1. CONFORMATION SPORT HORSE TYPE HUNTER TYPE STOCK TYPE SADDLE TYPE
PLEASURE & VERSATILITY TYPE

2. What is Conformation?
Physical appearance of an animal due to the arrangement of muscles, bone, & other body tissue
Improved conformation> increased athleticism
Each breed has ideal characteristics

3. Anatomy

5. Components of Conformation
Neck
Balance
Shoulder
Topline
Hindquarters
Muscle (proportional)

6. Balance Single most important characteristic in equine selection
Forms basis for athletic performance

9. HEAD Lean, clean chisled Triangular
Eyes large and set on corners of face
Profile – straight or slightly dished

10. Neck Assists with balance Long,lean,high set Topline: Bottom line
Correlated to shoulder slope
Topline: Bottom line
2:1

12. CHEST, HEARTGIRTH & RIBS
Chest deep & moderately wide
Rib cage well sprung
Deep heart girth

13. Shoulder Slope critical to balance 45 to 50 degree angle
impacts proportions of neck
Impacts proportions of back
45 to 50 degree angle
Pastern angle:shoulder angle

14. Slope of Shoulder

15. TOPLINE COMPONENTS Withers – Prominent, medium height, clean
Back – Short& strong, muscled
Loin –Short & strong, blends smoothly into croup
Croup – Short & Strong, muscled

16. MUSCLE Quality Muscled throughout Long, clean, defined Quantity
QH vs Arabian

17. FRONT LEGS

18. FRONT LEGS

19. FRONT LEGS

20. FRONT LEGS

21. FRONT LEGS

22. FRONT LEGS

23. FRONT LEGS

24. FRONT LEGS “pigeon-toed” = toes pointed in
"splay-footed“ = toes pointed out

25. HINDQUARTERS

26. Hindquarters- from Side
Level of croup
Length of hip
Angle of hock

27. Hindquarters- from Rear
Angle of hocks from behind
Hindquarters should appear square
Widest from stifle to stifle
Quantity of muscle will vary by breed

28. HINDQUARTERS Sickle - hocked Post - legged
Post-legged: too straight in back
Predisposed to stifled: upward fixation of patella
Predisposed to spavins:
Sickle - hocked
Post - legged

29. HINDQUARTERS Cow-hocked
Sickle-hocked: too much of an angle in the hock joint
Predisposed to curbs: Enlargement below point of hock (ligaments, tendon sheath, skin)
Cow-hocked

30. FOOT CONFORMATION FOOT AXIS = Angle of the dorsal hoof wall
~55-60o forelimb
~55-60o hindlimb
PASTERN AXIS
Line drawn though the center of pastern
FOOT/PASTERN AXIS
Line through the center of the coffin and pastern joint
FOOT LEVEL
Median & lateral wall of equal length
Foot Axis
Foot axis - line through the coffin joint parallel to the dorsal surface of the hoof wall.
Line passes through the center of the coffin joint & the toe of the hoof.
Must = & form a continuous line with the pastern joint
Angle of hoof between the dorsal surface of hoof & ground should parallel the heel, parallel the foot axis.
Pastern axis
Divides the middle & distal phalanx equally
Should be parallel to the foot axis/hoof angle
Foot/pastern axis
Must be straight & equal the hoof wall angle
Foot & pastern axis being equal & continuous is more impt. Than an ideal angle of the hoof wall

31. PASTERN

33. RELATIONSHIPS OF FORM TO FUNCTION
Long, sloping shoulders correlated w/ long, sloping pasterns
Long, trim necks & clean throatlatches –balance, agility & ability to work off hocks
Depth of heart & spring of rib – lung capacity & endurance
Long muscles moves a limb further

34. STRUCTURAL FEATURES THAT ENHANCE ACTION
Long forearms – long strides
Sloping shoulders & sloping pasterns of front leg – graceful, elastic stride
Toe straight ahead in front – truer action