Conformation Evaluation Of Horses

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Conformation EvaluationOf Horses

• Steve Schafer, EdD
• 4-H/Youth Development/Education Specialist

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Conformation Evaluation-Purpose

• Purpose of evaluation (judging) is to identify
  and breed superior individuals
• This should (or, at least, could) increase our
  chances of performance capability
• FORM ----relates to----gt FUNCTION (typically
  or most of the time)

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Factors Used InConformation Evaluation

• Structure
• Travel
• Muscling
• Balance
• Type
• Quality

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Structural Correctness

• There are many characteristics of structural
  correctness that are desirable for most breeds
• Some bones are long for increased muscle
  attachment
• Some bones are short for strength
• Structural correctness also includes the way in
  which the horses parts are put together

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Structural Correctness

• Shoulder, slope should be the same on each
  animal---approximately 45 degree angle.
• - point of shoulder to mid-withers - a long,
  well laid back shoulder allows
• a wider range of movement more
  shock absorption capability

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Structural Correctness

• Neck, is used for a lever and counterbalance
  during movement a thin and clean neck will
  allow the horse to be more supple and flexible in
  its movement - neck should be medium
  length - attachment to shoulder will vary
  depending on breed the lower
  attachment of neck - throatlatch clean for
  flexion

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Structural Correctness

• Back, is the weight bearing area (for rider or
  foaling mares)
• The back (withers to loin) should be short in
  relation to the underline
• A long underline allows more area for stride and
  containment of vital organs
• Heartgirth should be deep hindrib should be deep

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Structural Correctness

• Loin, or coupling area should be well-muscled and
  moderate in length
• The loin is the flexible area in the spine, and
  allows the horse to bring the hindquarters up
  under the body to even out the distribution of
  body weight

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Structural Correctness

• Croup and Hip, areas should be long and well
  muscled to allow for more impulsion from the
  hindquarters
• The croup slope will be different depending on
  breed
• The hip should be measured from tuber coxae to
  tuber ischii hooks-pins

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Structural Correctness

• Front Legs (front view), the chestfloor should be
  relatively wide
• The front legs and feet should be straight down
  from the shoulder, through the knee, through the
  cannon, and through the hoof.

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Structural Correctness

• Hind Legs (rear view), should be wide set apart
  (similar to the front legs)
• Have a straight line from point of buttock
  through hocks, cannon bones, and hoof

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Structural Correctness
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Structural Correctness

• Front Legs (side view), should be straight from
  mid-scapula through the knee, through the fetlock
  and to the ground
• The front pastern should be medium in length and
  be the same slope as shoulder and hoof (generally
  about 45 degrees)

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Structural Correctness

• Hind Legs (side view), should have an angle or
  set to the hock
• The hind cannon should be straight and directly
  below the point of buttock
• The hind pasterns should be of medium length and
  the same slope as the hoof (which will be
  slightly steeper than front)

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Structural Correctness
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Travel

• Can actually be considered as part of structural
  correctness
• Can be considered as part of structural
  correctness because straightness of travel is
  correlated with correctness of structure

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Travel

• We evaluate how horses track by viewing their
  movement from the front, rear and the side
• How a horse travels depends on the straightness
  of their feet and legs are.and how the legs tie
  into the body of the horse
• ASPECTS OF TRAVEL
• STRAIGHTNESS
• WIDTH
• LENGTH OF STRIDE
• SNAP AND FLEXION

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Travel

• Travel should be straight, true, and wide this
  is best determined when using the front and rear
  views to watch the horse move.it can also be
  observed by checking the hoof prints in the
  ground
• Items such as length of stride and overstepping
  can best be determined when using a side view to
  watch the horse move.overstepping can also be
  noticed by listening for the clicking of the
  hooves

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Travel Structure

• Travel and structure are inter-related because
  without proper structure, proper travel is not
  possible.
• In terms of travel and structure proper
  typically refers to or means straight.or
  straightness of joints, such as the knee because
  of all the correct positioning required of the
  tendons, ligaments, etc needed to have proper
  structure and travel.which leads to better
  performance of the horse.

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Muscling

• Quality of Muscling is important in all breeds
• There will be breed differences
• Have enough muscling to do the job required
• It is important to judge like types

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Examination Of Muscling

• Muscling can best be examined on the horse in the
  following areas pectoral forearm
  shoulder loin croup
  hip stifle gaskin

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Quality Of Muscling

• Quality of Muscling includes
• Long, smooth, low-tying muscles
• muscles that tie low into the joint
• Muscling should be balanced throughout the
  body
• hindquarter versus forequarter muscling

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Quality Of Muscling

• The muscling of this horse is long and smooth,
  meaning that is carries down in to gaskin....it
  is not carried high, meaning that is not bunched
  on the rump or croup. Long and smooth muscling
  provides for longer and smoother stridesthus
  obtaining better performance from the horse

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Balance

• A well balanced horse has parts that fit
  together
• Shoulder, back and hip are about the same length
• Heartgirth and legs are about the same length
• Length of body and height at withers are about
  the same measurement

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Type

• Modern Type.which is a horse that is taller than
  it is long
• Old Type.which is a horse that is longer than it
  is tall

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Quality

• Quality is difficult to evaluate until you have
  had some experience at viewing horses
• Quality includes style sex
  character breed character
• usefulness factors

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Style

• Is the relationship of or between the balance and
  the type of the horse
• Is also this combination as it relates to the
  muscling of the horse

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Style

• The 2 most reliable indicators of quality
  are head bone
• Head large eyes, erect ears, cleanness of head
• Bone Cleanness of joints, flat cannon bones

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Sex Character

• Stallion Larger boned larger jaw more heavily
  muscled wider neck
• Mare Feminine in appearance smaller boned
  narrower and more tapered in the face with a
  smaller muzzle
• Gelding Somewhere in between

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Breed Character

• Will be dependent on use of the animal
• For example Major differences between the
  Quarter Horse and Arabian?

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Usefulness Factors

• Gait Defects
• Blemishes and Unsoundesses

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Gait Defects

• A splay-footed horse will travel in what
  manner?
• A pigeon-toed horse will travel in what manner?

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Blemishes And Unsoundnesses

• Blemish an imperfection which may affect the
  value of the horse, but does not affect the
  serviceability
• Unsoundness an imperfection in the horse that
  affects serviceability
• Soundness useful for a certain purpose, as a
  result a horse may be sound for one purpose and
  not for another purpose

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Examples And Location OfBlemishes And
Unsoundnesses

• Head Parrot mouth or overshot jaw
• Blindness
• Shoulder Sweeny - paralysis of the
  suprascapular nerve Fistulous withers -
  bruising or infection of bursa

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Examples and Location OfBlemishes And
Unsoundnesses

• Feet Discolored Hoof
• Hoof Crack
• Founder
• Front Leg Bowed tendon Bucked
  Shins Splints

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Examples And Location OfBlemishes And
Unsoundnesses

• Hind Leg Bog Spavin Bone
  Spavin Capped Hock Windpuffs (Windgalls)

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Location Summary OfBlemishes And Unsoundnesses
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Location Summary OfBlemishes And Unsoundnesses
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Conformation---Summary

• Conformation how form relates/function
• Conformation is founded or based upon
• Structural Correctness (how skeleton fits
  together)
• Travel (how the horse moves)
• Muscling (long/smooth is desired)
• Balance (relationship of the above three items)
• Type (modern type, taller than long, is
  preferred)
• Quality (overall blend and assessment of
  features)