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Swedish cross mare

No one wants to go first? I'll be brave. This is not a beautiful shot of Rosalynn -- she never looks good standing still. For those who don't know, Rosalynn is a grade Swedish Warmblood x Thoroughbred mare. She is 16.1 hands and just under 1300 pounds. This photo was taken when Rosalynn was 18 years old. I know what I think her flaws are. What do you think? [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v338/jmpnghorse/Rosalynn/RosConformat…]

Daylene Alford Wed, 04/08/2009 - 14:53

I'll take a shot at this one. I think her shoulder is fairly straight and she looks to be slightly tied in below the knee. Her tail is high set but I'm not sure if that would be considered a fault in warmbloods? She has a good length to her hip and a strong loin. Her shoulder blade and humerus seem to make connection greater than 90 degrees so I think she's probably a free mover in front. Her neck may be slightly shorter than ideal but she has a clean throat latch. She is fairly well balanced over all. Just curious is she fast?

Daylene

Sara Wed, 04/08/2009 - 14:57

You are correct about her tail set. In fact, it was the thing that bugged me the most the first time I went to see her!

Regarding her neck, I have always thought it was too thick but I'm curious if that is because she was a dressage horse and had to build a lot of neck muscle and now that she isn't working like that any more it has just gotten thickish. You know, like football players whose muscle mass just turns them into [b]big men[/b] after they retire.

She is a very free mover in front. No, she is not fast.

accphotography Wed, 04/08/2009 - 15:20

A bit of a plain head, although a very expressive eye. A bit thicker through the throatlatch than I prefer. Her neck may be set a little low, but that's directly related to her shoulder angle IMO. Shoulder is reasonably upright. She may be slightly back at the knee... very slightly. Her tail set seems high. I suspect she's a bit sickle hocked (slight) but it's hard to tell from this pic.

She's got great bone and I love her neck, back, short canons and pasterns. She's proven to produce better than herself as well hasn't she?

Sara Wed, 04/08/2009 - 15:32

The upright shoulder makes me curious. I had not noticed it before but you guys caught it and now I see it. Isn't that supposed to make a bumpy trot or uncomfortable ride? She is far from it -- very smooth! You do have to actually know how to sit because she has a lot of suspension and impulsion, but for an experienced rider she is a very nice ride.

Yes, she is also slightly sickle hocked.

I believe Diana is nicer than she is. Guaranteed Gold fixed Rosalynn's flaws nicely. Interestingly I have seen Rosalynn's other foal, a 2003 mare by Vivaldi, and I actually think Diana is nicer than that one. I may be biased. 8-)

accphotography Wed, 04/08/2009 - 15:37

GG is a fixer from what I've seen. *nods* Especially to certain mares.

An upright shoulder is supposed to make for a rougher ride. Short pasterns also seem to make things a bit rougher (less shock being absorbed I guess). However sickle hocks, even slight, can improve the comfort. That little flaw may have balanced her out. I think some horses are capable of moving beyond their conformation anyway if they use themselves correctly, or correctly for their conformation at least.

Sara Wed, 04/08/2009 - 16:00

I think Rosalynn is that kind of mare.

At what age can conformation be accurately critiqued? I'd like to put Diana up as well but can you do a two year old?

accphotography Wed, 04/08/2009 - 16:29

I think they say 3, but obvious flaws don't really change (except for being downhill :lol: ).

Jenks Wed, 04/08/2009 - 20:02

I think she is certainly a pretty mare with a kind look!

I'd venture to say that her front left being behind and not square is going to influence her shoulder lay. The fact that I can see her chest makes that obvious. The angle though is good I think, and her pasterns are of good length to make her a good ride. Her cannon bones look proportionately short in relation to her forarm and her girth is about equal to her leg length. She looks a little turned in in the front and maybe slightly uphill, but I am not sure there is anything wrong with her neck. I don't think it's short, but for some purposes might be slightly low set though not be conformation standards?

If her rear left was not drawn up under her, and square instead, I bet you'd see a long powerful hip for jumping. If not, it's close to a perfect triangle as it sits there. Her hip is nicely angled though I think her coupling is not as tight as it could be.

I can't tell much about the back legs because I think it's her stance with the leg under.

I'm not very good at this. Maigray has it down to an art form (broken record from long ago?).

Getting out my Dr Deb books!

Sara Wed, 04/08/2009 - 23:32

[quote]I think her coupling is not as tight as it could be. [/quote]

Can you explain this part?

Jenks Thu, 04/09/2009 - 09:19

[quote="Sara"][quote]I think her coupling is not as tight as it could be. [/quote]

Can you explain this part?[/quote]

Her lumbo sacral joint is further behind that ideally above the point of the hip. THOUGH, her left leg is under her, so who knows if I'm seeing the point of the hip correctly or the LSJ for that matter.