Welcome to: Horse Conformation

Welcome to: Horse Conformation
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Horse Conformation and Judges Perspective
Click on the topic you would like to learn about. Introduction Conformation: Form to Function Practice Class References

References Home Loch, W. (2002). Horses - - Conformation: Form to function. Retrieved from: Heird, J. C., & Anderson, T. M. (2001). Judging halter: A standard of reference for AQHA judges. Retrieved from: Heird, J. C. (1994). Competitive horse judging. Retrieved from: Horsemanship score sheet. Retrieved from: Back

Continue to Conformation: Form to Function
Introduction Home This instructional guide, Conformation: Form to Function, covers the desirable characteristics we seek in the conformation of horses. Throughout this guide you will find a Use these to test your knowledge on the topics covered. LET’S GET STARTED! Quick Review! Continue to Conformation: Form to Function Back Ultimatehorsesite.com

Conformation: Form to Function
Home Conformation: Form to Function Click on the section you would like to learn about. Review the Basics Evaluating Conformation Summary Back Ultimatehorsesite.com

Return to Conformation: Form to Function
Review the Basics Home There are four general areas of the horse to consider when evaluating conformation: Balance Structural Correctness Muscling Breed and Sex Characteristics Before we dive in, lets refresh on a few basics. Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Animals.nationalgeographic.com

Conformation Form to Function Home
Conformation is the physical appearance of an animal due to the arrangement of muscle, bone and other body tissue. Form to Function There is NO perfectly conformed horse. However, the conformation of a horse depicts its athletic ability to perform. Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function 4theloveofhorses.com

Body Parts Home Lets familiarize ourselves with relevant body parts of the horse. Click on an area of the horse’s body to reveal its relevant body parts. Ansci.okstate.edu Continue to Quick Review! Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Home Poll Neck Throatlatch Ansci.okstate.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Withers Shoulder Point of Shoulder Ansci.okstate.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Elbow Forearm Knee Fetlock Cannon Bone Ansci.okstate.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Back Loin Ansci.okstate.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Point of Hip Croup Point of Buttock Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Thigh Gaskin Hock Cannon Bone Fetlock Ansci.okstate.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Body Parts

Home Quick Review! Which of the following is NOT a general area for evaluating conformation? Balance Structural Correctness Temperament Breed & Sex Characteristics Muscling Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Home Sorry… Try Again! icanhascheezburger.com Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Correct! Home Great job! Although the temperament of a horse is a quality you should look for, it does not affect the conformation. wine-ophelia.blogspot.com Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Continue to Evaluating Conformation

Evaluating Conformation
Home Click the general area of evaluation you would like to begin with. Balance Structural Correctness Muscling Breed & Sex Characteristics Extension.missouri.edu Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Balance Home Balance is the most important characteristic to consider when evaluating a horse. It is determined by the skeletal framework of the horse. Since we cannot see the horse’s skeleton, lets identify reference points we can use to evaluate balance. Click on an area to learn more. Return to Evaluating Conformation Aqha.com Continue to Quick Review! Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Slope of Shoulder Home Slope of the shoulder is the most important aspect of balance and indicates the angle of the shoulder blade. This angle is related to the top to bottom line ratios of the neck and back. The slope will also affect the length of stride. The ideal horse has a long sloping shoulder which contributes to a short topline to underline ratio and long, reaching stride. A horse with a steep, upright shoulder will tend to have a short neck, long back, and short, choppy stride. Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Back Top to Bottom Line Ratio Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Back Top to Bottom Line Ratio
Home Ideally, the topline should be short and strong with a long bottom line or underline. The topline includes the withers, back, and loin. A horse with a long back and loin may develop weaknesses and strain over the topline. Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Neck Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Neck Home Some people give much preference to a horse that has a long thin neck. However, when considering balance, attention should be given to the top to bottom line ratio of the neck. Ideally this will be a 2 to 1 ratio. The topline is from poll to withers and the bottom line is from throatlatch to where the neck ties into the shoulder. The placement of the neck on the horse’s shoulder is important when considering head and neck carriage. A low placed neck will result in a horse that possibly has a lower head carriage and is heavy on the forehand when traveling. Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Withers Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Withers Home Ideally, the withers should be sharp, prominent, and slightly higher than the hindquarters. A mutton withered horse will produce difficulties with holding a saddle on. Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Hindquarters Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Hindquarters Home From the side, the hindquarters should have a square appearance and length through the croup and hip. A long croup and hip will allow for more volume in the hindquarter region. Aqha.com Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Slope of Shoulder Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Quick Review! Home What is the most important aspect of balance?
Top to Bottom Line Ratio of Back Length of Croup Slope of Shoulder Prominence of Withers Return to Balance Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Correct! Home Great job! The shoulder is the most important aspect of balance as it is directly related to the conformation of other important components of balance. Pichars.org Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Structural Correctness Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Balance

Sorry… Try Again! Home Back Return to Balance
Horsewallpapers.in Return to Balance Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Structural Correctness
Home Structural Correctness refers to the conformation of the legs and feet. Considerable attention should be given to structural correctness as it is the foundation of the horse. Hind Limb Fore Limb Click on an area to learn more. Aqha.com Aqha.com Quick Review! Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Hind Limb Home Ideally from the side view, you should be able to drop an imaginary line from the point of buttock to the ground and have it touch the hocks, run parallel to the cannon bone, and slightly behind the heel. Ag.auburn.edu From the rear view, ideally a line can be dropped from the point of buttock and bisect the gaskins, hocks, and fetlocks. Naturally horses toe out slightly behind to allow for clearance of the ribcage. This results in a longer, freer stride. Furthermore, the horse should be widest from stifle to stifle when viewed from the rear. Return to Structural Correctness Return to Evaluating Conformation Ag.auburn.edu Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Hind Limb Deviations Home
The following are common deviations found in the hind limb. Remember, No deviation is desirable. Ag.auburn.edu Ag.auburn.edu Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Fore Limb Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Structural Correctness

Fore Limb Home As with the hind limb, the horse should stand on a straight column of bone in the fore limb with no deviations. Ag.auburn.edu From the front view, an imaginary line should drop from the point of shoulder and bisect the knee, cannon bone, and hoof. The foot should be facing straight on. Return to Structural Correctness Ag.auburn.edu Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Fore Limb Deviations Home
The following are common deviations found in the fore limb. Remember, No deviation is desirable. Ag.auburn.edu Return to Structural Correctness Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Fore Limb Deviations Home
Calf-kneed is one of the most undesirable deviations as it causes a lack of support and strength in the leg. Splay footed (toe-out) in a horse will disrupt the flight pattern of the leg, causing it to wing-in. With this, it is common for the horse to hit its front leg together when traveling. Pigeon toed (toe-in) in a horse will disrupt the flight pattern of the leg, causing it to wing-in. Ag.auburn.edu Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Hind Limb Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Structural Correctness

Quick Review! Home Which of these deviations is least desirable? Back
Ag.auburn.edu Return to Structural Correctness Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Correct! Home Great job! Calf-kneed is very undesirable because of the lack of support it causes in the forehand. Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Muscling Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Return to Structural Correctness

Sorry… Try Again! Home Back Return to Structural Correctness
Horsewallpapers.in Return to Structural Correctness Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Muscling Home It is not important for a horse to have a very high volume of muscling, but to have adequate muscling to perform its job. It is important that muscling be balanced and proportionate to the horse. This can be determined by comparing muscle groups and their uniformity. Aqha.com Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Quick Review! Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Quick Review! Home Which horse has more desirable muscling? Back
Animalscience.tamu.edu Animalscience.tamu.edu Return to Muscling Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Sorry… Try Again! Home Back Return to Muscling
Vichorse.com Return to Muscling Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Correct! Home Great job! This horse does show a better balance of muscling from the forehand to the hindquarters. Partyponies.wordpress.com Return to Muscling Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Breed & Sex Characteristics Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Breed & Sex Characteristics
Home Paint Stallion Breed or type characteristics are the style and conformational attributes that are specific to a breed. Sex characteristics are the expression of femininity or masculinity in the horse, usually expressed through the head and neck area. Horses should especially exhibit these characteristics when being considered for breeding. Stallionsnow.com glenlomond.com.au Quarter Horse Mare Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Quick Review! Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Quick Review! Home Which horse shows more masculinity? Back
Gulsbyquarterhorses.com Equine-world.org Return to Breed & Sex Characteristics Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Sorry… Try Again! Home Back Return to Breed & Sex Characteristics
Lolhorses.com Return to Breed & Sex Characteristics Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Correct! Home Great job! You can see his masculinity especially through his jowls (cheeks). Latimesblog.latimes.com Return to Breed & Sex Characteristics Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Summary Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Summary Home Discoverhorses.com A horse’s functionality is directly related and attributed to their conformation. Fads in the horse industry will come and go. In the long run, sacrificing quality conformation for a trend will only result in limited performance abilities. A horse with near ideal conformation will always be in demand. There is no substitute. Regardinghorses.com Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function Continue to Practice Class

Practice Class Stock Type Mares Home Back Continue to Practice Class
Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

1 2 3 4 Home Back Return to Evaluating Conformation
Continue to Placings Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Mark Your Card Home Back Return to Evaluating Conformation
Continue to Placings Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

2 4 1 3 3 2 2 Home Back Return to Practice Class
Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue to Reasons Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

2 4 3 Home Back Reasons for 2 over 4:
2 is a more well balanced individual, as she is more equally divided into thirds when viewed from front to back. Additionally, 2 has a shorter, stronger back with a comparatively longer underline. Regarding muscling, 2 has greater depth and balance of muscling throughout her body. Moreover, 2 is more refined and feminine, and is a smoother blending individual. Return to Practice Class Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue Reasons… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Overall, 4 is a larger bodied mare who more closely follows the substance of 2. Additionally she has a squarer, more proportionate hip with a rounder turn to the croup. Adding to her size, 4 is a more heavily muscled individual, who shows greater definition throughout her body. However, 1 does show more feminine characteristics, as she is more refined about her head and neck, as she is shorter from eye to muzzle and ties cleaner through her throatlatch. Return to Practice Class Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Continue Reasons… Return to Conformation: Form to Function

1 is overall a more balanced individual, as she is more evenly distributed in her body across each third from front to back. She is also more correctly assembled down her legs and hooves, which is most noted when drawing a line from hip to hock to heel. 1 is simply a prettier profiling individual, with superior quality and blending. Return to Practice Class Return to Evaluating Conformation Continue… Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

Home Congratulations! Now you have an understanding of the foundations of judging horses! HAPPY TRAILS! Return to Practice Class Return to Evaluating Conformation Back Return to Conformation: Form to Function

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