Horse Conformation Basics

No matter what the breed of horse there are certain conformation faults that are universal, from Miniature Horses to Quarter Horses, the cause and affects are the same. While some breeds may have specific conformation traits that are desirable (such as a flat croup in Arabians) most of the basic conformation will follow the same rules no matter what the breed of horse.

Balance

To determine if a horse is balanced try standing 20 feet away and look at the whole horse. If you cut the horse in 3 equal parts vertically by placing a line down the hip and a line down the withers, do all the parts match? Or is the back half bigger than the front half? Horse's with too long of a back tend to be out of balance in the middle. A balanced horse standing square will usually fit inside a square. An un-balanced horse will usually fit in a rectangle, which is not desirable.

Head

Horses should have an alert expression and appropriate sized ears. Eyes should be large and inquisitive. Nostrils should be placed properly on the muzzle and large and open to allow good air flow. Pig eyes are a major horse conformation fault where the horse's eyes are very small. These horses tend to be mean spirited and hard to handle. This is due to them not being able to see well and constantly being surprised or "spooked" by what is happening around them. Throat latch should be tight to allow for proper flexion at the poll.

Angles

Many people are surprised to know that the shoulder angle and the pastern angle of a horse always match. Therefore, if you have a horse with too straight of a shoulder, it will follow that his pastern's will also be too straight. The preferred shoulder and pastern angle for any horse is 45 to 50 degrees. Horses that are too straight in their angles tend to have a choppy way of going and these faults can lead to future lameness issues.

Legs

Correct legs in a horse that is to be ridden or shown is of the utmost importance. Not all leg faults are created equal, a mildly cow hocked horse is not considered a major fault and many feel they have better pulling power and make great driving horses. On the other hand, sickle hocked legs on a horse is a major conformation fault and can affect the horse's long term longevity in riding or jumping. The Horse Conformation Analysis written by the Washington State University Extension,states that sickle hocks causes undo strain on the horses legs and can lead to unsoundness.

Breeding

Unfortunately some unscrupulous breeders may claim that conformation faults are not inherited when they most definitely are. Major horse conformation faults such as sickle hocks, club hoof, and pig eyes are very inheritable and can be seen in generation after generation of horses that were bred with that fault.