Barbaro (the Champ)

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by prudery

Thank you for your response . As I said, Secretariat was judged by persons OUTSIDE the racing field to be perfectly made for any sporting discipline, NOT just racing . Nowhere did I say he was perfect . I always felt his feet were a tad small---as halter horses are horribly known for, especially in the QH world . I know about the horse show world . Plenty of fat and fads as well as quality assessments . Good confirmation may be more geared for speed and efficiency in the racehorse, but the principles are the same --balance,strength, efficiency and symmetry, always . Show people aren't used to the stripped down look of the racehorse which often sports the upside down neck and the like . The yearling sales, conversely, are more show-like, as the yearlings are fat and curvaceous for eye appeal . I assume you are a h/j girl . I am dressage . What looks good to you guys doesn't always apply to us--and most dq's are not Tbred fans . Still, the basics are universal .

I'm a hunter/jumper person, but I love dressage as well. Other disciplines of riding could learn a ton from dressage for sure. It's tough to find well conformed thoroughbreds in the dressage world since the warmbloods have taken over, isn't it? LOL