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Discussion on What do I look for in a quarter horse foal?
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 12:25 pm:
Hi All.A friends son is farrier and he asked me to go with him select a quarter horse foal out of six candidates.[the owner cannot pay his farrier bill and offered a foal instead]
Now I have seen loads of foals [and seen them grow up] but they were warmblood thoroughbred welsh or new forest ponys. Even haflingers but NO
Quarter horses.
And Julien[farrier] said someone who knows about foals is better then no one.
Could I please get a fast course of what to look for in a quarter horse foal and why? In which way do they differ most from for instance a warmblood[earlier adult perhaps?] Any information is appreciated and I know it is impossible to get really informed this way but perhaps it will help us choose.
Jos
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 9:30 pm:
What would your friend intend to do with the foal? Would he be looking to sell, cause in that case I would surely study the pedigree. If he wants to keep the foal, and do more english type riding, consider how much TB is in the lineage. Are any of the foals appendix QH? Defining which gender he prefers and why will also cut your choices. What a fun assignment you have!! Stacy
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2007 - 9:02 am:
Stacy,I persuaded my friend not to decide on male or female before we have seen them[in case the best mares are having male because he slightly favors female] He seems to think a female can be broodmare but I doubt if anyone would give away a foal with impeccable lineage. I will try to get information on the pedigree. Think the breeder has one or two stallions so these will be the fathers.
Julien[my friend] wants to keep the foal intends to ride it [trail riding] and wants a good character so his wife and eventually children can mount him/her too.
Still as his parents have already three way to fat underworked arab/standardbred crosses I think he will sell in due time so I thought a nice color if possible could be important. As he and his family ride English style I think you are very right about the thoroughbred.
You are right looking at foals is one of my favourite ways to spend the day!
Jos
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 - 12:18 am:
Hi Jos, Stacy is right on with the questions you should ask before making a decision. I'm actually a bit jealous of your assignment!  It would be great to see pictures and pedigrees of the choices if at all possible.
~Sara
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Member:
ellab
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Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 - 10:29 am:
Watch them move around in the field. You can tell one who is going to canter/lope well from the first day. If they choose to move from place to place at a lope they have a natural one and it will be easy to teach. If they trot everywhere it will not be so easy to get a nice lope later.
Ella B 
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Member:
leslie1
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Posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 - 11:29 pm:
Hi Jos, Quarter horse foals/yearlings tend to be pretty muscular even as youngsters. They also will have a big hip. Nicely sloping shoulder. Nice set legs under the 4 corners. If he eventually wants to sell, and there is a market for them in France, get one that looks quarter horse. Maybe would bring more money in a sell. If no market for quarter horse, then pick one more suitable for the english style riding. You can google images of quarter horse foals too, as a reference. And you already know to look for typical foal things such as the way they move etc. It does sound like fun.
leslie
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Member:
paardex
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Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 4:06 am:
Thanks All, I looked at about a hundred pictures on the net of Quarter horses[french ones to be on the safe side]
The canter thing is a very good suggestion french people love to see a big showy trot and this suggestion gives me a good reason to discard these foals[they will be to difficult and inefficient to ride for these people in the forest]
The muscular thing I've seen on the pictures WOW do they have muscles!
There is a very good market for Quarter horses over here which ofcourse resulted in everything which more or less resembled a Quarter horse being bred so I do not have great hopes to find a remarkable pedigree or extraordinay horse but to start with [and as only solution to get his money] I think we will manage.
As I am trying to get a foal from this year instead of the leftovers from lastyear[in a bad condition] the outcome may take a while but I will get back to you all especially if I will be able to get my hands on the prospects pedigrees!
Thanks
Jos
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Member:
jgordo03
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Posted on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - 5:01 pm:
jos,
Can you take some pictures and send pedigrees of a few you think look good and we can give them the once over and help you? I would be happy to look them up on the AQHA site to see what ancestry they have with the American QH. I think it would be great fun to find out what old bloodlines you have over there....
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