Critique of Potential? (SHIH/SHUS)

This might be in the wrong section, and the mods are welcome to move it if that's the case .

So, after opening & closing the Ammy Army website 3x, i've finally decided to man-up and post pictures of my colt, for the members to post their personal opinion on his potential as a show horse.

Feel free to give your opinion on what direction you think he would excell. I'm aiming for SHIN/SHUS, but i'm not opposed to reining. I personally don't think he'd excell well in WP, and definitely not CEP.

As a bit of background information, he's sired by Ebony El Bandar BG, and out of a 'grade' Appaloosa mare. A very dear friend - and my Arabian mentor - provided me with the option to buy him for an outstanding price, and now that the deal is finalized and we're picking him up in two weeks, it's time to crack down on our future together.

His trot and canter are extremely active. He has a very large stride, and really works his knees and hocks, coming from really elevated hips & shoulders. He is quite uphill in his movement, and naturally 'floats' very nicely.

You may be wondering - does she plan to keep him a stallion? The answer is: I have no idea. He is only a part-bred, and out of a grade mare, so initially the deck is stacked against him.. but, my boyfriend and I (it's a co-ownership) have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he doesn't have alteast a regional win (preferably multiple) by the age of 4, he will be gelded. If he proves to lack the quality of a stallion prior to then - he will be cut. I'm definitely not using him as bragging rights, and every day he's alive his manhood will be on the line - i'm VERY picky about what I feel deserves to reproduce and what doesn't. I personally feel lineage is one of the MANY areas a horse reproducing needs to hold. If he's outstanding in every other area, i'm willing to overlook that his dam is 'grade'.

I know, it's very difficult to say how far he might go in terms of competition based on a mere photos of him at 4/5 months old, and I'm already quite confident he will not do well past his 3 year old year in the Halter rings past a Regional level, mainly becauase of his colour - many people have also mentioned this.

He'll debut to the halter show ring on the open circuit this summer.

So, do you think he'd do well Regionally? (Region 17) At/Until what age? What discipline do you think he'd excell in based on the photos & info provided? How 'far' do you think he could go?

So, here are the photos...

He's lovely! Appears to be well balanced with good shoulder and hip angles. Nice big round butt. I think he'll do well in SHIH and SHUS. What a fabulous color as well!

As a Sport Horse, you may be surprised at how well the "color breed" horses do. There have been several talented Appy hunters and jumpers. The open sport horse judges have been pretty welcoming regarding color, as long as it does not detract from the horse's overall aesthetic balance (did that make sense?). As far as breeding with his background - the color may or may not count against him. I am not sure what the current status of the POA stud book is, but at one time it was open - the POA (Pony of the Americas) utilized ponies, Arabs and Apps in the development of the breed.

This is a very attractive colt, but it is still a bit soon to predict what the final outcome will be unless you know what other family members have excelled at. It takes the same athletic ability to become a dressage horse as it does a reiner. Irregardless of where anyone thinks he will end up - DO show him SHIH, regular halter and any other event that is suitable. It will give him confidence and help to develop his manners and character. Again, this is a lovely colt !!!

Wow, so far, he looks SOOO good!
Too bad he won't do western; as a half arabian doing western that color would get him noticed, but at this point, he does have a lot of knee action,, heck he's so young though, my filly moved like that til she was 1 1/2, now you can see her move and she is DEFINETLY western. She moves the same, but since she is bigger it doesn't look so high anymore, it looks just right...
I dont' usually like APpys so much, but this one is darling! Congrats!
Lori

Wow you guys are making us blush! haha
I really appreciate everyone's input. This is the first time i've gone out and bought a horse that didn't just 'fall' into my lap, and as soon as I saw him, my jaw dropped and I drooled for about 5 months while my fiance and I hummed and hawed over stallion ownership, and if we were at a point right now where we could comfortably market him as such. We've concluded to play it by ear, and focus on getting him to as many show rings as possible.

At this point in time, I plan to show him hopefully twice on the open circuit. Next year, he'll make his debut on the Region 17 circuit in the Halter ring.

My main point for posting was because a few people have suggested he could be of quality to go to Canadian Nationals if I play my cards right, and he continues to grow accordingly.

I've never been to Nationals (Canadian OR US), so I have no idea what arrives in the SHIH & SHUS rings, and being new to the Army, I suspected other people on here would have much more experience with it than I! If he 'has what it takes', I am willing to take him for SHIH at 2 or 3, but I'm definitely going to see how he places on the open & Regional circuits first.

His sire nor dam ever jumped, but to my knowledge they have never explored that area with them either. My forte of riding falls within Dressage, Hunter/Jumper & a bit of Reining, and we'll see how he turns out and go from there. I'm not one to push a horse into a said discipline, if they don't enjoy it or don't excell at it. If he turns out to be the Reiner type - I have no problem with that!

Again, I really appreciate everyone's reply

your colt sounds like he got a great deal when he picked you!

Lori

Thanks! I'm SO excited to pick him up in 2 weeks when I drop my HA mare off to be bred to his sire!

Any other opinions of his quality in terms of the show ring?

IMHO, this colt has an incredible future ahead of him with you. With you as his owner he is bound for success. If he does do well at Regionals and so forth I will get to say I told you so!

Thanks Tara

I appreciate everyone's input thus far. People on the ABN weren't as nice, but that was to be expected I guess.

Where are you at with this boy?