Question for those who show

[myLoki]

I wanted to know if Loki looks show quality. It really doesn't matter because I would never show him but I'm curious. I highly doubt it as he was found loose in a nice ladies yard before he came to me. All the pictures I've seen of Hollands are smaller than Loki so I'm thinking he's probably big for his breed? He weighs 3.5 lbs.

t.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

He appears to be show quality although I can't tell if there is any white spots on him anywhere. If there are, then he is not. His hindquarters appear to "drop" instead of being round. This is just a fault though. Other people may have other opinions, these are mine though.

Sharon

Cute BTW!!!

 

[pamnock]

He'd certainly win a prize for "Most Handsome".

Hollands are a very competitive breed to show, so they have to be high quality to win on the show table. Loki has a nice head, but his crown is slipped and his ears are a little long and appear to be creased. (They need to be as flat as possible and have a "teaspoon shape".

He's average weight for a Holland. He appears to be weak in the shoulders and lacks fullness and roundness in the hindquarters. Note how his hindquarters appear chopped off and flat in the top photo. In a lower pose, the hindquarters show their weakness by sloping off in the bottom photo.

He looks like he has a nice wide chest, but appears to lack in muscle/flesh.



Pam

This photo shows an excellent head, crown & ear . . .

This photo shows a short, nicely rounded and fill body . . .

 

[myLoki]

Thank you Starlight and Pamnock! I knew he didn't look like the ones in the pictures I've seen. He's perfect in my eyes though. I just can't help it! That's why I wanted unbiased opinions.


Thanks! :biggrin2:


t.

 

[myLoki]

Oh I also wanted to apologize for the crummy pictures. He won't stay still long enough to get a good pose picture. Whenever he is still, he's flopped out.


Does this mean that he is too skinny? Should I take another look at his food? He gets 1/4 cup of pellets(anymore gives him excess cecals), 1 1/2 cup of greens (mostly romaine), and unlimited hay.

t.


pamnock wrote:

He looks like he has a nice wide chest, but appears to lack in muscle/flesh.

 

[clarzoo]

Flesh Condition (muscling) and skinny/fat don't necessary mean the same thing. Good muscling depends a lot on genetics. Rabbit breeders strive for a good layer of muscling, but not fat. This can be hard to achieve, especially in the non-commercial breeds like the lops. Look at some pictures of winning New Zealand whites to get an idea of good muscling, but not fat. If you ever get a chance to put your hands on a NZ (or Californian, etc...)in prime show condition, you will just be amazed at how hard packed these rabbits are!! I know I was!



Since your cutie isn't hitting the show tables, just make sure he isn't bony or that he doesn't have rolls of fat around his butt and neck (which he doesn't!) and he should be at a great, healthy weight for a pet bun.

 

[pamnock]

clarzoo wrote:

Flesh Condition (muscling) and skinny/fat don't necessary mean the same thing. Good muscling depends a lot on genetics. Rabbit breeders strive for a good layer of muscling, but not fat. This can be hard to achieve, especially in the non-commercial breeds like the lops. Look at some pictures of winning New Zealand whites to get an idea of good muscling, but not fat. If you ever get a chance to put your hands on a NZ (or Californian, etc...)in prime show condition, you will just be amazed at how hard packed these rabbits are!! I know I was!



Since your cutie isn't hitting the show tables, just make sure he isn't bony or that he doesn't have rolls of fat around his butt and neck (which he doesn't!) and he should be at a great, healthy weight for a pet bun.

:yeahthat:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

pamnock wrote:

clarzoo wrote:

Flesh Condition (muscling) and skinny/fat don't necessary mean the same thing. Good muscling depends a lot on genetics. Rabbit breeders strive for a good layer of muscling, but not fat. This can be hard to achieve, especially in the non-commercial breeds like the lops. Look at some pictures of winning New Zealand whites to get an idea of good muscling, but not fat. If you ever get a chance to put your hands on a NZ (or Californian, etc...)in prime show condition, you will just be amazed at how hard packed these rabbits are!! I know I was!



Since your cutie isn't hitting the show tables, just make sure he isn't bony or that he doesn't have rolls of fat around his butt and neck (which he doesn't!) and he should be at a great, healthy weight for a pet bun.

:yeahthat:

I wonder if Heidi's fat belly is pre-muscular. onder:She grows and eats, grows and eats and then poos.

 

[clarzoo]

Could be- but most muscling is located in the loin and along the back. Palomino's are a commercial breed, so ideally they should get that hard muscling. Commercial breeds have been raised to grow at an extremely rapid rate so they are ready for market sooner. That makes for big eaters and even bigger poopers! Lol!

 

[naturestee]

Ooooo, I know what you mean about those commercial breed muscles! Oberon (New Zealand) feels like he works out on the weight bench every day! I swear he gained at least a pound in muscle since he's been here, and he was full grown when I got him!

Oh, and Loki obviously thinks he's too cute for shows, LOL!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

That's interesting! we have the sheep which are market type (yeah like they would go to market hahaha!) and it's the same. Hard muscle. That's why you teach them to push in the show ring. Flexes the muscles.

 

[hopntailrabbitry]

Nice Holland Lop though



Hey Pam Thanks for showing those pictures. But you can't actually "judge" a good quality rabbit just by looking at the pictures, correct?

Because I can tell sometimes by looking at pictures but sometimes I get too confussed. lol

You should see the picture of Goliath He is very pretty and I LOVE him soo much! So far he is kinda my favorite rabbit, but of course all the other rabbits are my favorites.

 

[clarzoo]

Right, nothing beats seeing a rabbit in person and getting your hands on it. But there are some things that you see well in a properly posed rabbit regardless of whether its on the show table in front of you or in a picture. General profile shape, overall balance, and ear placement are some of the things you can get a good idea of. Muscling, condition, width, coat (texture, color, density), massiveness are all things that are best felt with your hands, as they can be decieving just by looking and not touching!

hopntailrabbitry wrote:

Nice Holland Lop though
Hey Pam Thanks for showing those pictures. But you can't actually "judge" a good quality rabbit just by looking at the pictures, correct?

 

[pamnock]

clarzoo wrote:

Right, nothing beats seeing a rabbit in person and getting your hands on it. But there are some things that you see well in a properly posed rabbit regardless of whether its on the show table in front of you or in a picture. General profile shape, overall balance, and ear placement are some of the things you can get a good idea of. Muscling, condition, width, coat (texture, color, density), massiveness are all things that are best felt with your hands, as they can be decieving just by looking and not touching!

hopntailrabbitry wrote:

Nice Holland Lop though
Hey Pam Thanks for showing those pictures. But you can't actually "judge" a good quality rabbit just by looking at the pictures, correct?

:yeahthat:

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

clarzoo wrote:

Right, nothing beats seeing a rabbit in person and getting your hands on it. But there are some things that you see well in a properly posed rabbit regardless of whether its on the show table in front of you or in a picture. General profile shape, overall balance, and ear placement are some of the things you can get a good idea of. Muscling, condition, width, coat (texture, color, density), massiveness are all things that are best felt with your hands, as they can be decieving just by looking and not touching!

Very well said Clarzoo.