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 –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 – 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

24. “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 Post - legged Sickle - hocked

29. HINDQUARTERS Cow-hocked

30. FOOT CONFORMATION  FOOT AXIS = Angle of the dorsal hoof wall  ~55-60 o forelimb  ~55-60 o 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

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