Horse Evaluation - Exam 4

what are the names of the labels

A. muzzle
B. poll
C. crest
D. whither
E. loin
F. point of hip
G. croup
H. hock
I. stifle
J. hip
K. flank
L. barrel
M. cannon
N. fetlock
O. pastern
P. hoof
Q. knee
R. forearm
S. troatlatch

what are the 4 conformation evaluation criteria

1. balance

2. structure + soundness

3. muscle

4. quality

what are 3 characteristics that make a well balanced horse

1. can be divided into equal thirds

   • 1st third: from point of shoulder to heart girth

   • 2nd third: from withers to the flank

   • 3rd third: from the flank to the point of the hip

2. height at withers is ≥ height at croup

3. withers to heartgirl = withers to ground

what are 6 common structure defects

• play footed

• pigeon toed

• bench kneed

• sickle hocked

• cow hocked

• post legged

what is this an image of

knock kneed structure

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bow-legged

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toe-in

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toe-out

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bench knee

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ideal structure

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standing under

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camped out

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over at knee

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calf knee

what is this foot movement called

normal (foot moves in a straight line)

what is this foot movement called

“base-wide” or “toed-out” (feet move in inward arcs)

what is this foot movement called

“base-narrow” or “pigeon-toed” (feet move in outward arcs)

what is this an image of

ideal

what is this an image of

bow-legged

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cow-hocked

what is this an image of

post-legged

what is this an image of

sickle-hocked

what happens if there is too much slope in a horse pastern

it increases the strain on flexor tendons

what happens if there is too little slope in a horse pastern

• decreases the strain

• no “springiness”

what ar 7 parts of the horse that show quality

• muzzle

• head

• eyes

• ears

• throatlatch

• crest

• neck

what are 4 parts to the ideal quality of the head

• short from muzzle to poll

• wide eye to eye

• short ears

• large eyes

what are 3 parts to the ideal quality of the neck length

• topline of neck (2) should be 1.5x the length of the neck’s underline (1)

• long and thin neck

• tie high into the shoulder

what are 2 ways to assess mucle on a horse

1. quantity

2. quality

how do you assess the quantity of muscle

• seen in the circumference and bulge of muscle pattern

• a horse’s bulk

how do you assess the quality of muscle

• seen in striation

• “muscle pattern”

• shred

what are the 4 horse gaits

• walk

• trot

• canter/lope

• gallop

what is the walk gait

• 4 beats

• 2-3 hooves are always on the ground

• LF → RH → RF → LH

what is the trot gait

• 2 beats

• diagonal pairs travel together

• has a suspension phase

• LF + RH → RF + LH

what is the canter/lope gait

• 3 beats

• one diagonal pair and one split pait

• has a suspension phase

• left vs. right lead:

  • left lead: RH → LH + RF → LF

  • right lead: LH → RH + LF → RF

what is the gallop gait

• 4 beats

• has a suspension phase

• rotary gallop:

  1. LH → RH → RF → LF

• transverse gallop:

  1. LH → RH → LF → RF

what is the back gait

the same footfall as a trot but with no suspension phase

**make sure to do practice problems on the “Equine Selection and Evaluation“ slides"**