Before and Afters PLEASE!!!!

[faluut42]

I a recently (Nov) got a nice 7yr OTTB mare that was used as a broodmare for the last year. When I got ehr she was on the skinnier side and had no muscle from sitting out in the pasture. So ive been riding her since Nov and evertime she starts getting good something like happens (pretty much everything between having to give borrowed saddles back to the arena turing into Lake Superior to popped splints and lost shoes?. So I am a bit discouraged seeing that she is still is skinny with not a lot of muscle.

So please to give me some hope that after work and food she will become something other than a weedy little filly! Post your before and after pics of you horses! :D

PLEASE!!!

[goeslikestink]

check teeth
worm horse
ab lib hay
and feed in small meals 3/4 times daily dont over face the horse with large sittings

start exercising in small amounts ie 20mins each side until her strenght has build up
and make sure jabs are up to date

[Jleegriffith]

Just a few I have on the computer. I could hang out a sign "I specialize in transforming ugly horses."
Irish before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2713559470058815717cubSYG
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2968246680058815717FKeOBo
after:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2008633190058815717vsNcyW
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2245740420058815717IxQYmg

Flint before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2952588320058815717CjQAYv
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2040755820058815717iokfcX
After
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2377904010058815717heDwWM
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2601190740058815717niuMKG
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2400607460058815717KiLMrf

Dixie before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2908316420058815717bDvHnS
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2567204260058815717OlJeOm
After:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2992601850058815717WqsopQ
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2742376100058815717redufi

Boppus before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2524745570058815717XhlaqM
After:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2244591850058815717ozOJhz
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2164996080058815717sPPsvP

Indy before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2206502990058815717WVqGeO
After:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2237828950058815717FdvoAF
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2513964170058815717IHsbaG

[Jleegriffith]

My special recipes is worming, feed, turnout and lots and lots of good basic dressage work with trail riding in between. Then I start my process of teaching them to jump small fences fairly soon as I believe it is great for building muscle. You can see an amazing difference quickly with the right combination. It is almost fun to transform horses and watch people do double takes. The horse they wouldn't buy because it was too ugly is now beautiful and out of their price range;)

[caffeinated]

klondike before:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL914/489204/643870/316056293.jpg
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL914/489204/13779761/308754016.jpg
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL914/489204/13779761/308754017.jpg
http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL914/489204/13779761/308754026.jpg

after from last summer:
http://kidklondike.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/newklontrot.jpg

and from this month:
http://kidklondike.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/klondiek-conf.jpg (with fuzzies and mane, but look at the neck!)

more neck!
http://kidklondike.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/klondike-after.jpg

Rosey before:
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/vht-08-014.jpg
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/vht-08-017.jpg
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/calabria-rose-023.jpg
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/calabria-rose-081.jpg (she was skinnier than this picture makes her look... I swear..)

A month later:
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/conformation-blog-3.jpg

Another month later:
http://calabriarose.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/septroseynewtrot.jpg

from some show or another...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/2795811283_cd5d08ef0e.jpg

[mythical84]

Harry 1 month off the track:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=40731071&l=707ff&id=5712690
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=40731073&l=f8bb8&id=5712690

6 months off the track:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=38954867&l=f919a&id=5712690

1.5 years off the track:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=38954868&l=05ccd&id=5712690

2 years off the track:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=42660624&l=a179a&id=5712690

3 years off the track:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=41577829&l=b6c91&id=5712690

[Ishi]

This was taken on November 1, 2008 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/FlyACK/Simon/XDay1.jpg) which was the day he arrived. This was less then one week (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/FlyACK/Simon/SimonDay5.jpg) later. This was Jan 23, 2009 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/FlyACK/Simon/Simonconfo.jpg) so just a few months later.

I have quite a few like this too, because I retrain OTTBs. I love watching the difference in them as the new job and different shoeing and work changes them.

[yellowbritches]

Vernon as a late three year old- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=992878&l=a5731&id=840606599

Vernon, six months or so later- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=992880&l=01304&id=840606599

Vernon, six months after that- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1086864&l=bc330&id=840606599

That's more or less a year's time. I need to take a picture of him now!

[yellowbritches]

PS- My biggest struggles with Vernon looking as good as I think he should have been with his coat/allergies and with his weight. He has put muscle on very well, but he just really uses ALL his food. I swear, when he went back into work after his vacation, it wasn't a week and I was having to up his food.

[Catalina]

Connor before:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL930/1750828/17957437/286430469.jpg

One year later:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL930/1750828/17957437/341553290.jpg

Connor dressage before:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL930/1750828/17957437/320152243.jpg

6 months later:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL930/1750828/17957437/342822666.jpg

[Ajierene]

Wow, I think I spent to much time at the auction. None of these 'before' pictures look bad to me. Honestly, if your horse looks like the before pictures, don't stress to much. Lacking muscle but in good weight is not the end of the world.

My only suggestions are to check the thyroid. The last horse I knew that could not gain weight had thyroid issues. Other than that, my older gelding had trouble keeping weight on when he was not working - it is like his muscles melted away if they weren't doing anything.

Also, check to see if his mineral intake is balanced, sometimes if a horse came with say to much or to little calcium it ends up being a self perpetuating issue in that the mineral that is out of balance deters absorption of the mineral that would balance it out and thus the minerals never balance and the horse continues to have issues.

[Sightunseen]

e of my friends has a Han. She has the picture of the day that she brought him home it head on and all you can see is his head, shoulders and hips, now he's looks like niceround hunter. With my tb mare I basically just kept as mch food (hay) infriunt of her that she would eat. She was 15.3 and ate 3 flakes 3x a day ant that was the Only way to keep weight on her

[hallauer5]

[QUOTE=faluut42;3909607]I a recently (Nov) got a nice 7yr OTTB mare that was used as a broodmare for the last year. When I got ehr she was on the skinnier side....QUOTE]
I completely understand. I don't have too many before and after pic's, sorry. I will tell you totally feel in the same boat I agree with everyone post about worming... and that you should check first. I have asked many of my horse friends the same question you have, here are some of the responses I have received. ..." try adding a bit of senior to her diet." "...lots of hay." so on and so forth. So I will tell you what I have been doing, hope it helps. My mare is 10 this year, she was a broodmare with two foals, then sent into track training, where she just was not fast enough so sent back to be a trail horse. When money ran low they sold her to be a broodmare, then she slipped a foal, had an abscess, and a really bad case of scratches so she sold her to me. She is now sound so I tacked her and have been working her in the round pen, changes in direction, walk trot transitions, some small canter trot transitions. I am starting ground driving her this week, and hope to be able to help her build muscle. I also tried this http://www.omoleneuniversity.com/ and http://horse.purinamills.com/ just making sure I am feeding the right feed and enough for her weight. After alot of up's and downs we are really beginning to see good results. As said before plenty of hay, worming, teeth, maybe even a vet check wouldn't hurt. Here is a picture of her just after she came off the track, and I will be uploading more recent pic's soon! Hope this helped!! Feel free to PM me anytime.
http://www.facebook.com/photos/?ref=sb#/photo.php?pid=22632&id=1674270240

[ss3777]

Before:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/flagstone+blue

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2848421870061980987mhAnUC


After:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2434276660061980987rDNsgz

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2403144310061980987EClZSe

He was a local freebie that is now more like a family member :) He suffered from a case of the slows on the track. It has been a slow journey, not without bumps but he is a pleasure.

[clivers]

Here are a few pics of Polly - she was actually 18 when she came to us but you'd NEVER know it now!

Before - can't really see the ribs/spine in this photo because she's a grey, but they were quite prominent http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6019861&l=cc9be&id=681770272

After - sorry she's so dirty, but it's the best confo shot I have at the moment: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6020039&l=db419&id=681770272

Here's a link to a before/after album I just put together for this thread. Yes, I'm procrastinating! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=223464&id=681770272&l=2388b

GL

[pony grandma]

Just WOW you guys!! :eek: Isn't this just the ultimate horsemanship and satisfaction.

Someone needs to put together an inspirational book!

[yellowbritches]

Here is another one. Lance was a fun resale project we had a few years ago. The biggest thing in his transformation was just TIME. We went to Aiken for a few weeks and left him still looking pretty weedy and skinny. When he came back, he looked like the after picture.

Before, about a month after we got him- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2047799870084009341RjKAXi?vhost=good-times
After, maybe six months after we got him- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2047544960084009341ueaevJ?vhost=good-times

Obviously, we did all the normal things that they need...good feed, good worming, good dentist, good shoeing. But really, it just took some time for him to bloom like this.

And while we need to be on top of the management, some times a good spa treatment can do wonders for a horse's overall look. Have you pulled her mane, clipped her whiskers, banged her tail, etc? I did this to my old horse, long before I ever broke him. When we originally had him, he was this scrawny, weedy, mousy little thing. One day I just chopped off his mane, wacked off his whiskers, brushed out and banged his tail, took a step back and went "DAMN! You're CUTE!!!!" :lol: Amazing what a little beauty treatment can do.

[yellowbritches]

Oh! Yay! Here's another. My favorite little mare.
A month of the track- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2143668050084009341RAMSbl?vhost=good-times
A year later- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2776396510084009341WscvoJ?vhost=good-times
Same day- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2878739100084009341JrPwAS?vhost=good-times
Two years later, with her kid- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2501563410084009341nTwCMc?vhost=good-times

There's a bunch of her still another year later, but they are all on her owner's Facebook. I LOVE this mare...I wish I still had her with me. :(

[VCT]

Before: (day after I brought him home)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/vitat/DSCN1955.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/vitat/DSCN1958.jpg

After:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v432/vitat/VitaPJatShow3.jpg

Edited to add another "after" http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v432/vitat/?action=view&current=PJCanteringMay1107.jpg

Wish I had more good pics of him. Theres some on Brant Gamma's site. Links below. There are a few horses on the first links page... he's the one with the big white face LOL
http://brantgamma.exposuremanager.com/g/sultkellysg
http://brantgamma.exposuremanager.com/g/sultkellyer

[cranky]

Just a few I have on the computer. I could hang out a sign "I specialize in transforming ugly horses."
Irish before:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2713559470058815717cubSYG
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2968246680058815717FKeOBo
after:
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2008633190058815717vsNcyW
http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2245740420058815717IxQYmg

lots of wonderful pictures snipped ...




JLee, you've done such a wonderful job with all of those horses (and even more not pictured here, I'm sure). They really look to be a credit to you and your hard work and love.

[Samantha37]

Here is my TB- unraced
The photo my friend sent me of him before I drove to see him.. can you say gangly?:
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/Verreaux1.jpg

When I went to see him as a 3 year old. He had been pulled out of a field so I could try him:
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/Sam1004.jpg

Now, as a 5 year old, having been prof trained by Ishi on here, this is me on him during a lesson:
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r222/ssilver3722/Vereaux/100_0613.jpg

[TooManyChickens]

Here's Linus at 3 years old, just off the track:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k274/soleal1/Linusbefore1.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k274/soleal1/Linusbefore2.jpg



Linus a few weeks ago, 3 months after I acquired him (he'll be 4 in April):

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k274/soleal1/Linus.jpg

[juliet]

I agree with what others said. If she was a broodmare, she probably gave alot to her last foal. my thoroughbred mares don't keep weight on as well in the winter as their neighboring hanoverian mares. I up the feed for them in winter--you can also add corn oil to food or rice bran if you have extra money. I would make sure she stays warm and has hay to eat when she is out. I don't know what kind of climate you live in. It takes a little while to put on the weight.

[4Martini]

Here's Martin at 15 when I got him from a friend. He had basically been retired for a year or two:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2514300160100187715TeSTMC

Here are a few from this summer (he was 19 in the pics!):
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2267608250100187715EEvlkr
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2814752590100187715NYdLFF

Good luck with your horse!

[SimplyIdle]

Several years ago, I had this guy. He was also a late bloomer and all he needed as time.

Before:
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o173/somehorse123/?action=view&current=104646487Aknnwx_ph.jpg
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o173/somehorse123/?action=view&current=SDHT032.jpg

After:
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o173/somehorse123/?action=view&current=bob.jpg
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o173/somehorse123/?action=view&current=Bob20.jpg
http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o173/somehorse123/?action=view&current=DSC00099.jpg

He now lives in Alabama with a little girl that adores him - and he adores her.

[ohear001]

It's amazing how much they change!

My OTTB looked awful when I got him.
http://s718.photobucket.com/albums/ww183/ohear001/?action=view&current=auschwitz.jpg

He looks a gazillion times better now though!
http://s718.photobucket.com/albums/ww183/ohear001/?action=view&current=rivjoe.jpg

http://s718.photobucket.com/albums/ww183/ohear001/?action=view&current=100_2494.jpg

I've never posted pics before, I hope they work!

[pony grandma]

It's amazing how much they change!

My OTTB looked awful when I got him.

He looks a gazillion times better now though!


Wow there was only one way that this guy could go, I mean he couldn't even get worse! Good for you! :yes:

[horsepix76]

Wow! There are some great transformations on here! :) I'm lovin' it! I agree with the above poster that said that mares are harder to keep weight on. I find that my mare is much harder to keep weight on than the other geldings I have ridden/retrained. Good luck to you!

Here is my mare:

BEFORE
February 2004 (http://picasaweb.google.com/horsepix/Jewel?feat=directlink#5190311902192365282)

April 2004 (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/D2TesQHuEvIb9CqjPxObtw?feat=directlink)

AFTER
March 2006 (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dVkKuSW_poPxjdUw6yWGqQ?feat=directlink)

September 2006 (http://picasaweb.google.com/horsepix/Jewel?feat=directlink#4987040589627392018)

November 2006 (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6D3soWm-kgIu0ZLv05suTQ?feat=directlink)

March 2007 (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_SYprbOlWKkuzz0Y90kMJQ?feat=directlink)

[faluut42]

This is AWESOME!!! There is hope for my mare!!

I have wormed her, giving her a lot of good food, checked teeth, etc. But when she is not in work she just doesnt gain any kinda of weight. And until the arena dries up shes a pasrture ornament.

Keep them comin guys, this is great!!

[Shrunk "N" Da Wash]

Here is some of my mare. I got her off the Mennonites:lol: for 1.5k:eek: and she couldn't even canter... And this is her after I had her for a bit because I was eventing then.

Before (first event)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392138&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392138&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392137&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392155&id=546108503

Later in 2007
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503

Recent (2009)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2198690&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2198690&id=546108503

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2642469&id=650820085&op=1&view=global&subj=546108503

Her most recent accomplishment is SHE WON OCALA'S NOVICE!!!!:winkgrin:

[idtogo]

pete at 6 months of age just before adopted

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2781072590099644495EhFmiB

Pete at 3 years of age just before lightly backed:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2592158720099644495pTgLvz

[springdaisy]

idtogo, that is amazing! Congrats on getting him so purty. :D

[faluut42]

And while we need to be on top of the management, some times a good spa treatment can do wonders for a horse's overall look. Have you pulled her mane, clipped her whiskers, banged her tail, etc?

Oh believe me, the second thjat mare came out of the trailer and went into her stall I attacked her with scissors! Her mane was about 18" (NO JOKE) long and her coat wasnt dull, but definalty didnt have a luster. Her coat now is shiny and soft1 She is just a little too skinny for my liking (a 4 or so on the body condition scale), and doesnt have much muscle.

[Thoroughbred Hunter Lady]

My guy, Class Always Shows" a/k/a Valentino or Valie was in very sad shape on the day he came home from the track but he has steadily improved over the last two years! He's now fit and healthy and I recently encouraged him to stand still for a "glamour" shot (see bottom photo link). ....he's a real success story, he's a kind, quiet and patient boy with real talent and he's loved to the max!

Right Off The Track

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r11/TBHunterLady/Class%20Always%20Shows/AfterTheTrack.jpg

6 Months Later

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r11/TBHunterLady/Class%20Always%20Shows/ClassAlwaysShowsyoubetitdoes.jpg

One Year Later

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r11/TBHunterLady/Class%20Always%20Shows/CAS2.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r11/TBHunterLady/IMG_0545.jpg

Today

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r11/TBHunterLady/SMFValentino.jpg

[LHead]

Rocky before: (March 2008, about 4 days after i got him)
http://i44.tinypic.com/t81dfd.jpg - not me in the picture, lol
http://i43.tinypic.com/hs2nbk.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/23jnxa1.jpg

-He was anemic and had a heart murmor, and every possible thing wrong with him that could be wrong in a vet check (except lameness) ... we bought him anyway lol

Rocky now: (January '09, right before our first prelim together :D)
http://i42.tinypic.com/rtot9w.jpg

[jenarby]

I don't own this horse anymore but he was probably the most dramatic change I've had in years. He'd been left in a field with a buddy to fend for himself....

Before (you can see he's footsore by how he's standing in front too:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/jenarby/W-aug25-4-2.jpg
Due to this crack he came with:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/jenarby/W-heel2.jpg

Another before:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/jenarby/W-aug25-1.jpg

This was about a year later I think:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/jenarby/nov06-5-5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/jenarby/nov06-10-1.jpg

[piaffeprincess98]

Here is my guy when Ishi found him at the track (2007)- http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/oh-so-right-off-the-track?context=user

Here he is on the day I brought him home and a few months after Ishi found him (2007) - http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/1971868:Photo:26232?context=user

This was his first XC school with me in 2007 - http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/1971868:Photo:26277?context=user

Here he is last fall doing BN- http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/oh-so-at-va-horse-trials-fall?context=user

And here is was just a few weeks ago at home - http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/oh-so-2?context=user
http://www.chronicleofmyhorse.com/photo/dsc-6898?context=user

[piaffeprincess98]

Here is some of my mare. I got her off the Mennonites:lol: for 1.5k:eek: and she couldn't even canter... And this is her after I had her for a bit because I was eventing then.

Before (first event)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392138&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392138&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392137&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392155&id=546108503

Later in 2007
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=392140&id=546108503

Recent (2009)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2198690&id=546108503
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2198690&id=546108503

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2642469&id=650820085&op=1&view=global&subj=546108503

Her most recent accomplishment is SHE WON OCALA'S NOVICE!!!!:winkgrin:
What a lovely colored paint! She is very striking.

[faluut42]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

That is all I can say. . .

I am just sitting here in shock at what you guys have done for these horses.

THEY LOOK PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!

Makes me want to go find a resale horse. . .

I'm curious, what did you guys look for when looking for a good resale?
You didn't just go and find some random rundown thoroughbred right?

[Evntr4Life]

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.

That is all I can say. . .

I am just sitting here in shock at what you guys have done for these horses.

THEY LOOK PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!

Makes me want to go find a resale horse. . .

I'm curious, what did you guys look for when looking for a good resale?
You didn't just go and find some random rundown thoroughbred right?

[cleozowner]

Not trying to hijack the thread...but how long does it take to "convert" these horses? I bought my horse as a four y/o who had been under saddle for 60 days (never been to a track)...now she's six, and although we have had some periods without riding due to her surgery, saddle fitting issues, etc. we are not as far along as I would hope. How long does it take you (AMATEUR) riders to get a horse going at BN? I have ridden for years H/J but am pretty new to eventing.
Any advice or encouragement (PM or otherwise) would be awesome.

[fox]

Here is another one. Lance was a fun resale project we had a few years ago. The biggest thing in his transformation was just TIME. We went to Aiken for a few weeks and left him still looking pretty weedy and skinny. When he came back, he looked like the after picture.

Before, about a month after we got him- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2047799870084009341RjKAXi?vhost=good-times
After, maybe six months after we got him- http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2047544960084009341ueaevJ?vhost=good-times

Obviously, we did all the normal things that they need...good feed, good worming, good dentist, good shoeing. But really, it just took some time for him to bloom like this.

And while we need to be on top of the management, some times a good spa treatment can do wonders for a horse's overall look. Have you pulled her mane, clipped her whiskers, banged her tail, etc? I did this to my old horse, long before I ever broke him. When we originally had him, he was this scrawny, weedy, mousy little thing. One day I just chopped off his mane, wacked off his whiskers, brushed out and banged his tail, took a step back and went "DAMN! You're CUTE!!!!" :lol: Amazing what a little beauty treatment can do.

Lance is LOVELY..if he would ever like a canadian vacation he can come live with me :D

[FrittSkritt]

Dang, PP, that's a really black horse! He looks fabulous!

[VCT]

Well, I wasn't looking for a resale project. Or a unbroke horse, or one that looked like crap. LOL I was looking for a confidence builder after having a bad fall off a horse that had been chipping away at my confidence bit by bit for a while.

PJ kept coming up in my search results, and I kept thinking how cute he was but he wasn't what I was looking for, etc etc. But anyways, I got a different horse.. had a little money left over and just decided to make a lowball offer on PJ. They accepted... I drove 8 hours both ways to go get him and that was that.

My situation was a little different. I didn't care what PJ ended up turning into. Hubby horse? cool. Lesson horse? cool. Trail horse? cool. Competition horse for me? cool. Competition horse too much for me and hence a resale? cool.

Oddly enough he turned into the perfect horse for me... but it took him a while to get there. Kelly Sult got him going beyond basics on the flat and started confidently over fences and took him to his first bunch of shows and a couple HTs. For a long time I thought I would resell him eventually - I was told he should be sold, he was nutty, had a screw loose, etc. But we bonded, he got over some mental anxiousness issues he was having and we became a team. He can still get anxious but he seems to know that I don't like it and he seems to "care" enough to try to keep it under wraps for me.

What to look for? Sound. Good personality. Good feet. Good conformation for the proposed job.

As for how long it takes to get a horse going at BN? From what? From unbroke to BN? Well a lot of that depends. But given that the horse is old enough to be put into the amount of work required and has a good brain (ie. no "issues") ... from unbroke to BN... I would say about a year. IF the horse is started at like 5 or older.

I think the short answer to that questions is: As long as it takes.

Horses and riders are all individuals... some will learn some things faster than others, some are naturally more brave, etc etc ... it all depends.

[TB or not TB?]

Wow, you guys - these are GREAT pics!!! I'm so inspired. You all have every right to be PROUD of how your horses look. Excellent work. Now I wish I had before and after pics on all the ones I worked with. Next time around, eh?

[SteeleRdr]

Not an eventer, but thought I'd share.

This is Half a Case, aka Bud. In this picture he is a footsore 4 y/o, who was still in the stables at Timonium in the picture.

Before:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Bud/halfacasefront.jpg
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Bud/halfleftside.jpg

About 6 months later:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Steele%20barn/pics/openinghunt04.jpg

About 8 months later:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Steele%20barn/pics/bud3.jpg

And about 2 years later (the first picture is one of my very favorites):
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Bud/8259.jpg
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/twebb/Steele%20barn/pics/bud_conf1.jpg

I think that's the only one I have pictures showing their complete transformation. I have plenty of others at either their end or beginning. I've got two that I should get "after" pictures of and post the before and afters. I just thought there was such a big transformation with Bud.

[piaffeprincess98]

Dang, PP, that's a really black horse! He looks fabulous!

Funny you say that, because right now he is an ugly shade of brownish with some black hairs coming in where he is clipped. I found it funny posting these pics because he basically has a different color every season of the year. He looks live a different horse every season. He's going to go to some sort of brownish next when his coat comes in, then he'll be black again in the fall. I've never owned a black before, though his papers say he is technically dark brown. It's really odd.