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This is meant as a quick guide to assessing a horse's conformation. It was produced for the NEHB Spring Seminar in February 2002, to be used on the night to assess the horses presented for judging. 1. First Impressions Viewed from the side at a moderate distance: Does the horse look to be in proportion? The classical. ‘ideal’ is that the distance from the poll to the wither should equal that from the wither to the hip, and the distance from the hip to the point of croup should be half that. The horse’s elbow should be about halfway between the ground and the withers. Marks out of 20 Is the horse a quality example of its type, be that draught, thoroughbred, cob etc.? Marks out of 10 2. Conformation The horse should be viewed at close quarters, from the side, from the front and the back. Look for good and bad things about its conformation - things that will make it easier or more difficult for it to perform its job or more/ less likely that it will remain sound over a sustained period of work. From a brood mare’s point of view, look for things which make her suitable for carrying a foal. Upper Body: From the side: Is there room for the poll to flex when ridden? High or low set neck? High or low wither? Long or short back & loins? Is there room for muscle on the back, quarters and second thigh (the engine muscles)? well sprung ribs or herring gutted? Marks out of 10 Forelegs: From the side: Angle of the shoulder? Long forearm? Flat knee? Back at the knee? How much bone? Long cannon? Pasterns too long, or too short? Good feet? Any puffiness or swelling around joints or tendons? From the front: Straightness - toed in or out? Width of chest? Big or small joints? Any sign of wear & tear - on joints, splints, ringbone etc? Marks out of 10 Hindlegs: From the side: How much room for muscle? Strong hocks? Any sign of wear - curb, thoroughpin, spavin, windgalls? From behind: Straightness - cow hocked, bow legged? Width & angle of hips - are they level? Marks out of 10 Breeding conformation: Angle of vulva? How much room has the mare for a foal? Marks out of 10 3. Movement: Any deviation from straight movement of the limbs requires more energy from the horse. The possibility of the horse striking into itself means that any deviation inwards from the straight may seriously interfere with the horse. Most importantly, the horse’s athleticism must be guaged. It should be noted that a good walk does not guarantee a good trot or canter. It is also possible to be sound in one pace but lame in another. From the front: Is the horse sound? Is it straight? From behind: Is the horse sound? Is it straight? From the side: How free is the horse’s shoulder? How long is the stride? Does it use its back? Is the horse tracking up/ over tracking? Forging? How well does it push off its hocks? 4. Temperament: Horses must be able to cope with stressful situations if they are to perform. Can the horse/ pony be handled/ ridden by novices/ children? Also, a difficult horse will require a skillfull rider - is the horse sufficiently talented to merit the attention of an Eddie Macken? Marks out of 10
5. Breeding: Has the horse any performance record? Parents? Other animals from the same DAM? What type of animal would you expect to breed from this horse? Competition (requires that the parents have shown talent)? If the foal is identical to the mare in looks, temperament and ability, how saleable will it be? What price is this type of animal typically making at the Sales? Note: This sheet is not meant to be exhaustive in its assessment of each horse; rather it is meant to assist you in working your way through to a considered opinion of each horse, what it is likely to produce, whether it is worth breeding from, and what stallion might best be used. We hope that you have found the above useful. Good luck with your breeding! |