The anatomy of the Horse-Part II

Something about a good conformation

The first thing when judging a horse's conformation is to identify what type or breed of horse you are looking at. Every breed has some special characteristics that you should search for, and mainly if you do not find them, there is some kind of conformational fault. For example, Arabs have a high-set and carried tail because they have one less vertebra in the back than other breeds. Therefore, if you are looking at an Arab horse, and it had a low and poorly-set tail, then it is safe to assume that this is an area of poor conformation

Next, you should know what sex is the horse. Mares invariably have a slightly longer back than geldings, and it is a good idea to don't forget this. Secondly, you should know how old is the horse too. A very old one sags naturally in the back and will have lost muscle tone. This point is also very important in discussing the conformation.

The head: should appear to be in proportion to the rest of the body. The ears should be alert and pricked. The horse should have a broad and flat forehead (a bulging forehead may tell you he has a bad temper and he is unpredictabil), with large "kind" eyes well apart to allow good peripheral vision. The nostrils should be large enough to allow for maximum intake of air, and the mouth should be neither too long, but also too short. A horse with a very small mouth may be difficult to fit bits to, and one with a long mouth can often be strong and a "puller". The incisors of the top and the bottom jaw should meet exactly at the front of the mouth, with the top jaw somewhat wider than the bottom jaw. There should be at least a fist-sized space between the 2 bones of the lower jaw, indicating unrestricted room for the start of the respiratory tract.

The head should be "well set" to the neck, meaning that the horse should not be thick in the jowl and gullet region, which would restrict flexion. The neck should be long enough to allow for a "good length of rein" m with a well-developed top line and a gentle curve from the withers to the poll. In this direction, the length of the neck should be equal to one-and-a-half times the front of the face to the lower lip. The neck should be  also "well set" to the shoulder, being neither too low nor too high.

You may want to see also:

• The first part of this post
• The last part of this post

this short description was made according to "The Encyclopedia of  Horses & Ponies" by Tamsin Pickeral

The anatomy of the Horse - Part I

The skeleton of the horse is intrinsically linked to the horse's performance, well-being and appearance. It supports the body, maintains body shape, allows for movement, and provides points of attachment for the muscles and tendons. 

Conformation

1. How tall is a Horse?

Horses and Ponies are measured in units called "hands". One hand is the equivalent of four inches or ten centimeters. For example if we have a pony that has 15.5 hh (hands high) that means 15 hands and 5 inches high. Whether being measured in hands and inches, or in centimeters, the height is always taken from the ground to the hightest point of the withers, and for an accurate reading, the horse should be measured standing on a flat level surface, and without shoes. 

    2.  Conformation

The conformation of a horse is the way the horse has been put together, which is effectively the bone structure beneath the skin. A horse can be described as having "good conformation", meaning that he is considered to have been put together correctly, and in proportion and balance for the job he has been bred to do. On the other hand, "bad/poor conformation" describes a horse that has certain weakness in its frame, and that may lead to injury, or at the very least, an impaired ability to do his job.

   3.  Condition

The condition of a horse is governed by several factors like:

• what type pf work he is doing
• what he is fed
• his state of health
• how well he is being looked after

So taking in consideration, a horse that is eventing fit, in good health and eating the correct amont of food, will have good solid muscle development, and could be described as being in "good/hard condition". Also, a well-fed, healthy horse that is not working hard, and , therefore, does not have well-developed muscles, cold be described in "good, but soft condition". To the untrained eye, it is easy to mistake a horse lacking in muscle development and having poor conformation. The same is with an overweight horse with an excess of fatty tissue around the stifle and on the crest can be mistaken for being of "good conformation". 

As a conclusion it is very important to not forget that "conformation" and "condition" are two totally different things.

You may want to see:

• The second part of this post
• The last part of this post

• this short description was made according to "The Encyclopedia of  Horses & Ponies" by Tamsin Pickeral