# Mini Rex shoulders



## Blaze_Amita (Sep 4, 2010)

Okay, Akane had the right idea I think. I'm just starting to work on my Mini Rexes, and to me they looked to have low shoulders-all of them. 







She is large, she's a brood doe, on top of a bit chubby and in molt. almost 4 year old Tri Doe.






She is in Molt, but broken black doe. This was her first attempt at posing, she's a bit over a year old.






5 Month old Broken Opal doe. 








This is my buck, solid Opal born June 7th. Just a bitty baby still. 

I'm fairly sure they are posed correctly but their shoulders just seemed low looking to me after reading and watching Akane's post. I can go back and try to get top view pictures if you want. 

Go ahead and rip them apart. I know my buck's parents are both BOB winners and what not, so I thought he should have come out fairly decent. If they aren't posed properly, what can I do to do different.


----------



## RAL Rabbitry (Sep 6, 2010)

I like the buck the best. He has a nice compact body and what looks to be good color. The broken opal doe is not bad. Her shoulders are a tad low and narrow looking from the picture but overall she has decent type. The broken black is nice from the midsection back but I don't like the long low shoulders. Some of that could be that she looks like she is fighting you in the picture. The tri has very long shoulders and flat type.


----------



## la~la~land (Sep 7, 2010)

Shew, I went threw the same thing trying to pose all mine a few days ago  I'm still trying to learn how to properly critique them. Are you getting back into mini rexes?


----------



## Blaze_Amita (Sep 8, 2010)

la-la-land, not intentionally trying to get back into them. Poppy I've had since she was born, she's a home grown. Arthur(buck) I got as part of a deal from a few years ago with a youth in New York, Gwenyth is a blue otter/opal baby that was owed to me from someone down here in exchange for one of my chocolate babies last fall. Michelle, the broken black, was one I sold to my sister's boss in Ohio that has decided to get out of the mini rex and offered her back to me, so i took her back. *rolls eyes* I was trying super duper hard to not get back into them. I'm trying to concentrate on my dutch. . . oh well.


----------



## wooly_queen (Sep 8, 2010)

i don't like any of them. XD I think the mini rex are to hard of a breed. lol


----------



## TCRabbitry (Sep 9, 2010)

wooly_queen wrote:


> i don't like any of them. XD I think the mini rex are to hard of a breed. lol



I agree.... personally, I wouldn't keep any of them for a herd of mini rex...


----------



## OakRidgeRabbits (Sep 9, 2010)

*TCRabbitry wrote: *


> wooly_queen wrote:
> 
> 
> > i don't like any of them. XD I think the mini rex are to hard of a breed. lol
> ...


I'd have to "third" this. They are beautiful colors and would probably be fantastic pets!

But honestly, their type is not at all what I would keep in a breeding/show herd. I don't mean to come off harshly or offend you although I do understand that that's not what you wanted to hear! But they all have very long, low, flat type. Mini Rex are a very competitive breed so outstanding type is out there- I would not breed any of the rabbits pictured above.

Like I said though, pretty colors! They are cute bunnies, just not breeding herd quality.


----------



## wooly_queen (Sep 9, 2010)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> *TCRabbitry wrote: *
> 
> 
> > wooly_queen wrote:
> ...


yes, yes, yes...that. ^^^


----------



## akane (Sep 9, 2010)

Since I got named on this thread I thought I'd put in my opinion even if it's not popular. Everyone says mini rex are competitive and few here liked my rabbits (I'm sad I missed the real drama ) but several of them have or are from rabbits that have shown well in the area. I found out my chocolate buck has a BOB. :dunno Every animal has faults and just because perfection is out there doesn't mean it's in your area. After showing horses for years I found all you had to do was cross a county line and the quality of the horses in the ring could vary an impressive amount. Horses that took first place consistently in one county or state could be the worst at the show in another. 

That in mind I would definitely replace the broken black, but consider keeping your opals. Then get some does and a 2nd buck with better shoulders to improve the next generation. However before making any decisions I would take a look at what is showing in the area first as a comparison. If possible it would be a good idea to get the opinion of a local judge. You may find you are starting with the bottom of the barrel and are better off replacing all your stock or picking a different breed if you want to get anywhere in the show ring or you may actually be above average and just need to make sure your breeding program is improving each generation. I'm working on getting more local, in person opinions myself before I make final decisions but I have found a few people nearby selling off good compact bucks and does of the colors I want after they finish a few more shows this fall.


----------



## Blaze_Amita (Sep 9, 2010)

Akane, sorry about mentioning your name (and missing the wonderful drama as you put it). it's okay, I don't mind that they ripped them apart. Yes, Michelle (brk Black) was fighting me, her old owner didn't handle her much so me starting to handle her has been quite the trip. I'm trying to teach her that holding and hands are not a bad thing. that picture got snapped right before she bit me. SO her I'm going to keep trying to get her to pose correctly. I am looking for a buck with good shoulders still for the opal doe. The Tri doe, she was a bit difficult to move her around, she's a tad overweight. but that's okay shes just a pet now, she's almost 4 years old. 

I'd like them to be harsh and I know there isn't much in the way of competition around here in KY, I'm one of two thatI have found within a 20 miles radius of Mount Sterling that raises Purebreds, most people have mutts. I do know there are some nice rabbits around, La~la~land has my old buck, Oreo, in her avatar. Oreo's sister is Gwenyth's mother so I know there is some decent type in there. 

Anyway, I'm blabbering some here, but thank you for all the wonderful comments, and expecially teh horse comparison, I also have horses and I do watch other people show so I never thought of it that way.


----------



## OakRidgeRabbits (Sep 9, 2010)

*akane wrote: *


> Since I got named on this thread I thought I'd put in my opinion even if it's not popular. Everyone says mini rex are competitive and few here liked my rabbits (I'm sad I missed the real drama ) but several of them have or are from rabbits that have shown well in the area. I found out my chocolate buck has a BOB. :dunno Every animal has faults and just because perfection is out there doesn't mean it's in your area. After showing horses for years I found all you had to do was cross a county line and the quality of the horses in the ring could vary an impressive amount. Horses that took first place consistently in one county or state could be the worst at the show in another.


You're dead on- that's exactly what can happen. Sometimes the local competition varies drastically from the general competition out there. Especially if you live in an area that's maybe not as rural as others, or what have you.

However, that's still no reason not to start with quality. Mini Rex in general are a very competitive breed in many places, and the quality is there. I have not worked with them, but they seem to be pretty consistent producers, so if you start with quality, you will only improve from there. Sometimes that involves spending a little extra to have starting stock shipped to you or transported to you.

But it is our job, as breeders, to breed for the betterment of the breed. Is it acceptable to breed pet quality rabbits simply because that is what's available locally? Or is it more honorable to work on getting the best quality possible, even if it may involve a slightly larger investment (of time or money)? That is something every breeder must decide for themself.

For example, I'm not a fan of the Jersey Wooly type local to me. But I LOVED what I was seeing in pictures from friends around the U.S.- the woolies were gorgeous. To really get started with my woolies, I wanted the best I could get. So I had to figure out transportation for my starter herd from North Carolina- about 8 hours away. It did take a little extra time and a little extra money, but I did it! And I'm so happy I did. Now, not only am I able to do well on the tables and help to better the breed, but I will also be able to help improve the overall type in my area and bring it up to where it is in other places.

Just some food for thought. Again, I don't mean to rip anyone's rabbits apart, critique-wise. But when breeding, I think it's valuable for every breeder to have an honest opinion of what they're working with so that they can improve. No one's rabbits are perfect, there is always room for improvement.


----------



## la~la~land (Sep 10, 2010)

Ahh, I see  I was going to get out of mini rexes and start in on holland lops but they kind of just sucked me back in  I'll probably make a similar thread soon for my MRs I recently bred Oreo to my new brkn blk doe and I think its a pretty good match  I always love getting opinions on my rabbits, good or bad.



EDIT: Wow, I just noticed how many smilies I used in that post XD


----------



## BSAR (Sep 11, 2010)

The reason they look long and everything is because they are not posed at all! Take a look at my post I just made on lalalands thread to see how to pose them correctly.


----------



## OakRidgeRabbits (Sep 11, 2010)

*BSAR wrote: *


> The reason they look long and everything is because they are not posed at all! Take a look at my post I just made on lalalands thread to see how to pose them correctly.


Most of them are actually posed perfectly- front toes in line with the eyes and back toes in line with the hips. Scrunching them a bit more would make them appear shorter, but would not exhibit their true type.

Here is a good website describing posing and overall type in MR:

http://cottonwoodfarms.tripod.com/pencil.html


----------



## BSAR (Sep 11, 2010)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> *BSAR wrote: *
> 
> 
> > The reason they look long and everything is because they are not posed at all! Take a look at my post I just made on lalalands thread to see how to pose them correctly.
> ...



Having them as they are currently is not exhibiting their true type. I have posed Mini Rex and this is not at all how they look when I pose them. I will give you the link to my website so you can see the proper way. Mini Rex are supposed to be scrunched up a bit more. Not just flat like that. And none of these rabbits have their front toes linked up with the eyes nor the back with the hips. Its not just about the placing of the paws! 

Here is the link: http://bluecamasrabbitry.weebly.com/does.html


----------



## OakRidgeRabbits (Sep 11, 2010)

*BSAR wrote: *


> *OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *
> 
> 
> > *BSAR wrote: *
> ...


Without placing the paws correctly, the rabbits will either be over or underposed. The reason these MR are flat is because they are overall flat and long in type, like I was describing in my earlier post. I know not every one is perfectly posed, but on the whole, they look posed correctly.

Your MR have very nice type and are also properly posed, but they are shorter and have more depth to the body than the rabbits pictured here. Scrunching these rabbits up a little more might make them appear slightly shorter and slightly more deep, but it will also accentuate the length of the shoulder and make the HQ look even more undercut.


----------



## BlueCamasRabbitry (Sep 12, 2010)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> *BSAR wrote: *
> 
> 
> > *OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *
> ...



Agreed with OakRidge.  

These rabbits are posed correctly, despite the Opal, but they are long in the body, and lack depth, and have long & low shoulders. Their front paws could go up a little bit more (except the broken black is posed correctly), but they are still going to be long in the body, low & long in the shoulders, and lack depth. The reason these rabbits look the way they do when posed like this is because of their poor type.  It's all about the body type, when they're in the posed position. 

Emily


----------



## BSAR (Sep 12, 2010)

Alright thanks for clearing that up. I honestly think they could be posed better but I do see that their type is bad and I saw that from the beginning I just thought it would look better if they were posed better.


----------



## Blaze_Amita (Sep 12, 2010)

Well Gwenyth is still fighting some more, but I tried posign them up to what I've seen and read on the websites and this is how they came out this time. 






Shockingly, Michelle didn't fight at all. She bunched herself right up, I do wonder if her old owner showed her at all.






He fought me when I tried him the other direction. Not sure why, He sat nice this way though . . . weird. I'm good at weird apparently. Arthur is starting to molt out baby fuzz, you can see the nice darker color on his back. In his darker spot he has GORGEOUS ringlets. I wanted them to get a break for sitting nice for one picture so they got the idea it was a good thing so I haven't had the chance to get top and butt views. This coming weekend for Top and Bun Butt pictures


----------



## shadowsbunnies123 (Nov 21, 2013)

OakRidgeRabbits said:


> *TCRabbitry wrote: *
> I'd have to "third" this. They are beautiful colors and would probably be fantastic pets!
> 
> But honestly, their type is not at all what I would keep in a breeding/show herd. I don't mean to come off harshly or offend you although I do understand that that's not what you wanted to hear! But they all have very long, low, flat type. Mini Rex are a very competitive breed so outstanding type is out there- I would not breed any of the rabbits pictured above.
> ...



I love mini rex! I breed and show them, at first they are super,super difficult to breed but once you get the right rabbit with good shoulders and everything, breed it to all your does(if a buck) or all your bucks(if a doe) and from then on cull hard!


----------

