1. Horse Selection & Judging
By: Jillian Skahill & Hannah Bieber

2. Lesson Goals
EQ: Why is it important to know what qualities to look for in a horse when judging and selecting a horse?
Key Vocab: Sound, Training, Lame, Pleasure Horse, Performance Horse, Judge, Balance, Topline, Underline, Definition, Grade, Registered, Face Markings, Leg Markings, Confirmation

3. Activity 1
You will receive a paper with pictures of horses on it (side view)
Pick which horse you think is the best based on your common knowledge of judging horses
On a separate piece of paper, write WHY you chose that horse

4. Things to Consider 1. Selection Process
Pedigree, Performance,& Health records
Color (depending on breed),Size
Confirmation and/or Faults
Appear Sound?
Experienced Owner/Rider vs. Novice Owner/Rider
Grade or Registered
Where are you getting the horse?

5. Things to Consider 2. Experience Success in the Show Ring
Level of Training
3. Use
Horse must be sound enough to perform their expected activities
Breeding
Show, Pleasure, or Stock
stock- used to drive cows

6. Other Considerations Overall appearance Experience level of the rider
Age/Sex Characteristics
Action
Price

7. Facial Markings

8. Leg Markings

9. Poll Withers Croup
Key ID
Knee
Hock
Cannon Bone
Pastern

10. Background to Judging Used to determine certain qualities
Purposes: Show, registration
Horse judging: “judging” the horse by looking for desirable traits & comparing to the standard for the breed
Color:
owner/rider prefrence
has nothing to do with disposition, performance, or soundness
color is usually owner/rider preference

11. Background to Judging Grade/ Registered
Grade: unpapered
Registered: papered, meets certain breed standards
Balance: everything flows,nothing out of place
Sound: no condition that interferes

12. Judging Basics Topline Balance Definition Action
action= movement of horse

13. Judging: Side Basics Stance
Straight line down from shoulder to middle of knee down to middle of hoof
Hindquarters down to hock, cannon bone, & back of hoof
Balance
Topline: one continuous straight line starting at the poll, ending at the trailhead
Back, hip, heart girth, shoulder, & neck must all be strong, defined, & flow with everything so that nothing is out of place

14. Side View

15. Judging: Front/ Rear
From the shoulder/croup to the knees/hocks to the cannon bones to the middle of the hoof
Everything should be aligned (front & back)

16. Judging: Tracking/Action
The horse should move straight toward and away from you
Observe whether the horse toes-in or toes-out as it walks

17. In Conclusion... Mainly used in show (4-H & FFA events)
Can help determine best horse for owner/rider
Everything should flow, be inline, defined
If everything is well balanced (and good confirmation), then the horse can perform well and be good quality

18. Activity 2 Watch the following video (https://youtu.be/irPAAHkCF-Q)
Write the good and bad traits the horses had on the graphic organizer in the designated box (labeled 1, 2, 3, & 4)