CONFORMATION SPORT HORSE TYPE HUNTER TYPE STOCK TYPE SADDLE TYPE PLEASURE & VERSATILITY TYPE.
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Transcript of CONFORMATION SPORT HORSE TYPE HUNTER TYPE STOCK TYPE SADDLE TYPE PLEASURE & VERSATILITY TYPE.
CONFORMATION
• SPORT HORSE TYPE
• HUNTER TYPE• STOCK TYPE• SADDLE TYPE• PLEASURE &
VERSATILITY TYPE
What is Conformation?
• Physical appearance of an animal due to the arrangement of muscles, bone, & other body tissue
• Improved conformation> increased athleticism
• Each breed has ideal characteristics
Anatomy
Components of Conformation
• Neck• Balance• Shoulder• Topline• Hindquarters• Muscle (proportional)
Balance
• Single most important characteristic in equine selection
• Forms basis for athletic performance
HEAD
• Lean, clean chisled• Triangular• Eyes large and set on
corners of face• Profile – straight or
slightly dished
Neck
• Assists with balance• Long,lean,high set
– Correlated to shoulder slope
• Topline: Bottom line– 2:1
CHEST, HEARTGIRTH & RIBS
• Chest deep & moderately wide
• Rib cage well sprung
• Deep heart girth
Shoulder
• Slope critical to balance– impacts proportions of
neck
– Impacts proportions of back
• 45 to 50 degree angle• Pastern angle:shoulder
angle
Slope of Shoulder
TOPLINE COMPONENTS
• Withers – Prominent, medium height, clean
• Back – Short& strong, muscled
• Loin –Short & strong, blends smoothly into croup
• Croup – Short & Strong, muscled
MUSCLE• Quality
– Muscled throughout
– Long, clean, defined
• Quantity
– QH vs Arabian
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
FRONT LEGS
“pigeon-toed” = toes pointed in "splay-footed“ = toes pointed out
HINDQUARTERS
Hindquarters- from Side
• Level of croup• Length of hip• Angle of hock
Hindquarters- from Rear• Angle of hocks from behind• Hindquarters should appear
square– Widest from stifle to stifle
• Quantity of muscle will vary by breed
HINDQUARTERS
Post - leggedSickle - hocked
HINDQUARTERS
Cow-hocked
FOOT CONFORMATION
FOOT AXIS = Angle of the dorsal hoof wall ~55-60o forelimb ~55-60o hindlimb
PASTERN AXIS Line drawn though the center of pastern
FOOT/PASTERN AXIS Line through the center of the coffin and pastern
joint
FOOT LEVEL Median & lateral wall of equal length
PASTERN
RELATIONSHIPS OF FORM TO FUNCTION
• Long, sloping shoulders correlated w/ long, sloping pasterns
• Long, trim necks & clean throatlatches –balance, agility & ability to work off hocks
• Depth of heart & spring of rib – lung capacity & endurance
• Long muscles moves a limb further
STRUCTURAL FEATURES THAT ENHANCE ACTION
• Long forearms – long strides
• Sloping shoulders & sloping pasterns of front leg – graceful, elastic stride
• Toe straight ahead in front – truer action