Title: Evaluate horse conformation.
Course: Equine Science, Advanced (18104-II) > Section: Judging the Horse

Evaluation should include defining conformation as

- the physical appearance of the horse due to the arrangement of muscle, bone, and other body tissue
- combination of muscle, skeletal soundness and symmetry
- a reliable predictor of athletic ability and soundness.

Evaluation should also include an explanation of how the proportions of and relationships between the horse’s upper body and its parts can impact the horse’s health, success in a given discipline, and how conformation is influenced by

- the skeletal system
- straightness of the legs
- breed-specific differences
- conformation faults and defects.

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is conformation?
- Why is skeletal structure important to understand when evaluating a horse’s conformation?
- What are some breed-specific conformation differences?
- What are some conformation traits that can affect performance?
- What does it mean when a horse is sickle-hocked, post-legged, cow-hocked, or bow-legged? How might any of these affect the performance of the horse?
- Why is it important to have a thorough understanding of all parts of the horse, the function of each, and an evaluation system that allows for consistent, repetitious evaluation of horse conformation?