Question
9 wk old colt foal
Recently I have received advice on how to choose a young thoroughbred. An athletic build and a good walk, both toward and away from you is deemed essential. How would u best explain these terms? Attached is a 9 wk old foal we are considering buying. Good staying lines
thanks, Tanya
AnswerHi Tanya,
Yes, you have been advised correctly, 'athletic build' or conformation and a 'good walk' are important indicators. 9 weeks is very early to assess a young horse, in fact its age is part of the assessment process. Having been born at the end of November/early December this colt will only be 9 months old when he officially turns 1. This is critical with early sprinters but not so critical with staying types, which generally take longer to mature and may not race until they are 3 yrs old.
Considering the type of breeding you have alluded to the things I would look for are;
General appeal, does it look 'right'
Stance, does it stand straight, are it hooves pointing straight or turned in or out,
Movement, does it walk easily with straight feet or does it 'throw' a foot. This is difficult to assess unless it can be led.
Attitude, is it alert, energetic, cheeky, bossy, nosey, bright eyes, 'busy' ears.
Consider the size of the chest in relation to other parts of its body. A bigger chest means more room for heart and lung development.
Check the width between the jaw bones. Your fist should fit between the bones forward of the eyes. Check for big clear nostrils and even jaw line, undershot is not so good.
The wither should be lower than the rump, it will develop and grow up over the next two years. The greater the potential for growth the better.
Check knees and fetlocks for deformity. He is standing well up on his hocks in the pic which is good.
If all this checks out okay then have a vet test, check heart, lungs, blood and general health.
If all that is fine and assuming you have done your research on the breeding and you are happy with that then check how much his siblings have sold for and how they have performed and then decide on how much you are prepared to pay. There are plenty of horses so don't pay too much for an untested baby.
Hope this helps,
Don Boddie
