Head and Neck Conformation

Unknown Arab Poet

super dramatic

• ears like lilies in trembling water

• nostrils like petals of a rose

• neck is elongated wave

• body sways with supple strength of wind, sand, and sun

Head

part of balance structure of horse

• Weighs ~40lbs

• Head must be in balance with the whole horse

General head conformation standards

• Breed and sex specific

• chiseled shape with definition of boney framework

• Triangular in profile and from above eye to muzzle

• Slight dish or straight

Head proportions

should be proportional from eye to ear and eye to nostril, thirds

• refinement should be breed and sex specific

• female head should be feminine, male head should be masculine

CAN NEVER BE TOO REFINED

Big picture

• Balanced/proportional to body

• structure is chiseled

• appropriate shape for breed and sex

• attractive to the eye

• athlete→proportion for purpose

Eyes

large, round, wide set, dark (depends) for sun sensitivity

• Set appropriately

Ears

in proportion

• perky, alert

Muzzle

Tapered proportionally

• large nostrils

The eye

• function and form

• eyes must be

  • set correctly

  • proportional to size of head

• windows to soul→ eyes can tell you about attitude maybe

Eye faults

white sclera: appys desired, stock want dark

Hooded eye: extra fat above eye

Pig eyed: small and sunken in

any visual impairment is major concern and usually unsafe to ride

Nostrils

shaped to scoop air for athlete, wide set and large

capture and contain scent

sound machine

Flehmen response

• generally considered male behavior, but mares do it too

• concentration of pheremones

• eyes closed partially, horse concentrating inward

Ears

appropriate proportions→ small not negative, large clinically better

Faults:

• lop

• man-made paralysis

Teeth

Important→have to look inside head and flip up lip to see teeth

• one of the basic conformation standards for ag animals is bite

  • can’t eat, can’t gain, animal needs to be efficient

underbite

bulldog mouth, monkey bite, prognathism

overbite

parrot mouth, brachygnathia

01-03

incisors

04

canines

05

wolf teeth

05-08

premolars

09-11

molars

Galvayne Groove

line on outer incisor, appears @ 9-10yrs and disappears @ 30yrs

Factors of aging teeth

• grind down ~2-3mm per year

• every horse has a slightly different chew pattern

• feed, condition, conformation of the dental arcade

Neck conformation

key attachment angles, not bones→how it fits w/head and shoulder

Neck big picture

Chiseled, tight muscled, 1/3 length of horse, pleasing to the eye

• Throatlatch clear to allow for flexion and functional breathing

• top longer than bottom

• slight upward curvature from poll toward wither

neck faults

• thick throatlatch

• ewe or swan neck: longer on bottom, concave in front of wither

• Cresty neck or regional adiposity

Angles of the tie in

• head and neck

  • throatlatch

  • tapered

  • flexible

  • width for function

• Neck and shoulder

  • function of horse

  • @ Point of Shoulder or above

  • appropriate