Foal Conformation

[angelsdream]

Since it's baby season - I thought Id ask a few questions. How can you look at a foal and determine how they're going to look when grown. I've heard several people say that some of there foals are stallion quality or keepers due to there looks (conformation, etc) To me when I look at a foal, all I see is legs, ears. What do you look at to determine what kind of conformation they're going to have when grown??? How do you determine if the foal is built conformationally correct?

[kigerfan]

Great questions! I too, am very curious about the answers. Can someone post some foal photos here and then answer those questions so that we may see what to look for?

[DianneC]

I can't speak for others, but I had to wait until about 3 days on the foals we had, until they "fluffed out". At that point you can see their bone structure and angles and get a pretty good idea of what they will look like. As a foal grows they may get butt high or wither high, their parts might look nice but not go together very well. When Chinny was a long yearling his head grew faster than I expected. I kept asking him if he was going to grow into it, and he did. As they turn one year there is another time they may come together briefly and give you a good look at what they will become. But the parts should ALWAYS look nice. A good hip, a good shoulder should always be there. I've seen backs be a little long for a short while, and necks look heavy, that may stay or may go, it would be a concern not to breed to another horse with that characteristic. Legs may be over a bit at the knees on very young foals and they will grow out of it. They also tend to stand rather camped out or under in back which I ignore. When you have one that looks super together all time its rare and you know that will be an exceptional horse.
I have a lot of pictures of foals as they grew up. We could use some of them if you like.

[DianneC]

Here's a couple of my favorites
Rio at one week - notice that all the parts look great, including the neck although he's a little butt high (if his back feet were level with his front feet) , sire and dam are not butt high so will watch

at three weeks and butt high but all the parts are nice, especially the hip

Rio 3 months, not butt high but a little heavy in the neck and throat latch

At one year, the neck is looking good, really nice head.

Rio at three years, very nice, great hip, well balanced (shoulder and hip similar in size) nice loins, handsome head! but still a little butt high if his back feet were level, and wouldn't want his back any longer

Rio at five, finally it's all there!

Now, would I breed Rio to a mare that was a little butt high, no way.

[DianneC]

Meadow was an exceptional foal. I had to move her out of the pasture to sell the other foals, and they were nice too! She had such presence and took my breath away. I don't have grown pictures, hopefully someday. Notice how her eyes look forward.
At one week

Three weeks

One month

Two months, neck is looking a little heavy

Three months, neck is better back looks long, butt is high, rest is nice

Three months, nice hip!


One year, she was looking long in the back for a while, but grew out of it

[fantasykiger]

I can't tell, I know what I like when I see it. As far as stallion prospects go, I am more likely to notice an outstanding presence and disposition over foal conformation.
Now that could be due to my lack of experience in foal to adult conformation. As I have have only had 8 foals in my breeding time only 3 of those colts, all sold and not seen to complete adulthood only one sold as a stud.
Fantasy looks nothing like she did as a foal.
foal pic'.. notice the small features and very dished face.

Fantasy as a yearling, straighter profile and thin neck

Fantasy today...other then the big eye and cute ears, does not resemble her foal pic' unless I am missing something..LOL ;D

[fantasykiger]

Now Wickee was a flashy filly I loved her look as filly. If she has the same WOW factor as a full grown adult it will make me very happy.
Wickee as a filly


Amazingly unlike her mother Fantasy, Wickee still has those big doe eyes and dished face 4 yrs later, she resembles her foal self more so then Fantasy ever did.
Today

[fantasykiger]

DianneC ...I just want to say you have some VERY wonderful foals, that have become very fabulous horses

[kigerfan]

Meadow is absolutely drop dead gorgeous!

[DianneC]

I still miss her, she's in Florida now near Cape Canaveral. I wish her new owners would keep in touch. She's out of Lark and Chinook and is the main reason I kept Blue Skies, her full brother, as a stud colt.

[kigerfan]

I would love to see some today pictures of her, she has to be just stunning! I wish they did keep in touch, it would have been very nice for you.

[angelsdream]

Yes - nice pics of babies Dianne and Tiffany. I do see difference's in heads and some of the hips but am still learning the legs. The only negative thing I can say about kigers, is there ears - Lakota has some muley ears but I still love her I see that in alot of kigers.

[Michelle Clarke]

Angel, the large ears are also common in Andalusians and Lusitanos...many people almost prefer them because they are the furthest away from being "arab - like", which many don't like.

[DianneC]

The girls have big ears, the better to hear danger I guess. The boys have smaller ears, the less to grab onto in a stallion fight maybe.

[kigerfan]

I love Firefly's long ears, I play with them all the time. I scratch them all around, inside and out. She loves when I scratch the inside of her ears. I'm very careful and I don't go down inside them.