conformation

• Conformation faults


  Involves evaluating which horse has fewer and less important ones, or which horse is more correct than others
• sway back


  usually seen in older horses and in horses with long back and/ or loins. restricts ability of horse to pull its legs forward beneath hindquarters.
• Roach back


  Loin has a rounded (convex) appearance when viewed from side. this can restrict flexibility.
• Goose Rump


  rump slopes sharply from the croup to the dock. decrease length of stride.
• rafter hip


  when viewed from the rear, the width at the point of the hip is greater than the width at the stifle.
• Shallow Heart girth


  Depth from wither to elbow less than length from elbow to fetlock. restricts capacity for heart and lungs and endurance of the horse.
• shallow flank


  pronounced narrowing in the flank region. May be an indication of body condition.
• Buck Knees


  or over the knee, it is when the knee is forward of a line that bisects foreleg. susceptible to bowed tendon and poor athletic performance
• calf knees

  knee behind a line that bisects the foreleg. susceptible to chip fractures of the knees and bowed temdons.
• Tied- in at the knee


  Small narrow tendons look as if they are squeezed in just below the knee.
• knock Knees


  the knees lien inside parallel lines bisecting the forelegs. Places excess strains on the outer knee and strain on inside ligaments of the forelegs
• Bowlegs


  Knees lies outside parallel lines bisecting the forelegs. susceptible to splints.
• Bench Knees


  The cannon bone is offset to the outside of parallel knee.
• sickle hocks


  excessive angulation of the hock joints. the horse appears to be standing under from the hock down.
• post-legged


  insufficient angulation of the hock joint and stifle. stifle and the hock appear to straight
• Cow hocks


  Hocks are excessively closer than the fetlocks when standing. they point toward one another, causing the feet to be widely separated and pointing outward.
• Bowed Hocks


  out the hocks or bandy legged the hocks lie outside parallel lines bisecting the hindlegs.
• Standing Under (front)


  the entire foreleg from elbow down is too far under the body.
• standing under ( rear)


  the entire hindleg is placed too far forward under the body.
• standing out (front)


  Entire foreleg from the elbow down is too far forward
• standing out (rear)


  entire hindleg places too far backward
• steep pasterns


  Often accompanied by steep shoulder. increases the effect of concussion on the fetlock joint, pastern joint and navicular bone
• Sloped Pasterns


  Usually too long and sloping
• Broken Hoof


  The angle of pastern and the angle of the hoof are not the same. also called Pastern angle
• coon foot


  when the pastern slopes more than the front wall of the hoof
• club foot


  a serious conformation fault in which hoof angle is too steep 60% or more. may occur in one or more feet.
• Base narrow


  Forelegs or hindlegs are closer together at the ground than at the top of the leg
• base wide


  the forelegs or hindlegs are far apart at the ground than at the top of the leg
• toe In


  or Pigeon toed where the toes point toward each other
• Toe out


  splay footed where the toes point away from each other
• Unsoundness (U)


  Injury or defect which affects the horses usefulness or its desired function. may cause lameness and make the horse rendered usefulness
• Blemishes


  Injuries or imperfections that affect the appearance of the horse but not it's usefulness
• Blindness (u)


  LACK OF VISION MAY BE CAUSE BY INJURY, DISEASE OR HEREDITY
• Bog Spavin (U,B)


  Soft swelling th the natural depression on the front and inside of the hock joint due sprain
• Bone Spavin ( Jack Spavin)(U)


  Bony enlargement on the side and front lower hock where the hock tapers into the cannon bone. usually due to faulty hock conformation, excessively straight hindlegs, cow or sickle hocks, or injury. This usually causes lameness.
• BOWED TENDON (B, U)


  an enlargement or swelling of the flexor tendons on the cannon bone, caused by excess stretching the tendon due to stress or injury
• BUCKED SHINS (U)


  inflammation and severe pain of the front side of the cannon bone. This is characterized by painful swelling.
• CAPPED ELBOW (Shoe Boil) (B)


  a soft fluid-filled or firm swelling at the point of the elbow typically caused by insufficient bedding, kicks and falls, or by rubbing with the heel of the shoe on the elbow, while lying down.
• CAPPED HOCK (B)


  a soft fluid-filled or firm swelling at the point of the hock. It can be caused by lack of bedding,
• CLUB FOOT (U)


  abnormally upright foot with a high heel and a short toe, resulting from inability to straighten the coffin joint.