BUYER’S GUIDE
WhaT IS Confirmation?
Conformation refers to the physical structure and appearance of a horse. It focuses on the alignment, balance, and proportionality of various body parts. For racehorses, conformation is a crucial aspect that can significantly impact their performance, soundness, and overall health. It is the sum of these body parts and how they blend together which determines the acceptability or unacceptability of the horse’s conformation.
Overall, when examining a horse you should consider:
Balance – Is the horse well-proportioned?
Bone – Does it appear to be substantial, not too light?
Intelligence – Does the horse seem in control, aware of its surroundings, and alert?
Athleticism – What muscle type does the horse possess? Does it move in a fluent and balanced and strong manner?
Remember, every horse has some fault with regard to pedigree and conformation. The challenge of evaluating a horse is deciding which of those faults are less likely to adversely impact the intended use of the animal. It is helpful to know something about the pedigree of the horse as it may relate to a particular horse’s conformation. Some sires or families pass similar conformational traits to offspring, with some of the faults having significant or little to no consequence with respect to their racing success.
Everyone has different thresholds with regard to what constitutes acceptable faults. When evaluating potential racehorses, it is important to know what conformational traits improve your percentages of success and which traits are statistically a negative. When knowing that no horse is the perfect specimen, the real art is looking at the complete package of a horse and finding the ones where the positives greatly outweigh the negatives and importantly knowing which perceived negatives to forgive and when. This way the odds are heavily stacked in your favour.
The selection of potential racehorses is both a science and an art.
conformation Essentials overview
Side View
FEET
A horse’s hooves must be able to withstand a great deal of pressure. At full speed, a 500kg 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.
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.
Shoulder
The shoulder should have a nice angled slope. The ideal slope of the shoulder is approximately 45 to 50 degrees. Stride length is largely determined by the conformation of the shoulder. The straighter the shoulder, the shorter the stride. Also, a straight shoulder absorbs concussion instead of dispensing it and will put stress on the bones of the leg and shoulder.
CANON 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-centred.
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.
Shoulder – The shoulder should have the same slope or angle as the pastern (see diagram below). The ideal slope of the shoulder is approximately 45 to 50 degrees. In general, the angle of the pastern will correspond with the angle of the shoulder. Stride length is largely determined by the conformation of the shoulder. The straighter the shoulder, the shorter the stride. Also, a straight shoulder absorbs concussion instead of dispensing it and will put stress on the bones of the leg and shoulder.e depth.
NECK
A horse’s neck should be sufficient in scope to provide adequate wind for the horse and be well tied in at the withers. A horse with a well-muscled, well-proportioned neck has a longer, more rhythmic stride and can more easily maintain its balance when running. An easy, rhythmic stride will cause less fatigue while racing. Fatigue can decrease the performance and increase the chances of injury. In short, does the neck fit the rest of the body?
HEAD
The head should be broad enough to permit adequate air passage. Generally, the width at the back of the jaw should be about the size of a fist. Nostrils should be of adequate size. You may hear people refer to an “attractive head” or “kind eye” (one without excess white showing. In general, there is no physiological benefit to the horse having an “attractive” head or “kind eye”. They just look nicer when their head is looking at you over the barn door day-in day-out!
BACK
The distance from the withers to top of croup or hips should roughly match the length of the horse’s neck from the poll to the withers.
Hips/Rump
The croup or hip should have a gentle slope; not too steep or flat – and good width. The gaskins should depict strength and should complement the muscles of the rump.
Hocks
A racehorse’s hocks should not be straight as a post, nor curved so deeply as to be “sickle-hocked,” but somewhere in between. Ideally, if you dropped an imaginary line from the point of the buttocks to the ground, it should run parallel to the cannon bone and be slightly behind the heel.
Front & Rear View
FEET
Look for balanced feet on both sides, or symmetry. Avoid misshaped, dished or badly cracked feet.
Cannon bones
From the front, the cannon bones should appear straight and be of the same length. Keep an eye out for splints under the knee, on the front of the cannon bones.
It is best if the knees are set squarely on top of the cannon bones, not off to one side or another: “Offset knees.”
KNEES
It is best if the knees are set squarely on top of the cannon bones, not tilted or off to one side or another: “Offset knees.”
CHEST
A horse’s chest should be broad and appear powerful. Narrow chested or slab-sided horses tend to lack power.
HOCKS
From the rear, the hocks should appear to point straight at you and not turn in – “cow hocks” or turn out – “open in the hocks” or “bow-legged.” Ideally, an imaginary line from the point of the buttocks to the ground should bisect the gaskin, hock and hoof.
Hip/Buttocks
Note that much of the horse’s athleticism and power comes from behind. Definition and development are key attributes.
Walking Stride
FRONT/REAR VIEW
Front/Rear view – The horse should move straight toward and away from you. Observe whether the horse toes-in or toes-out as it walks. A horse whose legs and feet are aligned properly will stride straight ahead. A horse who toes out will have a tendency to “wing in,” increasing the likelihood that the swinging leg will strike the supporting leg during the stride. A horse who toes in has a tendency to “wing out” or “paddle, increasing stress on the outside of the limbs.
SIDE VIEW
Check for the overstep, meaning do the hind feet reach beyond the front hoof prints? Observe the horse’s head. Be certain it does not bob unusually when walking, as this may indicate soreness or lameness.
WALK
Look for a smooth, long stride. Avoid horses that walk “wide” in front.
Ready to share in success
Through our process we have selected some amazing talent. See some of our Stable Stars that showcase the consistency from the Triple Crown team each year in selecting yearlings. If you have any questions relating to horse conformation, please don’t hesitate to send us a message. The team at Triple Crown are always happy to help.