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"Peach" and Deanie
Photo
by Bob Moseder... From
“Tails of Sweetbrier”
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What is Good Conformation?
by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
If
you’re a horse owner or rider, you should know some basic facts about the
horse’s conformation and examples of what “good confirmation” includes.
The
word “conformation” refers to the body structure of the horse and other
important characteristics.
My
dad was a professional horseman for many decades. Our family owned a farm
called “Sweetbrier.” Dad did a great deal of studying about horses. One of the
first thing he studied when he was considering buying a horse was it’s eyes.
Why is that? Well, you may have heard the expression “A person’s eyes are the
window to the soul.” You can draw a similar conclusion with horses. My dad
shied away from a horse with small, sunken eyes, often called “pig eyes.” What
do pig eyes signify? A horse with a nasty disposition. Even with training, you
can’t change a horse’s temperament. Look for a horse with big eyes and a kind
expression. Dad could tell a great deal by the expression of a horse’s eye.
What
about the head of the horse? Look for a wide space between the eyes and a
little curved or “dish” in his head, not a rounded nose. Horses with round
noses are called “roman-nosed” and are more apt to be stubborn.
What
about balance? In order to be properly balanced, a horse needs good
proportions. He shouldn’t have more weight in front, than behind. Another important factor is the length of his
back. A short back is always preferred. Why? He’ll be much better balanced with
a short back and he’ll cost less to feed. When you look at the horse, is his
topline shorter than the bottom line? If so, he should be well-built.
Another
thing to consider is whether the horse’s withers (the highest point on his
back) is higher than the point of his rump. If so, that’s a good thing. If not,
he’ll tend to be heavier in the front than behind. He’ll also likely have
uncomfortable gaits with a lower withers than hip.
If
you’re looking for a good jumper, check out the angle from the point of his hip
to the end of his rump. It should have a nice slope, not too short. That’s
where the power comes from when the horse jumps.
What
about legs and feet? A horse with a long forearm is well-built, particularly if
he has a short cannon bone (the one under the forearm) If the cannon bone is
short, it tends to be stronger. Think of it like a stick. If you have a short thick
stick, it’ll be stronger than a thin twig.
We’ll
talk about one last area, the lower leg and hoof. The “pastern” is the joint
just above the hoof. It should be a nice angle, not too short or too straight.
If the pastern is too short, it generally means the horse’s gait will be choppy
and uncomfortable. The hoof should be round and if it’s large, that’s a good
thing. A nice, round hoof with a wide enough space between the heels would signify
a strong hoof and a good base of support. Horses with narrow hooves tend to
have issues with soundness.
So,
you can see there is a great deal of studying to be done when you’re looking
for a horse. You need to educate your eye to recognize the angles that show
good conformation and those that don’t. But once you learn, you’ll always
remember them.
I’ve
included a picture of me with my horse, Fleet Nancy, or “Peach” as we nicknamed
her. How did she get her nickname? If you stood behind her, she had huge
jumping muscles. My sister said her muscles looked like a peach. You’ll see a wide space between her eyes and
beautiful slight dish in her head.
I
hope you’ve enjoyed learning ways you can recognize good conformation.
Connect with Deanie…
Facebook Author Deanie Humphrys-Dunne
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2 comments:
Thank you so much for posting my article, Gina. I hope your readers find it helpful.
Thanks, Deanie! A great article and we always appreciate your horse wisdom!
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