Boy this thread has been empty for awhile ...

So here are three random APHA horses for anyone to judge and place. Just click on each icon to bring the photo up larger. For some reason I cannot upload more than one photo per post! (Was it always like that? Hmf) Anyway... have fun!

Judge as STOCK type -

# 2 horse -

# 3 Horse - (and I think all three of these horses are mares)

Are we suppose to give reasons too.
Or just let everyone place, and then after awhile give reasons.
2-3-1

Sure give reasons. Make it more interesting and more room for discussion. I'm just trying to wake up the critique corner 'round here... haha...

And btw these are APHA STOCK TYPE- so one doesn't get judged as being the best looking Hunter type.

If this were a Judging test i would place them 3-1-2 with a cut of 1 and 3.

Horse #2 placed 1st
She is easily divisable by thirds shoulder/middle/hindquarters all being of equal porportions.
She sports a common head
Clean throatlatch
Good neck length that ties in well to a nice shoulder and upright humerus
Wither sits over back point of elbow
Back dips slightly
Good length from point of hip to point of buttock
Nice hind leg w/ strong gaskins/hocks
Flat clean knees w/ moderate cannon bone length
Pasterns have good angles and length

Horse #3 placed 2nd
She has a short squatty balance
Attractive head cleanly attaches to her neck
Her neck & shoulder appear adequate
Humerus is to horizontal
Her back hasn't dropped but her high backend adds to downhill gravity
Topline is shorter than underline
Her long sloping croup offers good dimension with equilateral triangle-point of hip-point of buttock-stifle for a strong balanced hind quarter
Well defined forearm
Nice flat knees and short strong cannon bones

Horse #1 placed 3rd
Rather homely head w/ quite a small eye, which also lacks femininity
She appears strangely attached from her head-neck
Short neck looks flat and stiff
She has a nice slope & length to her shoulder
Withers sit nicely behind elbow
She has a deep heartgirth and massive shoulder in contrast to her weaker hind end
Her hips look short and weak
Small undefined sickle hocks
Short upright pasterns
Tied in behind the knees
Additionally she shows a roached back-upward curve where her back and loins meet

with a cut

HELP-I have no idea what that means

Circlek, this is exactly how I would place them in an APHA halter class.

But I forgot to define what type to judge these and I think Ltc judged them as (?) overall riding horses. Weight and muscling in a stock type is going to be a big deciding factor between halter discipline and anything under saddle. My mistake, sorry...

But no matter. Next time I will have to define halter/dressage/reining or what not...

Wow-Glad I ride-I couldn't make myself buy a halter horse.

For performance;
A longer thinner neck because it is the mechanism used for balance.
A average/small mouth for sensitivity to the bit
A crisp/clean throatlatch for suppling and flexibility.
A long sloping shoulder for agility and athleticism
Wither sitting behind the elbow frees up the shoulders and puts the saddle and rider in a more comfortable position.
A flat croup helps maximize stride length.
Sickle hocks also limit range of motion, and put undue stress on ligaments and tendons
Good length from point of hip-buttock gives thrusting power
Tied in knees, adds stress to the knee joint and flexor tendons possibly leading to degenerative joint disease and soft tissue injuries.

But the biggest structure flaw on these as oppossed to riding horses are the short, straight, upright pasterns and fetlocks. This creates a jarring ride as the pasterns are the major shock absorber. More seriously, this predisposes them to ringbone, sidebone and navicular syndrome.

AQHA: I thought you did define the class as a stock type class. Meaning stock type horse at halter.

LTch:
A cut is a way of saying how many points you are deducted if you don't score the class the way the JUDGE at a judging test does. For instance, if I were the JUDGE and placed the class 3-1-2, then you as the testee placed the class 1-3-2 then you would be deducted 1 point, whereas if you placed the class 2-3-1 you would be deducted 3 points. After so many deductions, you can no longer receive a judging card approving you to judge shows in whatever association you are testing for. Make sense?

I later went back and edited my first post adding 'stock type' for any future members who might trail through this thread...

Ltc, we do generally look for those traits in halter horses, though muscling and weight are a huge factor, both the 1 and 3 horse had several faults.

In my experience as a farrier, I don't believe short or upright pasterns can lead to problems such as Navicular. Navicular does appear only in domesticated horses thus far and as long as a healthy low-heel factor can be kept in maintenance as well as keeping away from incorrect or long term shoeing, and severe under saddle training/competing I wouldn't be afraid of finding navicular in any horse.

Aside, though I don't prefer a steeply upright pastern, I would however prefer a more upright pastern than I would the opposite. Which would, leave me with a much weaker legged and less capable horse.

Opened a new topic in Heath, about Navic in general.

This is MUCH more ideal. I think this conformation very acceptable for a stock type though he is halter bred.