Conformation Essentials: Side View
Illustrations courtesy of the American Youth Horse Council's
Horse Industry Handbook
Feet
- A horse's hooves must be able to withstand a great deal of
pressure. At full speed, a 1,000-pound Thoroughbred will place the
equivalent of 100 times the force of gravity on each hoof with every
stride, so it is essential that the foot be shaped properly to
withstand this concussion and to dissipate the shock of impact.
Consider the proportion, substance and size of the hoof. The
underside of the hoof should have a round, slightly oval shape, with
some depth. Some believe that larger feet indicate an aptitude for
turf racing.
Pasterns
- The pastern should be at a 45-degree angle (example A; example B
shows a too-sloping pastern; example C shows a too-upright pastern).
Its length should be proportionate; too long a pastern could
indicate weakness and tendon strain, while if too short it may
absorb too much concussion, thus stressing the bone structure.
Ankle
- As with the pastern, the ankle-joint size should be proportionate
to the rest of the leg. Beware of spread or prominent sesamoids.
Cannon bones
- Ideally, the cannon bone should be short, strong, and have mass.
The cannon bone bears the most weight of any bone in a horse's body.
The bone should exit the lower knee or hock cleanly and be
well-centered.
Knee - Bones in and leading to the knee should line up in a balanced manner; not tilting forward ("over at the knee" or "buck-kneed") or back ("back at the knee" or "calf-kneed"), nor severely offset to one side or the other.
