5/13/14

May 2012-May 2014

This time last year, I was really, really bummed. Red looked awful despite my various-and expensive!!-attempts to help him and I literally left the barn frustrated and in tears because of the S and E words. Sweet itch stinks and I have no doubt that I'll have to fight it for the rest of Red's life. By this time, he had already rubbed half of his tail off, we were already wrapping it, already using medicine after medicine on it, and fighting founder right on top of it. This year, the difference is amazing, in my opinion. He's much healthier all 'way around, from skin to weight, and you can sense it in his personality. I've started up his listerine mix and spray it on him every chance I get just to be careful and keep the bugs from irritating him, but I haven't had to use it for a bad reason yet and I hope I don't have to this year. (Wishful thinking!)

May 2012.


First off the major flaws I see in the above photo-
  • Topline needs work.
  • Neck still needs more weight. 
  • Head is a bit roman, jaws aren't pronounced as I'd like.
  • Midsection needs more weight and muscle.
  • Legs are still a bit thin.
Y'all can point out more if you want, I don't mind. Now, those are the "conformational" flaws, now let's look at the other flaws, skin related.
  • Still shedding from an unhealthier winter coat.
  • Bumps and scabs everywhere.
  • Tail is a mess.
  • Mane is starting to bother him.
  • Color is a duller brown, that's a normal color for a Bay but you'll notice why I mention this in the next photo.
  • Hairloss on head.
Now, let's move on to May 2014.

Not the best photos but I have more for later.

Now, there are obviously big differences but I'll start with conformational again. First, we'll go with the differences from above.

  • Topline needs work. Topline could still use some muscle in all honesty, but it looks much better and he's been on and off of work frequently due to weather so not bad.
  • Neck still needs more weight. Neck is looking really good now! It might could use a bit more weight but he went from being super overweight this winter to much skinnier (in a good way) so it still looks a bit straggly from the change. (all of the horses did that this year, lol!)
  • Head is a bit roman, jaws aren't pronounced as I'd like. Head is most definitely NOT roman shaped anymore...more on that later!
  • Midsection needs more weight and muscle. Midsection is completely filled out now, flank isn't super visible now.
  • Legs are still a bit thin. He has a much deeper shoulder now (and better reach/contact!) and legs are definitely thicker.
Now, skin problems will be addressed.


  • Still shedding from an unhealthier winter coat. 99.9% of his winter coat is gone. It wasn't as thick as I'd like this year but we had a very weird Winter so that's probably why.
  • Bumps and scabs everywhere. Only ONE bump so far and that was from a bee. ;)
  • Tail is a mess. Tail is still not "pretty" but there's a ton of hair!
  • Mane is starting to bother him. Nope! Mane is great other than I need to trim up the burnt edges to get it growing again.
  • Color is a duller brown, that's a normal color for a Bay but you'll notice why I mention this in the next photo. And now you shall see why....he's a very rich colored Bay now! A standard Bay, according to the chart below...?
  • Hairloss on head. He had a rough week with that from shedding but it looks great now!
 



Now, let's start on his head..yes. Head.

From around November 2012.

December'ish 2012.
Now, flaws in it. (although they are obvious...)

  • Roman head. Ew. Yuck. Not a normal thing for a Quarter. ;)
  • Jaws are not pronounced at all whatsoever. Of course, some Quarter's don't have the big jaws/tiny ears (Red does NOT have the tiny ears, haha!) but most with his big build do.
  • And let's all cringe at the forelock...

May 2014

  • Roman head. Ew. Yuck. Not a normal thing for a Quarter. ;) Um, definitely no roman head now!
  • Jaws are not pronounced at all whatsoever. Of course, some Quarter's don't have the big jaws/tiny ears (Red does NOT have the tiny ears, haha!) but most with his big build do. Huge jaws! FINALLY!
  • And let's all cringe at the forelock...Forelock is still not where I want it buttttt can't complain.
So...give me opinions on my pony's conformation, coat and changes.

10 comments:

  1. I think he is looking great and I definitely see the improvement!! Congrats to you :D Posts like this are always fun to write and read!

    Don't you just love bays? ;) I love the "colored" horses too, but I wouldn't trade my big bay girl for anything. She is somewhere between the "Wild Bay" and the "Blood Bay" and she is soft as satin and beautiful :)

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    1. Thank you!! :) I love writing posts like this haha!

      I definitely do! I used to kind of dislike solid horses but ever since I got Red, I started noticing how pretty they are, haha!

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  2. That Bay color pallette is wrong, the horse labeled as Blood Bay has no black points and the tail isn't discernably black either. The Silver Bay looks like the Rocky Mountain Horse coloration of "Silver Dapple" which expresses itself on a black coat.

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    1. I thought it was wrong, I just couldn't find anything better hahaha! The silver bay is definitely not right.

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  3. I wouldn't call him Roman nosed. It's a little convex, but not bad. I've certainly seen several Quarter Horses like that. As for forelock, Simon doesn't have one either! His coat look smuch better overall.

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    1. It's really weird how it changed. I don't think it was really roman since it DID change but I couldn't think of the word, hahaha! Thanks!

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  4. He is so pretty! but what happened to his mane? it was longer during the summer/fall last year. :)

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    1. It's actually quite a few inches longer this year than it was last year :)

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