Conformation doesnt matter unless you show in a halter class?

Question

i think i'm finding out more of what people are thinking on this website about horses. . . and i wanted to know if i'm correct. is this the general mindset of people on this website(general meaning i get more answers like this then not, some do answer differently):

1. conformation DOESNT matter unless your showing in a halter class.

2. it's pretty/cute horse no matter how badly it's put together, and when you point out how badly it's put together everyone thumbs down you.

3. young horses are the only good ones to buy if you want to ride it for a long time or show the horse. . . dont buy anything over the age of 12. (even so much as seen someone answer you can only ride 3 year olds)

4. 2 out of every 20 people here can back up their reasons for their answer with facts/research/general horse knowledge.

basic statements i've seen more times then not and i want to know is that correct how **most** people think when it comes to horses? *on this web site*

thanks!

Answer 1

Welcome to the Internet!  The place where a kid can be a.... well anything.  They can say they are a horse expert, a 2016 Olympic Equestrian, and they get very upset when you try to politely tell them they are wrong.

Unfortunately you have to usually dig through a lot of c**p to find a nugget of experienced, intellectual gold on this site.

Answer 2

1. conformation does matter alot in everything

2. i tell how it is and i dont care if people thumbs me down

3. not true beginners needs an older that is calm

4. general horse knowledge

Answer 3

1. Conformation DOES matter in every way! Like someone else said, a horse can't do his job properly if he is blocked by some conformation fault. Now, if you're buying a horse, it's hard to come by a perfect conformation horse, but if you know you want to do one type of riding, say jumping, you know you don't want a horse with long pasterns or back/forward at the knee, but a now-so-great shoulder angle would be fine, that's what jumpers need. In Western Pleasure, you don't want a bad shoulder angle, because the gaits will be choppy and that defeats the purpose of WP.

2. There can be some cute horses without great conformation, but if you want a horse useful for anything but a few trail rides, you'll need a horse with good conformation. If he's cute as well, just an added plus.

3. Depends on what you want to do with the horse, and how much experience you have. If you're a beginner, you will want a horse over 12, because they tend to have more training and you'll find a true beginner safe horse in that age range. If you're experienced, you might want a horse that's young, so you can start it and give yourself a challenge. It all depends.

4. I'm not sure what you mean here... Do people usually back their statements up? Sometimes they do, sometimes not... I have a feeling that this is the wrong question though, you meant something else... Sorry!

Answer 4

I go back and forth on this website .... but here are my answers ....

1.  Confirmation does matter ... but in a halter class it is ALL that matters ... halter is the judgement of your horses confirmation ...  Showmanship is on how you show your horse ....

2.  I tell people buying horses to color them all white ... look at the horse ... look at temperment ... confirmation ... personality ... the ride .... the age ... etc.  Color is an added bonus on a good horse .... and a cover up on a bad horse!

3.  young horses are great if you are not a young rider .... young in age ... or young in experience!  I personally own both end of the scales .... I own a 2 year old that I rescued from a neglected home who was lame in the back end ... BUT I knew it when I bought her ... a year later I am still NOT on her back ... I know how long relationships and injuries take to "really" heal .... I will start her soon but I have a long time with her still .....AND I own a 23 year old that I have own LESS than a year!  YES I bought an old horse .... who by the way runs my 12 year old around the barrels and poles and WINS ... or walks my 3 year old around the ring "SAFELY" .... she is worth her weight in GOLD ... or GAS these days!  BEST SAFEST horse I have ever owned ....

4.  I always try my best to back up my answers .... my try to give my experience to others .... not always the right answer for everyone ... every person is different and every horse is different .... but I am one who believes IF you just listen to your horse talk to you and learn their language there is not to many problems out there ..... horses talk .... herd talk ... body, eyes, ears, and expersions ..... sit and watch ... you will see and hear them ......

BTW .... my old horse .... terrible confirmation .... right front leg is put on wrong .... but with a good shoe and the right supplements and care .... she is good to go ... and has been going for a long time with NO intentions of slowing down ...

Answer 5

I think this site is generally NO GOOD for horse advice. Most people who respond have an obvious lacking of horse savvy. Some of the advice given is dangerous and can lead to medical or physical injuries.

Another problem is alot of these people here may own and have some knnowledge about horses but are very green with their understanding and give out incorrect advice or advice that is not right for the asker. My suggestion is this site

www.horseforum.com

Its full of HORSE people (not catlover\datingwannaknows\supernaturalkn... etc). It has legitimate horse advice from people who know horses.

Im not saying that this part of the site should be deleted im just saying watch what advice you use because alot of it is a load of horse c**p.

Also its a good idea to get advice from people you KNOW. Such as a vet, farrier, horse savvy friend\family and possibley a trainer.

Thanks for reading my rant!

Answer 6

1. My opinion is that confirmation matters, not for you to have sucess in showing classes but because if a horse has good confirmation it is going to be better able to cope with the work it is asked to do. If a horse is badly put together, as well as being uncomfortable to ride it is a lot more likly to suffer from arthritis or other such things, for example a croup high horse is going to be on it's forehand and so more prone to tripping while a horse with sickle or cow hocks is going to be prone to bone spavins etc. A horse with a 'jumpers bump', something considered a confirmation fault, is often a good jumper so in this case a fault can be considered good, but generally what we consider as good confirmation is considered that because it is functional for the job the horse does.

2. A horse is more than capable of being pretty or cute but still very badly put together. The people who thumbs down on someone pointing that out simple don't know enough to look at a horse and say it has poor confirmation.

3. Young horses are good in experienced hands but for inexperienced people, older horses are better because generally they are more experienced and calm and are able to teach a novice and are less likely to explode or doing something a novice couldn't cope with. We currently have a two year old who is going through a rearing phase which we can cope with and he has pretty much stopped but someone who hasn't done much might not know how to cope with this and for this sort of person a youngster would not be suitable. Also people think you can't ride a horse past it's teens, but many horses can be active and ridden well into their twenties provided they are looked after, and often they make much better mounts thana youngster will. There is also nothing to stop you showing an older horse. You can also learn a lot more from an older horse. My personal preference if I had enough money would be to have a 10-15 year old experienced horse who I could learn from and a youngster whom I could school using what I learnt from the older horse, but if I would only afford one I would prefer the older as you can just have fun without having to be aware of educating a youngster.

4. I always try to back up my answers with reason so that even if the asker doesn't find my answer helpful for their situation they understand why I've said what I said and this allows it to be adapted - if you give a straight answer with no reasons or explanation then the knowledge cannot be transfered between different situations and the asker/readers will not learn as much - and learning is the reason for this forum. Also when I have asked questions I have always found an answer that explains itself is always more helpful. Most of my answers come from reading and personal experience, but I always try to be helpful and explain myself. Also if you explain why you answered what you answered it kinda shows whether you know what you're talking about and not just spraffing about something you only know a little about.

This is my opinions mainly, but I have also found that there are some people who give very short, not very helpful answers simply to get the points.

Sorry this is so long, but I tend to explain a little too much.

Answer 7

Wow, you catch on quick. ;]

However, I think that conformation matters in other disciplines. If you have a Hunter horse with an incredibly short neck and cow hocks, you'll never place well in a hunter competition.

Still, you got pretty darn close. Haha.

Answer 8

1- Conformation doesnt matter in less your in halter class!

2-I think thats true!

3-Thats not right either, plus if you get a young horse you have to put it through tons of training.

4-Um...yes i can. lol

I had a 10-12 year old Arab/TB/QH/Other mix mare and she didnt have great conformation, I showed her in Halter classes and Pleasure classes,they were small shows but still and I loved her!

Answer 9

Ok.... lol. You're right, some people on here know very little about horses or are misguided and cannot back up their statements with facts. To answer your questions:

1 - Conformation matters in any aspect of horse ownership because a badly put together horse will be predisposed to ill health and lameness. That's a fact, not my opinion or anything like that, it's a hard fact. For example, my TB is sickle hocked and as a result has developed bone spurs over the smaller upper and lower hock joints, fusing them, in order to compensate because the joint is just not strong enough otherwise. Hence he now has an unusual gait and would never pass a soundless test, even though he is no pain.

2) So true, I've been thumbs downed more times that I care to think about for pointing out things like this. People post a question like "Isn't my horse cute?" and I respond with "Well, actually it's roach backed with cow hocks" or something, and they all fall out with me. Never mind, I certainly don't lose sleep over it.

3) In my opinion, if you need to ask what age of horse is suitable for you, then you shouldn't buy a youngster. So many young horses are ruined by bad starts - you don't get a second chance at a first impression. I have worked with spoilled horses and I know how much work goes into retraining them because ignorant people have traumatised them. For a novice or first-time horse owner - buy an older horse, and buy a quiet horse! Not that 4 year old Thoroughbred stallion because it's "pretty"!  Horses are in their prime between the ages of 12 - 16. Look at Toytown! I'd like to see someone say he's too old!

4) Sadly, all too few can actually back up their statements and opinions!

Answer 10

Shadow,

You're learning FAST!  Most on here are learning and have their opinions.  Give 'em a few decades to weed out what works and what doesn't.

I get a LOT of thumbs downs mostly because I speak from knowledge learned the hard way.  I've known LOTS of folks who used to sit in their tackrooms READING horse magazines and books.  Heaven help them if it came to real on board application of everything their were reading.

I used to crack up when watching the "other" trainer in our barn, because she NEVER rode, took a week to figure out that her TB mare had delivered a filly and generally poked fun at me for showing up in boots, jeans and bandana, saddling up my 20+ yr old QH gelding (He'd been with me since he was 4.) and sitting on him yelling at my kids.

One day, I tacked up my old QH in a wintec Sport I'd traded a set of corner plates for and put on my old hunt boots and breeches.  Thinkin' there was nobody around, I put the old codger through his paces.  Just the old wallk, trot, canter, two tracking and finally asked him to pivot on his haunches and canter on the forehand (Spinning for those who ride western, like I do most of the time nowadays.) and of course afterwards and every stride lead change down the center of the arena...(This old horse would rather do lead changes than buck when feeling good!).

At the end of the ride, what I didn't know was that I had an audience!  The other trainer's kids.  Funny how all of a sudden, I'd get asked a LOT of questions from the "other side"!  :::Laughing:::

BTW Conformation tells in the long run.  If you've got a horse that isn't made for the discipline you've chosen, then years down the road, it will show on your horse.

Answer 11

I feel that the better a horse is put together the better it will do the job that is being asked of it to do. Sure the pretty or cute horses get noticed more in the show ring but if the can't preform in the class they shouldn't be winning the class. Young horses are great if you have the knowledge and experience to handle a young horse. I wouldn't want to put a pure beginner on a young horse and expect them to be able to handle that horse. Look at all the questions people post about I can't do this, I'm having trouble with this and see how many are people with young horses.

Answer 12

I can't speak for the others on here. Just for myself. And I don't think that way. I personally hate halter horses...big butts, little tiny pin heads, little tiny feet and legs that look like stilts and they always seem so downhill.

Are my horses perfect..*snorts*...h**l no! My yearling is so cow hocked that I have to have corrective trimming done on him and he toes out a bit on the front...am I going to get rid of him for this? h**l no! I love him. I know that just for a trailriding horse that he's going to be great. My other guy looks good though. He would make a really good WP horse if I was in to that...but I'm not. I also don't come here to ask people what they think of my horses either though. I don't care what people think of my horses because my horses are perfect for what I want to do.

On the age factor...what I wouldn't do to find a good older horse! My reasoning might p**s some people off...but right now I am looking for something that is older but still going strong enough to use for trailriding  without a c**p load of health problems but it seems that a lot of people around my area don't take too good a care of their older horses, it seems like once they hit 10, they are thrown out to pasture and forgotten about. The reason I want a older horse is because it "won't" last as long. I know that sounds bad to a lot, but it's one of my reasons. Another one is because usually its the older ones that have already experienced a lot. I want a "been there, done that" kind of horse that wouldn't mind if I just hopped on it once a week bareback and go galavanting around the pasture. You don't get that with anything under 10 usually. I think 12 is too young for what I am looking for...something between 15 and 20 is more like it for me =)

My horse knowledge...nope, don't have a lot of research to back it up with. My horse knowledge is self taught, what other people have taught me, my observations of how other people interact with their horses, my own mistakes and success. I do read a lot of books...but I don't go around preaching anything that I have never tried or experienced myself.

It may seem that confirmation doesn't matter to people on here because when they do give nice, constructive critisism on here to people who ask "how is my horse's confirmation?" or "Is my horsie pretty?" Those people don't want to hear the truth and it's obvious in the way that they type their question and respond to the answers that they receive.

Answer 13

Hello Shadow,

Well, I know where you are coming from.  I think that a lot of kids are on here, as well as, as adults.  And many times they post photos, etc., of their horses to get how pretty it is, etc.

Some horses in the photos are not the greatest, but the person that posted them doesn't care, love is blind.  And while yes confirmation is important especially for some events, it isn't the sole reason why most purchase a particular horse.  

I have seen halter horses that were not anything but halter horses and then baby making machines....  but, it baffles me that someone would take so much time and energy to walk a horse around on a lead.  In my opinion horses are here for a job, and it isn't too be lead around to show how pretty they are.  For heaven sake, you don't even know if they ride well, are well trained, etc....  

I know that when you point out confirmation flaws everyone gives you a thumbs down, unless someone specifically asks I try to avoid point things out.  Most of the time they are love blind anyway.  I think that a good riding horse doesn't have to have breeding confirmation, just a good mind, and the ability to do what is needed of them.

I think that too many people do compete and ask things of senior horses and don't think of the damage that has been done to the joints, etc. from years of asking them to do things that cause wear and tear on the joints.  BUT, on the other hand, older been there done that horses are great teachers for novice riders.  But, these riders don't usually do aggressive competing, just tinkering around learning on them.

Yes, lots of time the answers are given from the top of peoples heads.  I get aggravated when people who don't seriously compete answer questions on barrel racing, etc...

But, as you know, "horsey people" have loads of opinions.  I like to use input from people to store away, of corse not all answers even deserve consideration, to try out if need be in the future....

THANKS to you and your knowledge, and experience and a few others on here, I am storing away lots of good info.

Just try to remember that 99% of these folks on here are giving horses loving homes and really adore their horses, that is what it is all about!

Answer 14

I don't think that at all.  Its just that most people on here simply do not know any better.

1.  Conformation does matter, But most people on here have no idea what they are looking at.  Take the mare afew days ago someone had just bought.  Obvious body with  QH and arab influence.  Everyone was giving all these breed possibilities that made no sense.  She thought it was full QH.  Got an e-mail from her and she said when she took the mask off you could tell it had arab.  Also there are many flaws that people on here talk about because they heard the term somewhere and pay enough attention to those to spot.  Many of these are minor flaws for the level that the riders are riding.  Also many people have no idea which flaws can be worked around and which can't.  Also most people on here have no idea how to match conformation to function, even when they can pick conformation in their discipline (I admit I have a little trouble with jumpers and eventers because I do not know exactly what the horse is required to do).  The example of that is someone saying that the fine leg bones of this one horse were fine for whatever riding you did.  No, despite the fact that bone density influences strength, a trail horse puts extreme stress on joints and legs and such fine bones look pretty but are not the best for the trail.  Oh they work if you are not doing serious trail, but a good trail rider does not look for such a horse.

2.  You are often right there.  Again too many people on here are just horse lovers and do not have experience with horses.

3.  Yes for many people this is a ridiculous notion.  For a beginner a 9 to 12 year old horse is ideal, but it is great to get one older if it is in good health.  However the health of the horse is a big consideration.  I have seen many that are used up at 15 and I have seen others going strong well into their 20's.  One consideration I give though is how strongly attached to a horse the owner will become.  I have seen people so attached to one horse that when it dies they give up and want nothing to do with horses again.  For that type of personality I suggest a younger horse.  

4.  I won't give the odds quite that grim.

EDIT

The current flaw phrase is "built downhill" which most people haven't a clue what it really means or think that QH's are supposed to be built that way.

Answer 15

Shadow - wow - what an in depth question asker you are!  How old are you?  I am curious whether you're old enough to have analyzed your personality - because I bet I could peg what it is after reading a question like this.  Let me take a shot:

1.  Conformation is probably the most important in showing in Halter classes - because halter classes are intended to show horses for judgement of their physical aptitude to perform.  However, conformation is also important in the other show classes because if a horse isn't put together as well as possible, they won't move as gracefully or correctly as one that is.  Conformation is basically the bunch of descriptions meant to communicate how well the horse is built physically.  Further, I feel conformation IS always important throughout all aspects - when one sells or buys a horse, it plays into the value of the horse; when trying to determine what disciplines the horse will excel in  conformation matters, when trying to find out why a horse is injured or not performing well, conformation plays a role.

2.  I would disagree with your statement of item 2 because, as I said above - a better put-together horse (ie, one with good conformation) will naturally be a more graceful (ie pretty/cute) mover than one that is not put together as well.  

2.  That second question really seems to be a two-part question regarding people's response in this audience to how critical people are perceived.  Remember, that we here attempting to answer questions, read only the information given.  We must, from reading the grammer, spelling, typographical accuracy  and our own ideas about how people of different ages and abilities speak and type try to figure out the age and aptitude of the asker as well as that person's experience level in the subject (here, horses).  People don't naturally like to hear - and they don't like to see - others overly criticize anything.  If you're going to criticize, it should be done with a purpose and iwth the right attitude, not an un-educated opinion.  To say "you're horse is too heavy in the neck" would likely be viewed at totally critical and even damaging to say bluntly.  but to say "your horse has an awfully heavy neck, which may not be a good asset for x*x (say barrel racing) but might be viewed as positive in x*x(perhaps a halter class)."  You must remember that every opinion everyone has it tainted by their own experiences and their own ideas.  You might ask me to judge the conformation of your horse- and if I'm smart, before I do, I'll ask what discipline you intend for the horse - because one conformational consideration may be OK for barrel racing, but not for dressage.  Get my meaning here?

3.  For your third question, I feel the statement you make is too general.  I believe what you need to understand about horses (and many other things) is that each individual person and horse's situation is different.  I would disagree with what you say if I'm finding a horse for an inexperienced middle-aged person or even a young person.  A horse matures physically between 3 and 5 - they have mental maturity really about 6-8.  Therefore, a 12 year old horse isn't really all that old since that's about half their natural age - they have a lot of years in them - I would purchase a 12 year old, very well broken horse for an inexperienced person well before I'd purchase a young horse of age 3 or 4 even if that young horse is well started.  Between birth and about 5, it's VERY easy to affect a horse's training - and inexperienced person can take a horse of this type and ruin it if they are not knowledgeable about properly interacting with it.  Really and inexperienced person can "wreck" an older horse - but the better trained older horses are less likely to be changed in what they know already than younger ones.

Now, if I were a trainer who was in desire of starting a young horse my own way, your statement might be true.

I know, from my 40+ years experience with horses and horse people that many people THINK they can breed a good horse, start with a clean slate and end up with a better horse than any they can purchase.  But if they haven't either the loads of money to have the foal trained and started and themselves properly trained and started, too many things can happen that will make the horse unlikely to turn out as well as they think.  There's an awful lot of horses out there who were bred by people just like this - they develop a small deficiency - usually in behavior or attitude that the owner doesn't understand so can't correct.  That little deficiency grows into a large behavioral problem.  

With all that said, it is easier to start a horse properly if you have the technical ability than it is to correct an already formed bad habit.  But if you are not a professional in experience and knowledge, and you haven't the benefit or working with one during the process of starting a youngster, you are not likely to turn out a well-trained horse - thereby ensuring it gets the absolute best life it can get.

The natural horsemanship revolution being experienced in this country right now, I feel is pretty great.  The premise is understanding how another species communicates and interacts with each other - something rarely done to this extent with other species in our world - if a person can do this well, they naturally will learn to interact with other humans on a much higher level.  As more people gain more knowledge and accept more information as true about natural horsemanship ideas and methods, the abilitiy of the general horseowner to correct bad habits and build good ones will increase as well.

4.  I have not idea where you get the 2 out of 20 information - and I am having a hard time figuring out whether this is a slam or not.  Personally, for every answer I give on this forum, I could probably find hundreds of links to webpages that back it up, but I don't have the luxury of that time usually.  I refrain from answering questions that are discipline specific in those that I am not familiar with - like dressage - ask a question about dressage and I won't answer it because I know little about dressage technically.

In my years of management I have learned that different people want to give and recieve inforamtion differently.  You've probably surmised that I'm a very detailed person - I can't answer a general statement usually about horses with a general answer - because it really does depend.  You can take 6 horses with the same problem and 6 owners and the solution to all 6 may be slightly different - bits, gear, tack and training all contribute to a problem.  Each horse is an individual, each person is an individual, each pair of horse person, is something unique becuase each party learns differently.

some people in this forum want to give short, easy answers, but quite often the best answers are not short general ones unless the question is a yes/no question.  I find that people generally ask questions that leave out and important part - so I must answer with if/then to give them the proper answer because I haven't the luxury of speaking face to face or back and forth.

Finally, you state in your question that your goal is to become a better answerer - to get more "best answers" from this forum.  The people who get best answers are the ones with knowledge from experience.  So the best way to get best answers is to experience.  And in my experience, the best way to get experience is to ask A LOT of questions, keep an open mind and try lots of different things.  It's as simple as when someone walks into the tack store and asks me "what's the best product for ......" (fill in problem here - dry skin, nervous horse, etc).  there are TONS of products - do they want the one with the most natural ingredients, do they want the cheapest one or the one the pros use?  Each person has a goal that fits one of these descriptions and we have multiple solutions.  A good horseperson cannot be too judgemental or opinionated - a good horseperson knows there's more than one way to solve a problem - and the solution is based on many factors.  Finally, a good horseperson is willing to listen to many different solutions and find the best one for them - they further are not the type of person who thinks "if you ask my opinion, you better do what I say or you're wrong" because we are not all alike with the same means and wants.

Sorry this is so long, but I hope it helps you.  If you feel you need to learn more about horses - get knowledge any way you can.  Get to expos and listen to all the speakers and clinicians you can.  Buy books and read them all - learn what each prominent popular horseman is about now - rent DVDs if possible or purchase them.  In Barrel racing, for example, one cannot go buy one book or one video by one author and become a pro overnight.  You will learn something, if you go about it properly, from every single interaction with a horse, horseperson and non-horse-person you interact with.  Take it all in, analyze it like you are now and learn from it all - pack it away in your brain for reference.

Above all - have fun!

Answer 16

YA is filled with amateurish wannabe beginners.

When I joined here 6 months ago I was expecting the horses section to be full of people who had horses, and knew what they were doing, and welcomed a bit of discussion.  What we actually have is a bare handful of truly knowledgeable folk, trying in vain to educate swarms of teenage idiots.  (Aside: not every teenager is an idiot - but I'm afraid the majority are!)  I try, but maybe I'm just too in your face - I end up with lots and lots of hate email.  It's entertaining, though!

Seriously, I don't know why they thumb down and argue with people who are clearly far more knowledgeable and intelligent.  Maybe that wee click and those LOUD MISSPELD INSULTZ make them feel important!

Answer 17

I know that a lot of people don`t take my opinions seriously because I`m only 15, and that`s okay. I mean, I don`t have decades of horse experience, and that`s not something you can get a quick fix to. I really look up to the more experienced people on this board, I just think that because I`m somewhat knowledgable on the topic of horses, teens my age can relate to me.

I try to back my answers up with past experiences and sources, but every answer I give can`t be perfect.l (:

Answer 18

I agree with 1 CrossMare!!!  Conformation does matter. But most horses are not 100% correct. & Let me tell you Rosi dosen't get thmubs down for knowlage- it for giveing crappy advice!!!! How can you tell someone to put motor oil on a horse that has rainrot???!!!! It clearly states on the bottle not to have contact with skin!!!!! There are a few on here that I would take advice from & she is NOT one!!  But there are a few people on here that actually know what they are talking about!! If you  want to ask questions about conformation ask Sover7. She has many many years in it. I have a hard time sometimes with conformation. LOL It is a tricky thing. That is why tooooo many people breed conformation flawed horses.

Answer 19

Shadow....I find your reasoning to be valid and you bring up some very good points.  If we are honest with ourselves, each thing you have addressed here has been spewed in one way or another.  I take particular offense when I read a post that states something like "and most of the people here do (share this opinion) too".  If "most of the people" are represented by a clique community, that may be true.  If "most of the people" represents the actual majority of horsemen/women, that statement would be questionable, if not blatantly false. If your opinion can't stand on it's own according to valid evidence rather than "it must be true because so and so agrees with me", then of what value is your opinion?

PS....most people on this site don't know c**p about conformation. A week or two ago, several couldn't even tell the difference between a front leg and a rear leg when the photo didn't show them the whole horse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact, as I just read through some of the answers on this question, I see the pile of misinformed c**p deepening from among the self proclaimed "experts" on conformation.

Answer 20

All Im gonna say is "Form to function" Its the basic formula that I was taught in Equine collage. I agree with 1crossmare, kicking bear, American,  and If you ever want to know about conformation, (I like how some in this post couldn't even spell it correctly), Sov7 is probably the most experienced. There are good knowledgeable people on here, its just in degrees......some are at World and Congress level all the way down to youngsters, but some youngsters are quite sensible. The one thing is, use your own judgment on who's blowing smoke up your a$$ and who's on the level.

Answer 21

1.  Oh good heavens no, I don't think that at all.  Conformation always matters, if you want your horse to stay healthy, happy and sound.

2.  Pfft, I tell it like it is.  But nearly all horses have bad AND good points.  I always try to bring up all points I can see, good and bad.

3.  At this point in my life, I want a horse I can learn from.  One of my horse-dreams is to buy an older schoolmaster for dressage...not for showing, but for learning.  I've never met a true schoolmaster under the age of at least 12!  

4.  Nah, I think there are more knowledgeable people here than that.  There is a handful in particular whose opinions and ideas I really respect.

These are just my observations, though...I'm realy only speaking for myself!

Answer 22

lol

what you are finding out is that many posters here are posting nothing but their opinions.

what you are finding out is that many here are "wannabes' with out any real horse knowledge or background.

If you stick around here long enough, you will be able to weed out the reality from the ridiculous.

just mho.

Confirmation is everything. A horse cannot do its job, unless it has been put together correctly. Its as simple as that.

A well conformed horse will stay sound longer, have a longer working life, have fewer physical problems and be a more comfortable ride.

Answer 23

1.  Conformation DOES matter if you want to horse to be able to do what they are supposed to do.  Do not confuse conformation with just the horses looks.  A horse is put together a certain way so it can do certain things.  I own a beautiful horse and have been complimented on his conformation many times by people who do not know what comformation is for.  Unless you know what to look for you would not notice that his butt is higher than his withers.  Doesn't make him ugly but it does make it impossible for him to gather his rear end under him for turns, he stops on his front end and moves with a short choppy stride, especially at the trot and is basically uncomfortable to ride.

2.  If you like the horse and it is suitable for your purposes, is healthy with no lameness issues - go for it.

3.  Do not ever discount the value of an experienced horse.  If you want to show a horse now then it just makes sense to get a horse that can do the job.  A 3 year old needs many years of training and experience to be a quality show horse.  A 12 year old horse has many, many years left in it.  I have a 25 year old horse that I purchased for my daughter when she was 13 years old.  She is still healthy and sound.  Love her to death.

4.  Do NOT take anything you read on this website to the bank.  There are a very large number of people here who have no idea what they are talking about.  You have no idea if you are reading the answer given by a 12 year old or a 50 year old person.  There are a lot of people who just pop off with an answer and don't know for sure if they are correct or not.  There are a lot of young people here who love horses but have never owned one but believe that they know everything there is to know about horses.  Smart people do their own research on a subject and don't rely only on answers from Yahoo Answers to solve their issues.