Conformation is defined as the form or outline of an animal. I'll talk mainly about the shoulder (scapula), humerus, and radius. 3. What angle does the shoulder make in relation to the ground? An upright shoulder causes the shoulder joint to be open and set low over a short, steep arm bone, making it difficult for horse to elevate its shoulders and fold its angles tightly, which is needed to develop a good jump or for cutting horses. To submit a photo of your horse to be evaluated in our Conformation Clinic, send us a left-side view photo of your horse (for digital phots: high-resolution, 300 dpi, in at least 3" x 5"). John: I don't look at shoulder angle by itself; you must step back and look at the bigger picture to see how the shoulder angle relates to the other angles and to the hind end to evaluate potential ability. If that same horse stands up with the canon bone vertical, then they stand camped-out behind. This course will prepare students to be able to assess the suitability of a horse's conformation for a specific discipline. Medium to low wither that ideally tops at the 4th vertebra. The back is the "hub" of a horse, and a short, strong back is essential to a horse staying sound and performing well. The horse has an elasticity and free swing in its shoulder, enabling extension of stride that is needed in dressage and jumping. A horse can move best with a short back and long neck. When a forward-set shoulder (meaning the line from the point of the shoulder up the scapula ends in front of the withers) has a 90-degree or less shoulder/upper forelimb angle, it can be somewhat advantageous for a jumper. the glenoid); the angle of the shoulder has a great effect on the horse's movement and jumping ability, and is an important aspect of equine conformation Angle of the shoulder: The angle of the horse’s shoulder should be approximately 45°. The Conformation . This course will prepare students to be able to assess the suitability of a horse's conformation for a specific discipline. This shock-absorber function is achieved when the shoulder angle equals the angle of the side of the hoof (and pastern). This causes rushed, rather limited movement in all gaits. (Horse 1, above, is an example of this type of conformation.) The stress of impact tends to stiffen the muscles of the shoulder, making the horse less supple with a reduced range of motion needed for long stride reach. A sloping … Judging Conformation. She was pointing out the strengths of one filly's conformation, and mentioned her lovely sloping shoulder. Mobile and balances with the over all conformation of the horse. Shoulder slope and shoulder angle are two entirely different things when discussing equine conformation, yet many times the terms are used incorrectly or interchangeably. The slope of the shoulder measures the angle of the horse's scapula and is commonly measured from the top of the scapula near the withers to the point of the shoulder. Horse shoulder conformation is important to the movement of your horse and can affect its stride length and the horses ability to jump. I like to see the withers and point of croup at the same level. Your horse can have a straight, upright, or vertical shoulder conformation. The shoulder blade, measured from the top of the withers to the point of shoulder, lies in an upright position, particularly as it follows the scapular spine. A shoulder angle of less than 45° results in a shorter stride as well as a longer back. Make sure he's well-groomed, looking straight ahead and standing on level ground--and try … Its angle to the ground should be parallel to the angle of a normal pastern. If it is on the large side, the horse will be very difficult to raise off the forehand. An upright shoulder can affects all sport horses. The head-neck-shoulder hookups in a horse help determine his ability to flex and collect himself, and play a role in his agility and athleticism. Conformation 4 | P a g e The Shoulder Angles in the shoulders, hindquarters & pasterns govern whether the horse will be smooth and fluent in his movement and whether he will be sound. I'm a professional groom & livery yard manager and have worked with top quality show horses for ... © 2005 - 2020 Local Riding - All rights reserved. • On the diagram below,a photo, model, or live horse find the following: poll, withers, point of shoulder, loin coupling. This can be measured from the point of the shoulder to the highest point of the wither and measured against the straight line of the horizon across the conformation photo. He/She should have a nice, short back, with a well sloped shoulder angled to compliment the angle of the well rounded croup. shoulder conformation At the inspections this past weekend, the judge made an interesting comment. INTRODUCTION. The higher it is on the shoulder, the more freedom the horse will have in the shoulder. A laid-back or sloping shoulder conformation. This excerpt from Sport Horse Conformation by Christian Schacht is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com). (You be the judge—evaluate the conformation of these three young mares.) (You be the judge—evaluate the conformation of these three young mares.) Conformation: Form to Function A horse’s conformation determines his efficiency of movement, which in turn directly affects his soundness. A short back is achieved by a sloped shoulder and a … A sloping shoulder has better shock-absorption and provides a comfortable ride because it sets the withers back so the rider is not over the front legs. To Evaluate a horses conformation you must know several common names associated with horse anatomy. The head should be in proportion to the rest of the horse. Exactly between these parts is the pivot point. This conformation type is common, especially in Saddlebreds, Gaited horses, and Thoroughbreds. Shoulder slope and shoulder angle are two entirely different things when discussing equine conformation, yet many times the terms are used incorrectly or interchangeably. The horse has an oblique angle of shoulder (measured from the top of the withers to the point of shoulder) with the withers set well behind the elbow. This protects the body from the wear caused by strain from constant grazing. The position and angle of the horse’s shoulder allow you to notice potential, even in the newborn foal. It increases concussion on front limbs, possibly promoting the development of DJD or navicular disease in hard-working horses. 3. As with the other gaits, the shoulder should be quite open and the horse should demonstrate the tendency to move uphill. It distributes muscular attachments of the shoulder to the body over a large area, decreasing jar and preventing stiffening of the shoulders with impact. Parts of the Horse In this position, the shoulder—in combination with an ideally long upper forelimb (humerus)—enables optimal forward range of motion and an ability to cover ground. However, horses with such conformation can show nearly lightning-fast reflexes above a jump. John: I don't look at shoulder angle by itself; you must step back and look at the bigger picture to see how the shoulder angle relates to the other angles and to the hind end to evaluate potential ability. The horse uses his head and neck for balance in a pendulum effect to counteract actions of the hind end of his body. The horse's stance, from the point of shoulder to the buttocks, should equal … A sloping shoulder is fairly common. Same horse stood up with poor posture - front legs camped under (maybe getting pressure off the heels - caudal heel pain?). The ideal equine shoulder is long and sloping at about a 45-degree angle to the ground. A swan neck makes it easy for a horse to lean on the bit and curl behind without lifting its back. Shoulder: made up of the scapula and associated muscles, runs from the withers to the point of shoulder (the joint at the front of the chest, i.e. CONFORMATION Learn to find a horse’s balance! Correctness of conformation is hereditary, so the conformation score of dressage sport-horse breeding stock (mares and stallions, 4 years and older) is weighted more heavily (40 percent) than it is for dressage sport-horse prospect classes because we don’t want heritable faults t…