trot is. Old Man is handgalloping, she’s not really even trying. Her rhythm is so pleasantly slow, not that ticktickticktick some horses get going into. She just swings bigger and bigger, without much effort on her part.

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Yes she did. Jessica didn’t even have her in yet and had mentioned she had an Honor Code mare on the way. I sorta had my heart set on her then, and the pictures sealed the deal.

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@tabula_rashah and others…

What do I wear for the ridden portion of the MPT? White show pad for the horse?