Conformation of Horses
OVERVIEW
INSTRUCTOR:
UNIT:
LESSON:
Conformation of Horses
IMS REFERENCE: #8893-B
TOPIC NOTES
CONFORMATION OF HORSES
In 1970, a racing legend was born at Meadow Stable in the rolling hills of Virginia. The
newly born foal, long of leg and big of heart, developed into one of the greatest
racehorses in history - a big red colt named Secretariat. Secretariat won the famed Triple
Crown of racing in 1973 (the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes)
and was the first horse in 25 years to do so. He won the Belmont Stakes by 31 horse
lengths, setting a world record that still stands in the year 2002. Secretariat, however, had
a different type of conformation*, or body structure and build, than the typical horse.
Secretariat was not only taller and longer than the average horse, but the proportions of
his body varied from standard conformation. His stifle was shorter than the usual horse,
although his legs were longer overall; his heart girth was shorter than that of a normal
horse, showing a lean profile. Also, he had what is called a “goose rump,” that is, his
croup sloped downward at a steeper angle than that of an average horse. This might
normally be called a conformation fault, but in Secretariat’s case, the combination of the
goose rump and the short stifle allowed him to bring his legs farther underneath him,
lengthening the stride. At the same time, his stride turnover was more rapid because of
this unusual conformation. These conformation irregularities contributed to his success as
a racehorse. As we will see, conformation plays an important role in the ability of a horse
to perform. Before buying a horse, it will be necessary for you to recognize standard
conformation and conformation faults.
“Dancer” the Quarter Horse
Photo by: Stallion eSearch
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My name is Dancer, and I was a racehorse “pony” — although I’m actually a full-sized
black quarter horse. I accompanied (ponied) racehorses as they walked to the starting gate
at post time, at some of the tracks where Secretariat raced. He was a beautiful, stately
horse who was actually quite friendly for a stallion — his coat shone like a copper penny.
Of course I am quite old now, but I would like to help you know how conformation
affects the value of a horse and a horse’s capacity to perform. You all probably realize
that although “a horse is a horse,” humans have manipulated the way we look by the
formation of breeds and selecting particular horses to breed according to performance
ability. Our conformation often gives you a clue as to how we will perform. It is actually
the orientation of our anatomical parts that controls the way we move. Because there are
various types of performance events and conformations, you should look for a horse with
a conformation type that matches the performance event or events in which you’d like to
participate. Did you realize that conformation controls the ease, freedom, and direction of
leg movement of a horse? A horse with conformation defects may actually cause
interference— that’s when one leg hits another during a stride. Those of us with
conformation defects tend to acquire unsoundness. It is good to know the ideal
conformation before evaluating an individual horse’s conformation. You humans are
great at judging horses and making up the so-called ideal; so we’ll look at that ideal
conformation. You will have to view all aspects of conformation, not just one particular
item, because no single item can determine superior quality. Although you might find a
particular horse appealing for one reason or another, if the horse doesn’t have correct
conformation, it may not perform well.
MECHANICS OF EVALUATION
If you really want to evaluate a horse well, you need to follow a few simple procedures. It
is best to first observe the horse from a distance, to get the overall picture — this is
especially important when you’re looking at several horses at once to evaluate. Then,
check out how the horse moves and its action. Next, get up close and inspect for
blemishes and abnormalities. You need to see the horses from different directions, also.
Choose a logical method to do this. For example, you might start with the front view, go
to the rear, check out the side views, watch the horse move, and then make your close
inspection. You figure out a system and then stick with it. Judges at horse shows have
their own systematic ways of viewing a horse; the judge can be more consistent and
effective, and he or she can even remember the evaluation better. You be a good judge,
too, and follow a systematic pattern. Even the horse will appreciate it — we are creatures
of habit, you know.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Before you go any further, you must be familiar with the nomenclature (a fancy word that
means the system of naming) of the external body parts and the bones and muscles that
support our heavy frames. No, you can’t get out of it; you must use these terms when you
speak with other horsey folks, otherwise they will not hold you in high esteem. You may
want to review the illustrations of the external parts, skeleton, and muscles of a horse, as
presented by Cal, the dressage horse, in topic #8893-A.
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GENERAL APPEARANCE OR QUALITY
Quality is an abstract term, but it basically refers to the attractiveness of a horse. Humans
define a “quality horse” as one with a beautifully carried head and neck and alert ears,
among other characteristics. We also exhibit quality if we have balanced proportion and
show style and refinement. Let’s take a tour of horse anatomy and provide some
examples of good and poor qualities in various aspects of conformation.
Head
You will find that judges have different ideas about how a horse head should look. Yet
they all agree that particular characteristics are important and appealing.
Did you know that the exact shape of the head varies depending upon the breed? First,
you need to examine the functional characteristics of the head. The shape of the head
affects our field of vision and our balance. Looking from the front and the side views, the
head should be triangular shaped. Viewing from the side, the jaws should be deep, and
the head should taper to a smaller-sized muzzle. If our heads are too large, our field of
vision is restricted. The head shouldn’t be too long, nor should it be too short. How do
you tell if it is too long or short? Well, no exact measurement exists, but the head should
be in proportion with the neck and the body. What is really important is that sufficient
length should exist between the eyes and the muzzle — this is where the turbinates
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reside. The turbinates heat and cool the inhaled air before it enters the lungs. If the head
is too big, it can even shift our center of gravity forward – similar to a big fish on a
fishing pole as compared to a medium-sized fish. On the other hand, those of us with
extremely long and narrow heads have a large blind spot on the ground in front of us —
the longer head blocks the view.
The shape of the face from the side varies among breeds. Arabian horses have the famous
dish-shaped face; this actually improves vision to the front. The Roman nose is a convex
shape (the opposite of dish-shaped), and on the contrary, impairs frontal vision. Most
people prefer us with straight profile faces. The upper and lower teeth must meet evenly,
or otherwise the horse will have problems eating. If we have an upper jaw that is too
long, that’s called a parrot mouth — I can’t believe you humans would compare a horse
to a parrot! A short upper jaw is an undershot jaw (a much more reasonable name than
parrot mouth, I’ll say). If you decide to breed horses, you should avoid breeding horses
with these faults, because they are heritable.
Humans want horses to have eyes that are large, clear, and set on the sides of the head,
and the head should be wide between the eyes. If our eyes are wide set on the side of the
head, we have an almost 360field of vision with a few blind spots. A “pig-eyed” horse
(here you go again, comparing us to other animals) has small eyes set too far back in the
head. Judges like neat, alert ears - those that curve around and taper to a fine point. They
don’t want a horse’s ears set too far apart, too droopy, or set too close together. Picky,
aren’t they?
Neck
Did you know that the horse utilizes the head and neck as a mechanism for balance? So it
is vital to evaluate the neck.
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An ideal neck is long and trim, with a clean throatlatch (that part below and behind the
jaw where the head and neck meet). A clean throatlatch means that enough space occurs
between the jaw, throat, and neck, allowing us to move our head and neck without
difficulty. Additionally, those of us that have a wasty (thick and fat) throatlatch may have
trouble breathing, as the unnecessary fat and muscle in the throat latch prevents air
movement. People desire a neck that blends smoothly into the shoulder and ties high into
the throatlatch — not necks that make the shoulder look like a shelf! Judges are wary of
horses having close-coupled necks, arched necks, ewe-shaped necks, or swan necks
(animal comparisons again; its tough to take being compared to a sheep, of all things, and
also to a bird). Judges also do not like a neck that is too low or inserts too deep into the
chest.
BALANCE
What is a well-balanced horse? Well, that’s a horse whose body parts all blend together
to form a pleasing picture. What does that mean? We can get a bit more technical about it
to give you a better idea.
Looking at the horse’s profile (side view), you can divide a horse into three equal
regions. Starting at the front of the horse, the first region is the shoulder (A). We define
the length of the shoulder as the length from the point of the shoulder to an imaginary
line that is perpendicular to the withers. Are you remembering your nomenclature of the
parts of the body? If not, you’d better study some more! Going toward the rear of the
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horse, the second region is the back (B). The length of the back is the distance from the
base of the withers to the start of the croup. The third area is the hip (C), and the length of
the hip extends from the flank to the point of the hip. Now, we will compare these areas
and place them all together. A horse should have a long, sloping shoulder (D); a short,
strong back in relation to the underline of the body; and a long, comparatively level croup
(E) - Secretariat notwithstanding. These three areas should equal each other in length. If
the horse meets these criteria, it is well balanced. Judges also look at balance from the
withers to the ground, going from top to bottom. The measures dividing this line are
called “depth of heart girth” and “length of leg.” Ideally, the distance from the withers to
the girth (F), called the heart girth, is approximately equal to the distance from the girth
to the ground (G). A judge would like the horse to be level from the withers to the croup
(known as the top line). Horses that are higher at the withers than at the croup are
“uphill” horses. On the contrary, those of us higher at the croup than at the withers are
“downhill” horses.
Shoulder
A long, sloping shoulder is ideal. You must look at the scapula to evaluate the shoulder.
Some of us have shoulders that are too far forward on our bodies. This makes us look like
we have a long shoulder, but the shoulder is actually short and it has a steep angle. One of
the main areas that absorb concussion in our bodies is the juncture between the shoulder
and the arm.
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With a steep angle, increased wear and tear on the leg occurs due to trauma. Therefore,
horses with a steep arm angle are prone to the types of lameness that poor concussion
absorption causes. (Hey, those horses with steep shoulders are really rough and no fun to
ride!) The concussion travels all the way up the horse and ends up in the rider. Yet, those
of us lucky enough to be born with good shoulder angulation and an adequately long
shoulder have a longer, smoother stride; that’s known as a “good mover.”
Back
We should have short, strong backs as compared to long, tapering underlines (the
underline is the bottom of the belly from the elbow to the udder or sheath).
Did you realize that horses with long backs are not well balanced? A long back breaks up
the smooth line of the top line. We need to have adequate muscling in our backs to
support riders, because the loin is only supported by the vertebral column. The loin
should be short from front to rear, wide across, smooth, and convex, with a firm, elastic
consistency. Without enough muscling, a horse is inclined to become swayback (a back
that sags). Too much length in the back can also affect the gait, giving the hindquarters a
rolling motion. A convex back, called a “roach back,” (Now we’re compared to roaches!
How low can you go?) can cause the lower legs to interfere. A roach back is often a sign
of spinal misalignment. People don’t like a roach back, because it lacks flexibility. A
roach backed horse exhibits a short stride and tends to overreach.
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Hip
We should have long hips in relation to other areas of our bodies. The hindquarters
contain the driving force of our locomotion. You can see this muscling in the length and
definition of the muscle that passes over the croup. We should also have well-developed
stifle muscles that extend down toward the hock. Croup angle influences the motion of
the hind legs. A relatively flat croup encourages a long, flowing stride. Those of us with
steep croups may have short strides. Croup length affects stride length. Short, uneven
strides arise from short croups, whereas long, flowing strides result from long croups.
Heart girth
Ideally, we should be deep in the heart girth, and the heart girth should be large in
circumference. If so, we have enough space to hold the vital organs as this capacity
improves our performance.
STRUCTURAL CORRECTNESS AND TRAVEL
Our skeletal structure really controls our conformation, and as the old saying goes, “No
foot, no horse.” Humans view our feet and legs as crucial parts of our conformation.
Performance horses are athletes; they must have straight legs. Straightness of legs refers
to the alignment of the column of bones in the front and rear legs. Knees and hocks
should be close to the ground for us to cover ground quickly and easily. Again, you may
want to review topic #8893-A in regards to bone nomenclature.
Arm
The arm, also known as the humerus, should be short in comparison to the length of the
shoulder. If my arm is too long, it places the foreleg way too far under my body, and
therefore I carry too much weight on the forehand (the front part of our body). An arm
that’s too short cuts my stride length.
Forearm
My forearm should also be long, and have muscles that attach deep into the knee. This
will promote a long stride, especially if I have a comparatively short cannon bone.
Knees
You should want me with wide, flat, and smooth knees. With a large knee, I have more
surface area for support, thus less stress per unit of area. The radius and cannon bones
should be centered with the knee.
Hocks
What is the appearance of a good hock? It is deep, wide, strong, and well defined. Its
angle, or set, is essential. If my hocks are excessively straight, well, that creates more
traumas to the hock bones; it is all physics, as you may have noticed. Horses are “postlegged” if they do not have enough angle at their hocks. On the other hand, a horse with
too much angle in the hocks is considered “sickle-hocked.” Sickle-hocked horses have a
shorter stride than those of us with a normal angle. If we have sickle hocks, we are more
likely to get an unsoundness called curb; that’s an enlarged ligament.
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Cannon Bones
When you compare the cannon bone to the forearm, it should be short. That’s how the
knees and hocks remain closer to the ground, increasing my stability and creating a
longer stride. My cannon bone should be refined, that is, you should be able to see the
tendons clearly articulated, and the cannon should have a “clean” appearance. The
cannon bone is round, yet it should actually appear flat from the side. This is because the
tendons are posterior (behind) the cannon bones and seem flat. Rear cannon bones can be
larger than the front cannon bones.
Pasterns
Horse folks like the pastern to be moderately long and sloping. If it is too long, however,
the fetlock drops too much, and this pressure causes tremendous strain on the fetlock.
This can also promote the development of bowed tendons. But if the pasterns are too
short, the horse is a rough ride. The pastern angle and shoulder angle should correspond
to each other.
Feet
Make sure to observe the size and shape of our feet very carefully. We should have large
feet in proportion to our bodies. Our feet absorb a lot of concussion, and if they are too
small, they experience more wear and tear. Not many of us have feet that are too big, but
some horse breeders have erroneously selected for horses with small feet with the idea
that a smaller hoof looks neater. Many horses with little feet, however, develop lameness
in the feet.
STRUCTURAL CONFORMATION DEFECTS AND RESULTING TRAVEL
If you’re looking at a horse from the front, our forelegs should be straight. If you draw
two lines from the points of the shoulders down to the ground, these lines should be
parallel and bisect the legs equally. With the side view, your line should bisect the foreleg
and touch the bulb of the heel. You must also evaluate the hind leg from the side and rear
views. From the side view, if you draw your line from the point of the buttocks
downward, it should touch the back of the hock, go parallel to the cannon and touch the
ground from three to four inches behind the heel. With a rear viewpoint, if you draw a
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line starting at the point of the buttocks, that line should bisect the hocks, cannons, and
heels. Many judges consider any deviation of the legs from these straight lines a
conformation defect. Some judges, however, would not fault a hind leg that turns out
slightly when viewed from the rear as long as the cannon bones still run parallel to each
other, for this is a natural conformation in some breeds such as the Trakehner. Our
conformation determines our way of traveling. If we are to be useful, we need to be able
to move well, and that movement has to be straight and true. Additionally, our strides
need to be free flowing and have sufficient snap and flexion. Yet, if we have an extreme
amount of knee and hock action, the judge will discriminate against us.
Front View Defects
Bench kneed (Offset knees)
This is a major fault. The cannon bones reside outside (lateral) to the knee and augment
stress on the inside (medial) of the knee.
Base-wide
Unusual stress on the knee occurs with this defect.
Base-narrow
With this fault, as I move, the foot may break over either the center of the toe or the
outside of the toe.
Toes out
Some of us may have straight legs down to the knee and below that, the cannon bone is
rotated toward the outside, giving a toes out appearance.
Pigeon-toed
If I have this defect, I normally paddle when in motion. A pigeon-toed horse incurs more
stress on the fetlock area.
Bowlegged
These cause too much strain on the knees and reduce our mobility.
Knock-kneed
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When a horse moves, this fault may cause feet to interfere with one another.
Side View Defects
Buck knees
“Over at the knee” and “knee sprung” are other common names for buck knees. Slight
buck knees don’t cause many problems, but the extreme version is another story. In these
cases, motion places strain on the flexor tendons and the sesamoid bone — this can cause
bowed tendons and sesamoiditis. Did you realize that if the condition is severe, the
horse’s knees could actually shake and tremble?
Calf-kneed
This is one of the worst imperfections in the forelegs. Calf knees cause too much strain
on the knees.
Camped out and Camped under
You can often see the camped out condition in horses that are foundered or have
navicular disease. Due to pain, they try to place weight on the back part of the feet, with
the legs at an angle. Legs that are camped under can force a horse to carry too much
weight on the forehand.
Sickle-hocked
If we have this fault, we have too much angle to the hocks, and we are prone to
unsoundness such as curb, bone spavins, bog spavins, and thoroughpins.
Post-legged
Insufficient angle to the hock is the problem. This places extra stress on the hock joint,
causing a predisposition to side bones, stiffness, bog spavins, and lameness.
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Rear View Defects
Base-narrow and Base-wide
In the hind legs, base narrow defects happen frequently and make the chance for
interference greater. Base-wide faults rarely occur.
Cow-hocked
Cow hocks place a lot of strain on the inside of the legs.
Bowlegged
In this condition, the hocks rotate with each stride, placing pressure on the hock joint.
MUSCLING
Well, for those of you that are interested in weight lifting, here’s the scoop on how
humans think our muscles should look. You’d better review the parts of the body again if
you don’t have them memorized, or you’ll be lost. You want muscling to be long,
smooth, and well defined. We should be powerfully muscled, with bulge, ripple, and
definition. However, judges prefer long, well-defined muscling to an extremely shortmuscled horse. In the forearm, I should have powerful muscles that tie deeply into the
knee. I should have sufficient width between the front legs. My chest (pectoral) muscles
need to have bulge and quality (that means that they are long and deep tying). Muscling
in my back and loin is imperative to support the rider’s weight. The connection of the
loin with the hindquarters is the coupling; coupling should be intensely muscled and wide
so that it aids in supporting the loin. Coupling also needs to be short and strong. The
hindquarters propel the horse forward. Different breeds of horses exhibit various degrees
of muscling, and the degree of muscling is also correlated with the events in which we
compete. If you use us for events requiring power (pulling, working cattle, and reining)
we should have larger, bulkier muscles. But if you use us for events that necessitate speed
(sprinting, barrel racing, middle and long distance racing, eventing, and jumping), we
must have long, slim muscles. You can tell if a horse is heavily muscled through the
hindquarters by viewing the width through the stifle and the width through the hips. A
more heavily muscled horse is wider at the stifle than at the hips. Also the thigh muscles
are powerful, wide, and deep. The stifle muscle must also be long, extending down into
the gaskin. Those gaskin muscles should be bulky enough, too, and the muscles should be
apparent on the inside and outside of the gaskin.
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SUMMARY
Did you realize that the judge will take all factors into consideration as he or she
evaluates us? The judge will analyze us part by part, and then will place all of the parts
together to view the whole picture. The best individual horse will be the one that has
balance, structural correctness, muscling, travel, and quality. You can use this evaluation
procedure to look at a single horse as well as to view horses in groups. But when a judge
examines an individual horse, the judge must keep in mind that he or she is comparing
that horse to some ideal image in his or her mind.
SELECTED WEB SITES FOR INFORMATION ON HORSE CONFORMATION
http://horses.about.com/care/anatomy/conformatiionfaults110299a/
http://horses.about.com/care/anatomy/conformationfaults110299c/
http://horses.about.com/library/weekly/aa110299A.htm
http://www.chathostuk.com/~equiriders/anatomy.htm
http://horses.about.com/care/anatomy/conformation061597/
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Sabrina Tuttle, Graduate Technician, Department of Agricultural Education, Texas A&M
University, researched and developed this topic.
Larry Ermis, Curriculum Specialist, Instructional Materials Service, Texas A&M
University, reviewed this topic.
Vickie Marriott, Office Software Associate, Instructional Materials Service, Texas A&M
University, edited and prepared the layout and design for this topic.
Christine Stetter, Artist, Instructional Materials Service, Texas A&M University,
prepared the illustrations for this topic.
Sarah Danek, Graduate Student Worker, Texas A&M University, updated the format of
this topic.
REFERENCES
Baird, R. (2002). Sport Horse Conformation and the Breeder. [Online.] Available:
www.americantrakehner.com. [2002, November 14]
Bradley, M. Horses: A Practical and Scientific Approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill,
1981.
Evans, J. W. Horses: A Guide to Selection, Care, and Enjoyment. New York, NY: W. H.
Freeman and Company, 2001.
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Loch, W. (2002). Horse Conformation: Form to Function. University of Missouri
Columbia.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Angulation – An angular part, position, or formation; also the degree of angle.
Blemishes – Abnormalities (e.g., wire cuts and rope burns) not affecting the
serviceability of a horse.
Bowed tendons – Enlarged tendons behind the cannon bones in both the front and hind
legs, resulting from severe strains that may occur in heavy training or racing.
Conformation – The structure or outline of an animal, determined by the arrangement of
its parts.
Curb – A swelling on the back of the hind leg of a horse just behind the lowest part of the
hock joint that is caused by strain or rupture of the ligament and generally causes
lameness.
Foundered – An inflammation of the sensitive laminae under the horny wall of the hoof
(especially in the front feet) and characterized by ridges running around the hoof.
Heritable – Genetically inherited from parents.
Navicular disease – An inflammation of the small navicular bone and bursa of the front
foot.
Overreach – The hitting of the front foot with the rear foot.
Paddle – Throwing the feet outward as they are picked up.
Perpendicular – Being or set at right angles (90) to a given line or plane.
Post time – The designated time when racehorses are taken to the starting line for a race.
Sesamoiditis – A condition consisting of a fracture of one or both pyramid-like bones that
form a part of the fetlock or ankle joints and join with the posterior part of the lower end
of the cannon bone.
Trauma – An injury or wound to a living body.
Turbinates – Soft, bony structures in the head that are supplied with a large amount of
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blood.
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