Beginner Horse Conformation - The Head, Neck, Back and Haunches
One of the things you'll often read about buying a horse is that you must assess its conformation. Entire books have been written about horse conformation, so this is only a very basic overview, highlighting some things to avoid or be aware of when buying your first horse. When it comes to beginner horses, many conformation faults are forgivable. So you're not looking for perfect conformation or suitability as a competitive performance horse in a first horse. However, you don't want conformation faults that can lead to an uncomfortable ride or an eventual soundness problem. Here are some of the most common conformation faults of the head, neck, back, shoulders and haunches you'll want to avoid.
'Beauty is as beauty does' are words to heed when picking out a beginner horse. A pretty head is nice, but not essential in a first horse. Conformation faults you'll want to avoid are small round eyes and eyes that are very forward on the face. Horses with small eyes or eyes that are more forward than on the side of their heads are sometimes spookier, because the eye shape and position can limit their vision.
Very over-shot or under-shot jaws can be a problem if the horse cannot chew its food properly. Both conditions—parrot mouth and monkey mouth can be managed with regular dental care. So while these may not be serious conformation faults, they may require extra attention.
The neck of a horse should be about one-third of its total length and should be almost horizontal to the rest of the body where it emerges from the withers. The length of the horse's neck affects its balance. A very long neck or very short neck will affect the horse's agility and strength. Ewe necks, when the neck is shaped like a U is not necessarily a conformation fault. It almost always can be corrected by riding in a way that develops the right muscles. A riding coach can help a beginner overcome this problem if the horse is 'right' in most other aspects.
Very heavily crested necks are often seen on draft horses, ponies and horses that are overweight. Heavy or short necked horses can learn to use their weight to pull a rider around, so be aware when riding. You must learn to apply appropriate well timed aids so the horse does not learn its own strength. A poor neck is not a 'deal breaker', but you do need to be aware of how the neck length affects how the horse can do its job.
The horse’s back should make up one-third of the horse's total length. A long back is not a strong as a short back. A very short back can be hard to fit a saddle on. A very dropped, swayed or hollow back may also be difficult to fit a saddle on. Dropped backs are often seen in older horse, although there are some congenital conditions that can cause dropped back in young horses.
Mutton withers, when the back is very flat over and just behind the withers area, can make it difficult to keep the saddle from turning. Very high withers can cause saddle fit problems, because the saddle may bind over the withers.
The last third of the total length of the horse should be from the loins to the tail head. There is a lot that can be right or wrong with a horse's haunches. Some conformation types are more suited to specific disciplines, such as reining, dressage or jumping. One thing you'll want to avoid in a beginner horse, is a goose or steep rump. Like a steeply angled shoulder, a goose rump can indicate the horse has a choppy stride.
A horse may have one hip higher than the other. This can indicate an injury and may be helped through good riding and chiropractic treatment.
The hind quarters should be even with the back and withers, and a 'downhill' horse can cause both horse and rider to have difficulty staying balanced. Because there is more weight being thrown forward, there is more stress on the front legs, which can lead to soundness problems.
The Head
'Beauty is as beauty does' are words to heed when picking out a beginner horse. A pretty head is nice, but not essential in a first horse. Conformation faults you'll want to avoid are small round eyes and eyes that are very forward on the face. Horses with small eyes or eyes that are more forward than on the side of their heads are sometimes spookier, because the eye shape and position can limit their vision.
Very over-shot or under-shot jaws can be a problem if the horse cannot chew its food properly. Both conditions—parrot mouth and monkey mouth can be managed with regular dental care. So while these may not be serious conformation faults, they may require extra attention.
The Neck
The neck of a horse should be about one-third of its total length and should be almost horizontal to the rest of the body where it emerges from the withers. The length of the horse's neck affects its balance. A very long neck or very short neck will affect the horse's agility and strength. Ewe necks, when the neck is shaped like a U is not necessarily a conformation fault. It almost always can be corrected by riding in a way that develops the right muscles. A riding coach can help a beginner overcome this problem if the horse is 'right' in most other aspects.
Very heavily crested necks are often seen on draft horses, ponies and horses that are overweight. Heavy or short necked horses can learn to use their weight to pull a rider around, so be aware when riding. You must learn to apply appropriate well timed aids so the horse does not learn its own strength. A poor neck is not a 'deal breaker', but you do need to be aware of how the neck length affects how the horse can do its job.
The Withers and Back
The horse’s back should make up one-third of the horse's total length. A long back is not a strong as a short back. A very short back can be hard to fit a saddle on. A very dropped, swayed or hollow back may also be difficult to fit a saddle on. Dropped backs are often seen in older horse, although there are some congenital conditions that can cause dropped back in young horses.
Mutton withers, when the back is very flat over and just behind the withers area, can make it difficult to keep the saddle from turning. Very high withers can cause saddle fit problems, because the saddle may bind over the withers.
The Haunches
The last third of the total length of the horse should be from the loins to the tail head. There is a lot that can be right or wrong with a horse's haunches. Some conformation types are more suited to specific disciplines, such as reining, dressage or jumping. One thing you'll want to avoid in a beginner horse, is a goose or steep rump. Like a steeply angled shoulder, a goose rump can indicate the horse has a choppy stride.
A horse may have one hip higher than the other. This can indicate an injury and may be helped through good riding and chiropractic treatment.
The hind quarters should be even with the back and withers, and a 'downhill' horse can cause both horse and rider to have difficulty staying balanced. Because there is more weight being thrown forward, there is more stress on the front legs, which can lead to soundness problems.
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