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Horse Conformation
To Evaluate a horses conformation you
must know several common names associated with horse anatomy.
Points of a Horse
This chart can be used to review or learn some
body parts of the horse.
First look at the number and see where the line is
indicating on the horses body. Now name that part yourself. THEN place
the mouse over the number to see the name of the part, for further
information, click on that number to read a description of the body
part.
1) Poll; The poll is the
bony prominence lying between the ears. Except for the ears, it is the
highest point on the horses body when it is standing with its head up.
2) Crest; Moderately lean
in mares but inclined to be more full in stallions. Curved topline of
the neck.
3) Forehead; The forehead
should be broad, full and flat.
4) Nostrils ; The nostrils
should be capable of wide dilation to permit the maximum inhalation of
air, yet be rather fine.
5) Muzzle; The head should
taper to a small muzzle, the lips should be firm and the lower lip
should not have the tendency to sag.
6) Point of Shoulder
; The point of shoulder is a hard, bony prominence surrounded
by heavy muscle masses.
7) Breast; The Breast is a
muscle mass between the forelegs, covering the front of the chest.
8) Chest;
An ideal chest is deep and contains the space necessary for vital
organs. A narrow chest can lead to interference with the front legs.
Chest muscles should be well developed and form an inverted "V". The
prominence of chest muscling depends on the breed.
9) Forearm;
The forearm should be well muscled, it extends from the elbow to the
knee.
10) Knee;
The knee is the joint between the forearm and the cannon bone.
11) Coronet;
The coronet is the band around the top of the hoof from which the hoof
wall grows.
12) Hoof;
The hoof refers to the horn.y wall and the sole of the foot. The foot
includes the horn.y structure and the pedal bones and navacular bones,
as well as other connective tissue.
13) Pastern;
The pastern extends from the fetlock to the top of the hoof.
14) Sesamoid;
15) Flexor Tendons;
The flexor tendons run from the knee to the fetlock and can be seen
prominently lying behind the cannon bone, when it runs parallel to the
cannon bone it constitutes the desired "flat bone".
16) Fetlock;
The fetlock is the joint between the cannon bone and the pastern. The
fetlock joint should be large and clean.
17) Cannon;
The cannon bone lies between the knee and fetlock joint, and is visible
from the front of the leg. It should be straight.
18) Underline;
19) Hock;
The hock is the joint between the gaskin and the cannon bone, in the
rear leg. The bony protuberance at the back of the hock is called the
point of hock.
20) Gaskin;
The gaskin is the region between the stifle and the hock.
21) Stifle;
The stifle is the joint at the end of the thigh
corresponding to the human knee.
22) Flank;
The flank is the area below the loin, between the last rib and the
massive muscles of the thigh.
23) Loin;
The loin or coupling is the short area joining the back to the powerful
muscular croup ( rump).
24) Croup;
The croup (rump) lies between the loin and the tail. When one is looking
from the side or back, it is the highest point of the hindquarters.
25) Back;
The back extends from the base of the withers to where the last rib is
attached.
26) Withers;
The withers is the prominent ridge where the neck and the back join. At
the withers, powerful muscles of the neck and shoulders attach to the
elongated spines of the second to sixth thoracic vertebrae. The height
of a horse is measured vertically from the withers to the ground,
because the withers is the horse's highest constant point.
27) Throat Latch;
The neck should be fine at the throat latch to allow the horse ease of
flexation.
28) Neck;
Lightweight horses should have reasonably long necks for good appearance
and proper balance. It should blend smoothly into the withers and the
shoulders and not appear to emerge between the front legs.
29) Shoulder;
Shoulders should be overlain with lean, flat muscle and blend well into
the withers.
30) Barrel;
The barrel should be narrower at the shoulders and widen at the point of
coupling (loins).
31) Girth;
This is the point that a horses should be measured to determine the
heart girth which can be used to determine the horses weight.
32) Elbow;
The elbow is a bony prominence lying against the chest at the beginning
of the forearm.
33) Hindquarters;
The hindquarters give power to the horse. They should be well muscled
when viewed from the side and rear.
Conformation, Keeping it all in
Balance.
Althought a horses basic body conformation will
vary by breed, all horses should have basic "athletic" structural
attributes. A horses conformation determines how well it can perform the
functions asked of it.
 
 
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