[Duchess47]

Isn't he something - a beautiful blonde :)

Well, #C - the one she placed first. He has a longer head and back than I like, and I like a heavier hip and rear end - not a lot of muscle there that I can see.

#A that she placed second - the black and white. He looks like he has a short thick neck and I don't like his rear end. The thing with him though is that it's hard to tell because of his color and markings.

#B which she placed third has a pretty straight shoulder and pasterns so I would think he'd be rough to ride, but I really don't like his eye - he reminds me of a Two Eyed Jack horse, which I don't like.

Fortunately for the rest of the world, I'm not a judge and no one pays any attention to my ravings. :)

[CindyDawg]

Such a waste lol. You ever see a horse like on page 101? That's got to be air brushed.

[HairOfTheDog]

Conformation Clinic: 4-Year-Old Geldings
Evaluate and place these 4-year-old geldings' conformation in your order of preference. Then see how your choices compare with our expert judge's.

By Margo Ball

Whether I'm judging a halter or performance class, the qualities I look for in a horse are balance, correct structure, eye appeal, and adequate muscling. (The latter is especially important in halter.)

Essentially, balance is when a horse's body parts appear to go together well. From a detailed perspective, though, balance includes a long neck (from poll to point of withers) that ties into the shoulders high; long and sloping shoulders, pasterns, hips and croup; and an underline (from just behind the elbow to the flank) that's twice as long as the topline (from point of withers to loins). I underscore topline structure, as horses with strong toplines tend to also be the most athletic individuals.

Structurally, I want a horse's front legs to be properly aligned from forearm to hoof, and his hocks to be placed well beneath his body with adequate set (angle). Both are important for soundness.

Eye appeal is indicated by an attractive head and an overall pleasing appearance. Well-defined muscling will enhance a horse's eye-appeal and strength.

Click below to find out how I placed these three geldings.

Conformation Placings: 4-Year-Old Geldings