One of our regular readers sent us a photo of her project POA in the hopes that we would use it for a conformation clinic.  We happily agreed and immediately started searching for comparable ponies to use in our post. 

Holy hell, was it ever depressing!

This is Natchez.  He’s a 4 year old we found on equinenow.com.  His owners “just don’t have time for him”.  Apparently they also “just don’t have time” for the farrier.  His hooves are longer than his pasterns!  But he and his oddly shaped legs can be yours for the low, low price of $200.

Next we have this little guy.  He’s three years old and already in his second year of showing.  He’s been started on patterns, showmanship, trail, reining, and English and Western Pleasure.  Anyone else think his current owners should spend a little less time training him and a little more time feeding him and letting him grow?  Oh no wait, I get it, they spent his food budget on entry fees! Of course!  Poor thing looks like a stick insect.  If anyone has $6000 to spend, you can find him on DreamHorse.com.

This one’s from equinenow.com and is a prime example of mixed-up priorities in the horse world.  He’s two and is going great under saddle, but, of course, hasn’t yet seen the business end of the man-berry shears (he’s not gelded, in case that wasn’t clear).  Because everyone wants to use a $1000 colt as the cornerstone of their breeding program, right?  Sigh…  They do claim he hasn’t bred any mares, so there may be hope yet.

Anyways, on to the conformation clinic!  Comment on this post and state the order in which you would place the following three horses, from best to worst – and why.

Pony A: 2001 14h Gelding

Pony B: 2006 14h Gelding

Pony C: 2007ish 14.1h Colt (Soon-to-be-gelding)*

We’ll post our thoughts (complete with ranking) on the final three tomorrow.  Keep in mind, we do come from an English perspective, so that bias will likely shine through.  Feel free to rate based on your own discipline!

*Bit of a rescue, age was estimated.