Welcome to the kickoff of Q's official training for the 2017 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover!  For our first discussion, I thought it was appropriate to begin with an up-close view of Q to evaluate her conformation. In upcoming posts I will also cover her movement and personality, but I think it is always important to begin by fairly and thoroughly assessing a horse's conformation. This helps to identify any areas that might require close attention as training develops or help to explain imbalances that present themselves in the early stages of training.

The following videos and photos are intended to give you a close first-person view of Q's conformation. Share your feedback - likes, concerns, etc - in the comments below, and on Friday evening I will be going LIVE on Facebook to share my thoughts and answer questions. I wanted to structure it this way so as not to bias anyone's opinions, and remember that conformation can often be subjective so there are NO WRONG ANSWERS :-)

For instance, what do you notice about her feet, legs, muscling, skeletal angles, coat condition, or anything else that stands out to you? This initial look will serve as our baseline to determine how Q is progressing and developing throughout her training.

Is there another view or photo you would like to see to help with your assessment? Please feel free to request it in the comments, and I'll do my best to get it for you. I want Q's journey to be all about you feeling like you are right here with with us for her training, so the more you engage with the conversation, the more you will benefit.

I want to preface these results by pointing out that even though a stallion was eliminated from Stallion Madness, he was in the top 30 after I spent more than 40 hours researching hundreds of possibilities. So, just because he wasn't the right match for Freja doesn't mean you shouldn't consider him for your mare.

Here is more information about each stallion who received the fewest votes in his respective competition along with his full color photo and the True Nick for Freja's hypothetical foal  with him.

I want to preface these results by pointing out that even though a stallion was eliminated from Stallion Madness, he was in the top 30 after I spent more than 40 hours researching hundreds of possibilities. So, just because he wasn't the right match for Freja doesn't mean you shouldn't consider him for your mare.

Here is more information about each stallion who received the fewest votes in his respective competition along with his full color photo and the True Nick for Freja's hypothetical foal  with him.

As part of my Facebook Live video to kickoff Stallion Madness 2017 I promised to share the resources I've been referencing to research potential stallions for Freja this year.

Here is my list with a short explanation for each: