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I am in need of Crit please on my horses


What do i use to draw them? - I use MS paint - free hand
Wht do I think I need crit on most? - The legs and overall anatomy

I would also love if anyone can redline any of these- thanks


By the way - my name is africanqueen00 (on deviantart) inc ase your wondering why they are (c) on one pic

These are very good drawings.

I'm no expert on horse anatomy, Kirada would be the one to ask. They're not bad, but the legs seem kinda dog-like. Other than that your anatomy is great.

How ironic is this that I saw "Critique Please" and then all but stumbled into this topic? Rofl

I'll be glad to give you a redline and some tips, Shammy.

The most important thing to know is that horses are not canines and are built entirely different. They carry themselves, interact/communicate, and survive differently. It's a great resource to have the opportunity to study horses in real life (such as I have) of various ages and breeds. Different kinds of horses move differently; a "gaited" horse, such as a Tennessee Walking Horse, will move differently in a trot than a non-gaited horse, such as an American Mustang. (Any horse can be taught more than the 4 basic gaits; others are bred for them.)

I'll edit this post and include some tips once I've finished your redlines. Feel free to contact me for any other questions you may have. (:




Image 1



In order to strike ("kicking out" with the front feet) the horse needs balance. It will either be standing or rearing (standing erect on its hind legs) to do this action. A horse's balance is everything to them; if they feel off balance they panic. I've picked up horses' feet (to clean them) to have the horse try to lay down on me. Not to kill me, but simply because they don't know how to react to a sudden loss of balance. This has happened twice in a year because the horses would lack confidence in their ability to balance on 3 legs.

In the pose this horse is displaying, the back is still very rigid and the legs have some motion, but they will stay fairly close to the body. You can watch videos of horses rearing to see what I mean. Videos such as this.

I also suggest you spend some time researching equine anatomy (like I did). There are little tips -- such as how the front cannon is shorter than the rear leg cannon -- that are "need to know." Looking up body language of equines.

When drawing a horse picture keep in mind these things:

- Most horses -- especially feral -- rely on silent communication (body language) to avert predators but still communicate with the herd.
- To communicate, horses use the following: body angle, tail, ears, eyes, leg position, mouth, and overall body language.
- While domestic horses call for their friends (sound location), feral horses do not.
- When a foal does something wrong, the punishing mare (usually the lead mare) will chase the foal out of the herd. The foal, now vulnerable to predator attacks, will apologize by "licking" (chewing and nodding its head). The mare will turn at a 45-degree angle to invite the foal back into the herd.
- The lead mare makes all of the decisions; where to eat, she gets first pickings. Where they will run to if danger approaches. Where to drink. So forth. The stallion's only purpose is to protect and breed.