This is a 2 year old TWH.
He's fed and fit but not fat.
They aren't supposed to look like a halter bred QH.
(Most halter bred QH probably shouldn't be as fattened up as they are for the show ring, but what gets pinned? Maybe judges should penalize obesity.)
"He's a little skinny..."
"He's a bit skinny..."
"Good of you to take him and get some groceries in him too."
"He's a bit skinny..."
"Good of you to take him and get some groceries in him too."
In horses as in humans, obesity in growing youngsters is a bad thing. I don't think he's far from a healthy weight. Obviously we should be sure to provide all the nutrition necessary for a growing horse, especially if they might have been lacking in the essentials their first year of life, but that doesn't mean they need to be fattened like a steer.
Comments?
4 comments:
Sorry, I need to disagree here. TWH's are not supposed to look like t-breds or saddlebreds.
This horse is under weight *and* seriously under muscled for his breed type. A strong, arched, muscled neck is expected. His is about as weak as I've seen.
I see nothing that looks "fit". I see no muscles at all.
Most walkers I've seen were built like brick walls w/ chests like draft horses, this poor guys isn't even close. As a life-long fan of the breed, I wouldn't even recognize him as a walker...sure doesn't look like one in the picture where he's trotting!
Here's my idea of a walker, look how *solid* and strong he looks:
http://tinyurl.com/69aklq
Less anyone say that's because he's a stallion, here's a solid looking mare:
http://tinyurl.com/5rxxp3
Her neck is way too short, but she's got that "brick wall" type body.
Sorry, if he's really a walker, he's a crappy one - good walkers do NOT trot - and he IS far too light and scrawny for the breed.
I agree to disagree. ;) TWH come in many body types. I have one that is stocky and stout, and one that has 6 WGCs on his papers and leggy lean. I personally prefer the stouter frame but this youngster is built more like my Pusher bred horse. I agree he's undermuscled, but I don't like to see young horses overworked either.
I have seen many "good" Walkers trot at liberty but never break gait under saddle ... and I've seen horses that don't trot in the pasture that were pacey as heck to ride, so I guess that's just another matter of opinion.
Glad to find another TWH fan. I like the stud you posted. When I was younger, I wanted more than anything to breed my mare to Tennessee Goldust ... that was always my favorite TWH stud.
I have to agree to disagree as well, tho I am Xp's friend I would disagree w/ her and say so if that were the case. However, I know her two walkers and they are as different as night and day in body shape, tho both gait beautifully and smooth under saddle. I also in high school had another friend w/ a plantation pleasure walker who was built like the one featured here. He was a small lanky/thin creature that I didn't particularly care for but he also had WCG's on his papers. I thought he was ugly, but she loved him.
I don't particularly think the featured horse looks fit, but I wouldn't look at him and be calling animal control either. He's not emaciated, he just needs some groceries and some good care and he will blossom right out, I'm sure.
As for the trotting... I'm no gaiting expert, but I had a Standardbred that would trot all day long in the pasture and undersaddle, and his race record said he was a pacer? Go figure? I would agree that at liberty I would prefer my TWH(if I had one) to gait, but I think they are capable of trotting just as any other horse.
I also agree that Tennessee Goldust is a beauty, I wouldn't mind having one like him any day.
Tennessee goldust is still alive at age 33 and breeding if you still want to fulfill your dream of breeding to him!
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