What is Horse Conformation ?

Feet – A horse's hooves need to be strong enough to endure a lot of strain.

A 500 kg thoroughbred will exert 100 times the force of gravity on each hoof with each stride when running at maximum speed, therefore the foot must be appropriately designed to resist this concussion and to absorb the shock of impact.

Think about the hoof's size, shape, and proportion. A circular, slightly oval, and somewhat deep form should be present on the underside of the hoof.

Pasterns – The angle of the pastern should be 45 degrees (example A; example B shows a too-sloping pastern; example C shows a too-upright pastern). Its length should be appropriate; if it is too short, it may absorb too much concussion, stressing the bone structure, while a pastern that is too lengthy may indicate weakness and tendon tension. 

Cannon bones – The cannon bone should ideally be short, powerful, and massy. Of all the bones in a horse's body, the cannon bone carries the highest weight. The bone should cleanly and centrally exit the lower knee or hock.

Knee – The bones in and leading to the knee should be evenly spaced apart; they shouldn't tilt forward or back, or be significantly offset to one side or the other ("over the knee" or "buck-kneed").

Shoulder – The shoulder should be sloped or angled in the same way as the pastern (see diagram below). The optimal shoulder slope is between 45 and 50 degrees. In most cases, the shoulder's angle and the pastern's angle will match. Stride length is strongly influenced by shoulder shape. The stride lengthens with shoulder straightness. Additionally, a straight shoulder stresses the bones in the leg and shoulder and absorbs concussions rather than dispersing them. 

Neck – A horse's neck needs to be wide enough to provide it enough air and be securely fastened at the withers.

A horse's stride is longer and more rhythmic and it is simpler for them to keep their balance when galloping if their neck is well-muscled and proportionate. While racing, a smooth, rhythmic stride will reduce tiredness. The likelihood of damage rises and performance declines with fatigue. Simply put, does the neck fit the body as a whole?

Head – The head should have enough width to allow for proper airflow. The back of the jaw should typically be around the size of a hand in width. Nostrils need to have a certain size. A head is described as being "attractive." This typically indicates a short, well-set head with large, bold eyes, a close relationship between the eye and the nose, large nostrils, and a refined muzzle with a shallow mouth. In general, the horse's "attractive" head does not provide any physiological advantages. Similar principles apply to both attractive and "ugly" heads.

Eye – You want the eyes to be wide and bright. Look for a perceptive, knowledgeable eye. An anxious and flighty horse is frequently one with a lot of white around the eye. 

Back – The length of the horse's neck from the poll to the withers should match the distance from the withers to the top of the croup or hips. The slope of the shoulder is directly proportional to the length of the back. The back is longer when the shoulder is steeper.

A horse with a long back is typically less balanced than a horse with a short back.

Hips/Rump – The croup or hip should be wide, with a moderate slope—not too steep or flat. The rump muscles should be complemented by the gaskins, which should project strength.

Hocks – A Bloodstock horse's hocks should fall somewhere in the middle of being either as straight as a post or as profoundly curled as to be considered "sickle-hocked." The cannon bone should run parallel to the line you would draw if you dropped it from the point of the buttocks to the ground, and it should be just behind the heel. 

Feet – Look for symmetrical or balanced feet on both sides. Avoid feet that are poorly cracked, dished, or formed.

Cannon bones – The cannon bones should be straight and the same length when viewed from the front. Watch out for splints on the cannon bones' front, under the knee. Example (A) depicts a horse with bow legs, Example (B) a horse with knock knees, and Example (C) depicts a horse with offset or bench knees. 

Knees – It is ideal if the knees are positioned directly on top of the cannon bones, rather than offset in either direction.

Chest – A horse should have a large, powerful-looking chest. It is believed that horses with slab sides or narrow chests lack force.

Shoulder – Look for harmony, symmetry, and good muscle tone in the shoulder. The front leg should be divided down the middle from the point of the shoulder to the toe. Additionally, the toes should have the same width on the ground as they do at their point of origin in the chest.

Hocks – When viewed from behind, the hocks should appear to point directly in your direction and not turn out or inward, also known as "cow hocks" or "open in the hocks" or "bow-legged." Ideally, the gaskin, hock, and hoof should be divided by an imaginary line drawn from the tip of the buttocks to the ground. 

Hip/Buttocks – Take note that the horse's power and athleticism are largely derived from its back. Key characteristics are development and definition.

Front/Rear view – The horse should come straight at you and go away. Check to see if the horse walks with its toes pointed inward or outward. In example A, a horse with perfectly aligned legs and feet will step forward. Example B illustrates how a horse that toes out will tend to "wing in," increasing the chance that the swinging leg will collide with the supporting leg during the stride. In example C, a horse that toes in tends to "wing out" or "paddle," putting more strain on the limbs' exteriors. 

Side view – Check the overstep in the side view by seeing whether the rear feet extend past the front hoof prints. Look at the top of the horse. Make sure it doesn't bob oddly when walking as this could be an indication of pain or disability.

Walk – During a walk, watch for a steady, extended stride. Horses that walk "broad" in front should be avoided.

It's time to start training once you've chosen the ideal equine partner, just like our stable stars. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about horse conformation or anything else. The FAB staff is always willing to assist.