Horse Conformation: Structure, Soundness and Performance Free

FREE HORSE CONFORMATION: STRUCTURE, SOUNDNESS AND PERFORMANCE PDF

Conformation is defined as the correctness of bone, musculature, and proportions. While many characteristics of good conformation are the same across all breeds, other characteristics that are desirable in one breed may not be desirable in another. However, the ideal standard in evaluating horses in halter classes should include a positive combination of these criteria:. To most people, balance is the most important category as it indicates how proportional a horse is. In most cases, the more correctly balanced a horse is, the more athletic it will be, no matter what its purpose or discipline. To evaluate balance:. Muscling is important to evaluate in all breeds and types of horses, and more relative muscling is always desirable, including in the Fine and Society breeds. When evaluating muscling, consider both muscle volume and muscular definition. By contrast, a gymnast may have less volume but greater definition to his or her muscle Horse Conformation: Structure. Like muscling, structure should be evaluated from the front, profile, and rear. One of the best places to start the evaluation of structure is to look at the angle of the shoulder. Riegel, Hip shape: Square hips. See Figure 12 for the square box that depicts the hips. Figure These terms refer to the overall appearance of the horse. We specifically look at things Horse Conformation: Structure thickness of hair coat, texture of the skin, and tightness of the skin especially in areas of the face, joints, and lower legs. Each breed has its own proper characteristics; for example, stock horses are different from Arabians. Following are some characteristics of Horse Conformation: Structure breeds such as draft horses, fine or society breeds, and stock horses. Draft horses were initially bred for Soundness and Performance. They are typically taller, heavier boned, and have a rounder type of muscle pattern Horse Conformation: Structure light horse breeds. These horses are also known as cold-bloods, and the criteria for quality are largely Soundness and Performance. Draft horses will have the thickest skin and haircoat and Horse Conformation: Structure have more fleshiness in the face than lighter breeds of Horse Conformation: Structure. However, within a draft horse class, horses that exhibit more quality and refinement are preferred. Figure 15 shows an example of a Belgian draft horse. The Arabian breed is on the other end of the spectrum for quality and refinement. These horses have a very thin haircoat, and you can often see the skin right through the hair, especially around the eyes and muzzle. There is no excess hair on the lower legs, and the Horse Conformation: Structure should be clearly defined. Fleshiness in Horse Conformation: Structure face and Horse Conformation: Structure the lower legs should be penalized. These breeds are known for their brilliant movement and their high tail carriage. Stock breeds, such as the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, and Paint, Soundness and Performance to be wider framed and more heavily muscled. Figure 16 shows an example of a Quarter Horse. Evaluate travel or movement from the side, front, and rear. In shows, evaluate at the walk and trot, and in addition to quality of movement, evaluate the horse for soundness. Skip to content Conformation is defined as the correctness of bone, musculature, and proportions. The horse must move straight and true. This is essential regardless of the competition the horse will ultimately perform. Gaits: The walk should be a natural flat-footed, four-beat gait. The walk must be alert, with a stride of reasonable length for the size of the horse. Obvious lameness is cause for disqualification. However, the ideal standard in evaluating horses in halter classes should include a positive combination of these criteria: Balance Muscling Structure i. To evaluate balance: When viewed from the side, the length of the shoulder, back, and hip should all be equal. Figure 1 demonstrates this conformation. Figure 1. This can be demonstrated by the red lines in Figure 2. Figure 2. This can be demonstrated by the blue line in Figure 3. Figure 3. Ideally, the back of the horse should be shorter than its underline. See the white lines in Figure 4. Horse Conformation: Structure 4. The heart girth should equal the length from the underline to the ground. See Figure 5. Figure 5. See the following videos on balance: Video of Horse Conformation: Balance, part 1, as seen on eXtension. Horse Conformation: Structure of Horse Conformation: Muscling, as Soundness and Performance on eXtension. Video of Horse Conformation: Structure, as seen on eXtension. Video of Horse Conformation: Stride evaluation, as seen on eXtension. The horse to the left is steeper in the slope of its shoulder, whereas the horse on the right exhibits more desirable slope of shoulder. Conformation of the horse

Soundness and Performance helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Horse Confirmation by Equine Research. In athletics as in architecture, form follows function, and nowhere is that truth Soundness and Performance important than in equestrian sports. The better a horse's conformation how the animal measures up to, or "conforms," to the ideal standards of Horse Conformation: Structure breed or typethe better it will be able to perform. Using hundreds of photographs and drawings, this masterfully produced book will show In athletics as in architecture, form follows function, and nowhere is that truth more important than in equestrian sports. Using hundreds of photographs and drawings, this masterfully produced book will show you how to develop the "eye" that any horseman needs to assess equine conformation and anatomy. Its comprehensive text focuses on ideal and abnormal conformation features; balance and symmetry; the relationship between conformation faults and athletic ability; colors and markings; as well as anatomical elements, teeth, and aging; body systems; Horse Conformation: Structure the relationship between structure and function. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published September 1st by Lyons Press first published More Details Original Title. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Horse Confirmationplease sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Feb 23, Samantha rated Soundness and Performance it was amazing. This is a very thorough and in-depth book. It includes a lot of info about not only proper Horse Conformation: Structure, but a lot on undesirable conformation. There are descriptions of bone structure, muscling, and even chapters on breeds, types, and color and markings. The pictures are helpful and informative. I found this book to be very helpful in its descriptions. Jess rated it really liked it Jul Soundness and Performance, Brittany rated it really liked it Apr 22, Lee Smeal rated it it was Horse Conformation: Structure Apr 08, Allison rated it really liked it Feb 11, Jessica rated it really liked it Jun 08, Horse Conformation: Structure Jenny Holmstrom-Branson rated it it was amazing Jan 12, Meagan McCabe rated it it was amazing Oct 15, Steph rated it it was amazing Jul 16, Kathy Tanner rated it it was amazing Aug 19, Emily Logan rated it liked it Mar 08, Gabrielle W. Rebecca Williams rated it it was amazing Jul 03, Lori added it Dec 21, Amanda added it Mar 24, Equihab Foundation added it Jul 22, Donna marked it as to-read Apr 21, Emilie added it Jul 12, Toryn Green added it Oct 21, Rebecca added it Jun 17, Alyssa Holmes marked it as to-read Jun 21, Ursina marked it as to-read Dec 03, Amanda added it Mar 20, Kelli Desmond added it May 18, Camilo Azevedo marked it as to-read Jun 19, Kylie marked it as to-read Jul 03, Cicely marked it as to-read Mar 18, Barbara Neville marked it as to-read May 24, Amanda Horse Conformation: Structure marked it as to-read Oct 06, Rayaan Grewal is currently reading Horse Conformation: Structure Oct 16, Wolf Ostheeren marked it as to-read Jan 14, Sara added it Apr 04, Isbjorn marked it as to-read May 20, Rebecca Ardery marked it as to-read Aug 03, BookDB marked it as to-read Nov 04, There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Readers also enjoyed. About Equine Research. Equine Research. Books by Equine Research. Escape the Present with These 24 Historical Romances. You know the saying: There's no time like the present In that case, we can't Read more Trivia About Horse Confirmatio No trivia or quizzes yet. Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Horse Confirmation: Structure, Soundness, and Performance by Equine Research

Uh-oh, it looks like your Internet Explorer is out of date. For a better shopping experience, please upgrade now. Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. Learn how to enable JavaScript on your browser. Add to Wishlist. Sign in to Purchase Instantly. Temporarily Out of Stock Online Please check back later for updated availability. Overview In athletics as in architecture, form follows function, and nowhere is that truth more important than in equestrian sports. The better a Soundness and Performance conformation how the animal measures up to, or "conforms," to the ideal standards of its breed or typethe better it will be able to perform. Using hundreds of photographs and drawings, this masterfully produced book will show you how to develop the "eye" that any horseman needs to assess equine Soundness and Performance and anatomy. Its comprehensive text focuses on ideal and abnormal conformation features; balance and symmetry; the relationship between conformation faults and athletic ability; colors and markings; as well as anatomical elements, Soundness and Performance, and aging; body systems; and the relationship between structure Soundness and Performance function. Product Details About the Author. Its reference works include the contributions of the country's most authoritative veterinarians and other experts in their respective fields.