Conformation of the event horse?

RachelFerd

RachelFerd

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What are the 'good' traits and potential problem areas that you would look for in the conformation of the event horse, or potential event horse?

Can anyone post pictures of their event horses, with an idea of what makes them 'good' and what are their bad traits.

Any further input on my two would be interesting - I know both are far from perfect - am trying to learn more about these things!

1. Ferdinand (my old eventer, has been on loan, now with my mum for RC stuff) he has evented for many seasons at novice, has completed at intermediate - 14yo 16hh ISH type (breeding unknown)

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+ve plenty of bone
+ve strong hindquarter
+ve good feet
+ve good depth of girth

-ve neck set on too low, with heavy head - inclined to be on the forehand
-ve long in the back, with slightly downhill build - hard to collect
-ve close behind
-ve general type is too heavy for higher levels

2. Tia (pictured here very underweight due to box rest and operation, but the only side-on pics I have!) 5yo 15.3hh TB mare, by moonax out of a lord americo mare. Ex point to pointer, did first aff ODE this year.

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+ve nice head, well set on neck (albeit lacking muscle)
+ve compact body, good depth of girth
+ve overall balanced impression
+ve short cannon bones
+ve decent angle of hip

-ve tied in below the knee, and slightly over at the knee (being over not so bad though, is it?)
-ve sh*t feet
-ve long pasterns - could be a weakness
-ve slight roach back (most visible when lacking condition like this)

would be interested in your comments - and pictures of others with your thoughts - what attracted you to them?
 
I would always look for good basic confirmation as they are more likely to stand upto work. However attitude and ability are often not hugely affected by confirmation.
 
I seem to have a habit of plumping for horses with dodgy conformation, but lovely temperaments
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Grey horse couldn't have a better brain for an eventer... but the body can't keep up
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Not a great picture but this horse to my mind was the stamp of an event horse. He had basically good confirmation and was reasonably succesful with a professional after I sold him. I however found him difficult to show jump and there were question marks over his soundness despite what appeared good confirmation.
 
Hmmmmm i think this is very interesting, a lot does come down to the brain v body thing i think.

I dont have a side on shot of my Tia but she has fab conformation but hates eventing sadly!!!

Blue on the other hand

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Clearly has a less than perfect body for eventing, being on the chunky side!!! But has the most fantastic attitude and brain, i highly doubt his body will keep up with it though
 
S_J, yes he does look like a lovely 'stamp'. His hind legs almost look a bit strung behind in this picture, but I think it must be the slightly funny angle of photo. Interesting you say his soundness was questionable.. I guess it then boils down to conformation vs management... and whether it is possible to keep the badly-made horse sound via good management. And a bit of pot luck too, obviously!

Do you have any side-on pictures of Sarnie? Would be interesting to look at a successful (and lovely...) event horse.
 
I'm afraid nearly all my shots of Sarnie are action shots! One very poor one of her stood up which may give you a bit of an idea. She is quite small but very athletic. When we went to try her we nearly didn't buy her as she is quite light of bone and at the time very weedy but she is light on her feet.

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I think strong limbs are important but the brain is the making of an event horse.
My Moonie is not blessed with good conformation but she has a great attitude.

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Interesting post. I do think attitude is the most important thing in an eventer though!

My old PSG Dressage horse, she went at least 2 star. had absolutely endless scope. is very long backed and short necked. Was very sound.

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The grey here is an intro/pn horse. I think her confo is pretty much spot on for an eventer. I would criticise her short neck and slight tencdency to look herring gutted.

The bay is my ex-intermeadiate horse. Very compact confo - almost too short backed and long in neck. Has very upright confo - he hates hard ground and is now retired. was very sound, but had crap feet.

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None of them are ideal shapes and types for eventing but they have all been pretty good horses!
 
My horse has the breeding to be a very good eventer. 3/4 TB 1/4 ID. But sadly neither the brains or the conformation to be one.

This is him when he is 3 day fit. It was only for a Intro sized course but I believe he was fitter than some of the horses who went round the one star.

He has a high wither, long neck but his biggest weakness is his huge shoulders. They make him hugely on the forehand and makes it difficult to pick himself of the ground.

He is also a bit backwards and likes to check everything before jumping. He was placed 5th in the only intro he has done and could maybe go PN but he does not have the brains to go any bigger which is a shame really.

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Badger def has the jump, speed and strength/reliability to be a good eventer. I think so anyway, what do you guys think?

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But maybe a bit too heavy for big time?
 
I think that Woody is what you would call a real three-day event stamp/proper old fashioned stamp/type. Or would you say that he looks too showjumper-ish?

His good points-
Superb, large shoulder
Very well set on neck
Back length just spot on; nice and strong back
Good girth
Nice short cannon bones, good amount of bone (9 inches)
Good length/angle of pasterns
Good length of leg
Attractive head, good ears and a kind and genuine eye; nice broad forehead (
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Good chest/heart room


His bad points-
Very weak second thigh
lack of depth to his croup/hindquarter ( from the point of hip to tail)
Rather straight in the hock
Rather thick in his jowel/throat-makes it easy for him to overbend
Not the best feet in the world; but OK.
Stands 'over' himself?
Back end conformation a mismatch to his front end conformation. All power is in front;rather than behind.

As a consequence of this (?) plus the fact that he does not have the straightest or the most 'through' movement he finds it very difficult to engage and balance in his flatwork/jumping. Everything is long and flat..but he can jump the moon.

The first month with him( looking very poor, the poor boy, he was not allowed any hard feed, only hay as he was a little energetic!)
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More recently-

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This horse was deemed to have champion show horse conformation by Richard/Marjorie Ramsay, Richard was going to buy him until he decided his movement didnt come though enough when trotted up in hand( legs went everywhere) I also thought he was a really cracking event type, his only fault was long pasterns and not the best feet. But he just did not have the brain or toughness to be a eventer- he was just too much of a pretty boy- he was scared of poles and jumps from day one, I dont know why I kept on pursuing the issue!
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Well mine has crap conformation and this is showing in a small suspensory ligament issue this summer on the back legs, underrun heels and I believe a straightness to the leg?
But he does have a decent bit of bone for a 3/4 tb, I think his neck is nicely set on and he has a good (if not that huge) back end and he is short, which makes him fairly manouverable.
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Jerry has pretty good confo I think, but his front feet werent the best, being a bit long in the toe and having low heels, he retired this year at 7 with navicular and hind suspensiery problems...


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Blaze is very compact, has a lovely short back, but his neck isnt great, a little short and upright, although it doesnt seem to cause too many problems...

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I think that Sarnie is rather gorgeous - was also suprised that she was not full TB. Unfortunately don't have any pics of mine as just got new computer and haven't moved them over. He is an ex-racehorse bred for the flat, fairly well put together but he is a little straight through his hind leg which is not ideal. However he has survived a racing career of 5 years and now events (albeit just starting out) so hopefullly not too much of a problem for him.
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