1. Horse Judging
Evaluating
Halter Horses
Presented by: Katherine Whitby

2. Criteria for Evaluation
1. Balance
2. Muscling
3. Structural Correctness
4. Breed and Sex Characteristics

3. What is Balance? Shoulder, Barrel, Hip in proportion
Top to Bottom-line Ratio
Symmetrical Shoulder and Hip Angles

4. (balance, balance, balance!)
Muscling
Muscling should be adequate for body size
Bigger doesn’t ALWAYS mean better!
(balance, balance, balance!)
Be careful to distinguish FAT from MUSCLE
Check out forearms and gaskins
- these are the last areas a horse expresses muscling
- if they’ve got muscling there, they’ve got it EVERY where!

5. Structural Correctness
Proper “form” increases the potential for greater “function”.
Correct bone structure allows for correct movement and ideally the longevity of the animal.
A crooked legged horse may still be able to run a race, however it may not last as long, due to added stress on it’s legs and joints!

6. Ideal Leg Structure
Front
Rear
Side

7. Font View: Form to Function

8. Rear View
Base Narrow
Base Wide
Cow Hocked

9. What is Breed and Sex Character?
Breed Character:
Horse should represent characteristics associated with that breed of horse.
For Example…
Arabian
Quarter Horse
Morgan
Sex Character:
Stallion – large jowl, heavier muscling, exaggerated masculine features
Mare – typy head, feminine features
Gelding- masculine features

10. Check out these Breed Characteristics!

11. Arabian
Dished face
Arching neck
Short flat croup
Refined bone

12. Quarter Horse Stocky build Compact body type with expressive muscling
More angulation through hip

13. Morgan Heavier Shoulder Flatter croup Arching Neck
Stretched out stance

14. Let’s Review! What are the four criteria for evaluating Halter Horses?
Balance
Muscling
Structural Correctness
Breed and Sex Characteristics

15. Evaluate 4 Aged Quarter Horses2. 1. 3. 4.

16. Official Placing 2. 1. 3. 4.

17. Reasons: 3 / 2 Both Excellent Quality 3 exhibits more length of hip3. 2.
Both Excellent Quality
3 exhibits more length of hip
3 expressively muscled in hindquarters

18. Reasons: 2 / 1 2 possesses greater balance2. 1.
2 possesses greater balance
2 shows more powerful hip design
2 spreads greater mass of muscling over
his frame

19. Reasons: 1 / 4 1 exhibits greater overall quality; closer typifying4. 1.
1 exhibits greater overall quality; closer typifying
our top two individuals
1 stands more structurally correct
1 neck ties in higher and tighter to his
more desirably sloped shoulder.
1 shows more length and muscling through his hip