Horse Smarts...... Do you have it????

Question

Here are some conformation tests. To see how good your eye is. How did you do? Then the bottom 3 help you to spot the faults. Hope this helps someone learns to see faults!

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/mareconformation_061506/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/agedarabians_082207/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/yearlingconformation_122805/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/tbmareconformation_072606/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/geldingconformation_051906/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/quartertypeconf_030107/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/mareconformation_012407/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/conformationfaults110299a/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/conformationfaults110299b/

http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/anatomy/conformationfaults110299c

Answer 1

Well, that was fun!

I look for basically the same things, balance, top line, and angles, but I place my emphasis for other things differently.  This author definitely penalized front leg faults over back legs; I tend to do the opposite.  I also penalize more for being downhill than this judge.

I also felt s/he didn't select for Arab typiness enough.  In a mixed horse class, I'd have chosen differently, but in a straight Arab class I want more typiness.

It's such a subjective art, and doing it from pictures, with differing angles and posing, is harder than in person.  But seeing how an expert does it, and seeing what you missed or underjudged, is always fun and educating!

Answer 2

i'm gonna try this, i really have not much of a clue cause it's been forever since i've first learned the basics, might take me a while/few guesses, but could ya please tell me at the end what was wrong/right with the pics? (i'd like to know more bout this)

1. i think his back legs are too far set back? like isnt there spose to be a line from the hind quarters (idk where exactly) to the back hoof?

*my puter is slow so i'm doing one at a time, then rediting, thanks...

2. i really dont know or have a guess, (i know i'm not the best at this, kindda why i wanted to take a stab at it/learn more.)

3. my best guess is that pick three looked like his back was really flat/high... but i dont think that's the correct answer. just a guess.

4.well i guessed right on who had the best over all look/correctness, but again it was a guess, and going off the way the middle horse(b) was standing looked wierd/not correct. the hind end. so i didnt pick that one, and the reason i picked the number one horse was just cause it's coat/position looked more correct.

maybe i should stop while i'm ahead. . . thanks for the web site, if you have any others, could ya share em? thanks again for this question, *goes back to book mark that site*

yeah i see that but i dont understand it totally... i'm alittle slow on the reading alot of info at once... it's easier for me to see it in person. lol

Answer 3

Ack...this will deflate any self-esteem I might have garnered regarding conformation.  That's why I have a friend who is very knowledgeable to talk to about conformation...here we go...

1.  B, A, C...for me, I didn't like the dip in the neck of C

2.  C, B, A...don't know about Arabians...just went with what I thought looked good.

3.  C, A, B...okay, note to self..."I am not allowed to buy a yearling without an experienced horse person along"

4.  C, A, B...I'm learning to look better!  His notes on what he is looking for is helping me.

5.  B, C, A...again my preference...good thing I'm not a judge!

6.  B, C, A...I like a 'stockier' quarter horse

7.  B, C, A...hey...I've had the same order for the last 3 links...and they are ALL WRONG!  Well, according to the judge...

*hmmmph...I'm not buying, so it's not so critical for me...but  

good for helping me learn...which I so obviously need!  I tested and then commented...no cheating here *even though it might have saved my self esteem!!*

Answer 4

Sure glad I'm not being graded on this....LOL!!!

Got 3, 4, 5 & 6 in the right order, but it was hard.  There wasn't any but thoroughbred "c" that I would have wanted to really look at or put money on.

Didn't answer the arab one because I don't have a clue.  Never owned one & never will.  No offense to anyone!!

Judging yearling confirmation has always been hard for me.  Some faults I "might" see can change as the horse matures & some won't, but for me to decided which is which is why I buy horses at age 3 & up HA HA !!!!

I am not one for being able to pick out all confirmation faults.  I am one of those, "I know what I like when I see it & ride it" kind.  If something looks off or funky, I'll look harder, but I like to see a horse move & feel how they ride also. All angles

I like this question though.  It was helpful & I think I will be filing this info. away.  Thanks!!!

Answer 5

i got 2 6 and 8 wrong all the rest i got right wooohoo...that was fun

Answer 6

1. B, A, C

2. C, B, A

3. A, C, B

4. C, B,A

5. C, A, B

6. C, B, A

7. C, A, B

No idea if I got them right or not - it was confusing enough flipping through 3 tabs (the list, the pictures and my answer) without trying to check the things while I've got kids cooking and shouting at each other and a conversation going on. Man!- multitasking  - good job I'm not a bloke !

Answer 7

First one, "B"...what a feminine head, beautiful body.

Second one...the gray, "C" this mare shows correctness in conformation.

Third...A...love the balance on this baby, knees and hocks....look how his hip, hock and feltlock are; you could drop a plumb bob from his hip and watch how the hock and fetlock line up.  

Fourth ... I'll take C...she looks like a halter mare.  Mare B is a wreck.....A.  just doesn't do it for me.

Fifth...C; A is a complete wreck....

Sixth..C...this isn't easy as none of them are really any kind of halter quality.

Seven.......the fugly horse contest  ... I wouldn't place any of them...truly a sense of making lemonade of lemons...

I always feel badly for those people who send pictures in of their horses just to have someone give them a thumbs down.   You know they have to have high hopes of coming out on top of the three....this is a prime example of why it behooves you to take a knowledgeable horseman with you when looking for a horse.

Great question my friend!!!  I had to "think" on a Sunday...arrgh!!!  I survived!!  :>)

Buckinfun...enjoy your hoses...doesn't really matter what anyone else might think!!.

Answer 8

I love confirmation!

I will place these in order of what I  personally like and would buy. This is different that how a judge may place in a line up, but I look for specific things and so here goes....also I am going to have to come back to these since I'm at work..

1) B, C, A.

2) C, B. A - Yikes that was like the best of the worst and fyi I would not buy any of them...

3) B, A, C . Youngsters are tough because you can always expect them to be unbalanced. I placed this way because I don't care for A & C's pastern angles, although A & C seem to have better front assembly.

4) C, A, B - That one was easy

5 ) C, A, B - OMG !!! wouldn't take em if they were free!

6) C, B, A - C is clearly the more balanced of the 3. I don't like the others legs at all.

B definitely has rear fetlock problems.

7) C, A, B - EEEk!!! Who breeds these things?

Ok.... how am I doing so far?

I wish we had more questions like these.

Frankly I've become weary of the "what should I name my new pony?" postings.

I suggest the adults unite and raise the bar!

Answer 9

That's really interesting actually. I always looked at conformation, but I never paid such close attention. It's really helpful!

Answer 10

*edit:  I got the first horse right..the best.  Some of the others I'd flip flop or I got them right.  I seen that what I was viewing was the same at the judge but I just chose differently to my own pref. haha*

I am horrible at conformation.

I especially have a hard time seeing the neck tying in thing.  It has to hit me in the face!

Wonder how many are going to be honest and not cheat? haha

1. B, C, A  

2. C, B, A

3. A, C(cutter quality and I'd hope he'd grow into that rump), B

4. C, B (back length too short,), A (I don't like the neck)

5. C, B, (I did have A here but I like this horse except his high head and possibly toed in) A (I don't like his head or his neck)

6. C (he's purdy!), B (ugly neck but her legs are better than horse A) A (thick neck, legs parked out too much, knee not too bad but not for long rides)

7.  C (gorgeous!), A (upright pasterns and thick neck, mule head) and B (something off about those hind legs. Shoulder 'heavy)  To me A and B both fall short and I'd pass on both.

My poor mare..she's falling apart with confo faults!

toed in, sickle hocked, cow hocked, camps under, shoulder is heavy, herring flanked....poor thing!

My other filly is over at the knee and short backed, and I quit looking after that. haha

The gelding...he's starting to toe out now.  Not alot but I see it.