How important is conformation to you?

Meowy Catkin

Meowy Catkin

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I'm not talking about major deformities a la Miss Camel the Friesian with the huge roached back that featured on FHOTD. :p

Are there any faults that are big no no's and are there any that you will accept as long as the horse is perfect in other ways?

Are you more lenient for a riding horse compared with choosing a stallion or mare for breeding?

With riding horses does the job they are intended for influence what faults you would put up with (ok it's obvious that the answer is yes for a horse intended for showing, but what about a happy hack, child's pony, SJ'er, eventer, dressage horse, endurance horse etc...)? Would talent and trainability outway minor faults?
 
i've one with bad conformation, (he looks like 3 different horses stuck together), but he had the most important things i looked for - good legs, kind eye, clever head, nice shoulder and athletic. I'd pick him over a horse with perfect conformation because his brain and braveness are more important to me. Saying that, if he was a stallion I wouldn't breed from him, as I feel he wouldn't be improving future stock.
 
Have to have good confo, have seen too many horses over the years going lame with poor. Mind you my big boy is really well put together and a physical wreck, so you can't have everything. Biggest thing to me is they mustn't be too upright and straight through the shoulder. I like something to land on in a crisis! I don't mind a common or badly set on head but do like the working parts to be correct.
 
Faracat said:
Are there any faults that are big no no's and are there any that you will accept as long as the horse is perfect in other ways?

Are you more lenient for a riding horse compared with choosing a stallion or mare for breeding?

With riding horses does the job they are intended for influence what faults you would put up with (ok it's obvious that the answer is yes for a horse intended for showing, but what about a happy hack, child's pony, SJ'er, eventer, dressage horse, endurance horse etc...)? Would talent and trainability outway minor faults?
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For me it is curbs, plaiting and odd feet. I can cope with most things foot wise so long as they are a matching pair and as for curbs and a leg that plaits while moving, no way thank you. However, dishing, splints, over at the knee, goose rumps and minor faults I will accept, depending upon the job it's intended for. My passion is showing, so do aim where possible to find something that has got excellent conformation - but don't we all!

i like a coupling of animals to compliment one another's faults, in an ideal world we would all like to breed from as near perfect conformation wise as possible but it never quite happens like that (although perhaps if people put more thought into what they were breeding from and why then there perhaps wouldn't be so many badly put together animals out there). For example we have a typical flat footed to mare, who although being slightly 'marey' in the back has good conformation, she will be put to a stallion that has excellent feet.

Yes the job would depend upon what faults I personally will put up with, other than my above mentioned hate list . For a child's pony I would put up with near on anything so long as it was safe, sound and did its job well. Dressage, I wouldn't have any hind leg faults at all or long backs. Happy hacking, anything minor wouldn't trouble me too much and I haven't met a hunter yet that doesn't throw a leg or 2 out in trot and it seems to be the badly out together ones are the toughest! ;). For any job bar showing or high level competition, a splint or dishing would not bother me in the slightest.

What a great question :)
 
I'm more concerned with their dedication to their faith. If it hasn't bothered with its confirmation, I'm not interested :p

I want horses to do what I want to do, so more concerned they're good at their job and nice characters (and not pig ugly ornaments in the field!). If I were picking breeding stock I'd be more concerned.
 
Few horses are perfect and it does depend on the job it is intended to do and has been doing, an older schoolmaster that is sound and proven will probably be a good bet as it has done the job despite whatever shortcomings it may have, the same cannot be said for a young untried horse that with poor conformation may prove not to stand up to the job required once it starts work.

I like a horse that is basically correct, moves fairly straight and has good feet, a few minor imperfections are fine but most major faults will, although not always, potentially cause issues at some point if the horse is going to work reasonably hard for a decent length of time.
The amount of horses that seem to "break" at an early age seems to be increasing, whether this is due to conformation, poor breeding, management or other circumstances such as being started too young, it would be interesting to see research done on this.

As for breeding, there are still far too many poor quality, unproven mares and stallions being used, the amount of BOGOF where mares have been covered by some unknown colt that someone cannot be bothered to cut is also increasing and the offspring while they may be much loved are just adding to the badly put together horses around that have been bred with no thought to the purpose or future they may have.
 
Yes, conformation is important to me, but I will overlook certain problems. For example, my mare was a bit long in the back and short in the neck, but pretty much perfect everywhere else. She had the nicest set of hocks on her that I have ever seen before or since. Things I would avoid are:

Sickle hocks, even slight, after being 'bitten' once when I overlooked this fault because I really liked the horse. Big mistake!

Back at the knee

Long cannon bones

Long sloping pasterns

Post legged

Bench knees

weak loins

Very underrun heels, especially if it is not due to shoeing.

Knock knees

Severe cow hocks. Slight, I can deal with.

Dropped pasterns.
 
Thanks for the replies and good luck in your search for a good Catholic horse JFTD. :D ;)

RE over at the knee - I've always been less concerned about a horse that is slightly over at the knee, compared to one that is slightly back at the knee as I feel that is weaker.

I agree completely with The Wife RE children's ponies.
 
I am fussy up to a point .
Fatty is short in the neck that is fine for the job he does ( hunting ) but it would be better if he had a lovely long neck, he is also IMO a bit short on bone for type I forgave him this because he's so perfect for his job and the training was in him already but I have to careful with his limbs .
Tatts is built very very uphill with a naturally high head carriage and has very upright foreleg conformation but he has conformation for his type and he has been a very very tough sound horse .
J is a beautiful stamp of a TB but his feet need looking after carefully .
The new one is built in a slightly narrow frame for type ( he's an ID ) and he's slightly cow hocked he will look better as he matures and it should not affect his ability to do the job I am training him for ( a hunter ) but I would not have bought a horse with his hocks to train say for dressage .
I like horse to look athletic and all of a piece I don't want anything standing out too much .
I am very very fussy about the natural shape of a horses back if they are blessed with a good natural shape to their back they have a head start .
And I am a sucker for a handsome beautiful horse .
 
If you've got plans they have to be shared by the horse and the horse has to love the same discipline as you imo. I'd take some conformation faults if the horse genuinely enjoys the work and will remain sound.

My mare went through x-rays and all sorts to check she'd be sound for racing and has excellent conformation. She even has pretty nifty breeding; great-grandsire was the former world record holder in trotting, mother and father both won a combined 50 million kronor in their careers. But despite all this she totally lacked the temperament to race and spent her entire time fighting her driver and trying to turn over the sulky and that put an end to it. She just seems to hate what she was bred to do. Some conformation faults can be overcome, but you can't change a horse's personality.
 
Neither of mine have amazing conformation. I don't show them and I think this is the only time I'd be bothered about conformation. My friend had a lovely TBx and he was truly fugly; straight shoulder, long neck pointy bum etc. but he had lovely paces and competed up to 1m40 level very successfully.
I think conformation can hinder a horse's chances of being sound later on in life but also the way they are ridden and taken care of can affect it too, just have to take care of them.
Personally, conformation would not put me off buying a horse, I look for a kind eye and a willing attitude. :)
 
My GP horse was parrot teethed and majorly over at the knee.... no biggy...

My show cob has absolutely spot on conformation - cos he's a show horse and thats what they look for...

horses for courses as they say.
 
As you can see-not very!!
IMAG1579_zpsa0c6e3e8.jpg


My lovely 'mostly ID' youngster, not to be bred from is here for a job and she has the right attitude and the most sweet personality of any horse I've ever met. Think she might be 'The One' !!
So given my instructor believes we could do Elementary dressage and she has a cracking jump I can overlook that she doesn't have perfect conformation. (Mind you, she is rising 5, and her bum has grown again!)
 
For showing I like mine as near perfect as you can get. Saying that I have a TB who is a bit upright in front and has a banana leg BUT he has a stunningly pretty head and a real look at me attitude which make a lot of judges over look the front end conformation. I will see if I have a side on pic of him.

One thing I will NOT tolerate is a big ugly head or roman nose. My theory is is that if you have to look at the head over the stable door every single day then you may as well have one you like!

Not the best pic but the only one I have kind of side on!

GrayMoStirling2_zpse64ce240.png
 
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I am a numpty when it comes to horses but I do LOVE a Roman nose! And lop ears! Though they seem to be very few and far between these days.

My criteria for buying a horse are pretty much the 'child's pony' ones - although I have to factor in the need to carry 12 stone ish so for me a strong back and a reasonable amount of bone are the most important things. Then temperament!
 
Matters with youngsters more than older horses who've been competing sound IMO. If you've got a 13yo who's been doing what you want without an issue most minor niggles can be overlooked, but I'd be unwilling to overlook the same with a youngster as you can't predict how they'll stand up to work.
 
If I was going to breed it would have to be damn near perfect...

For myself... I like a pretty animal, and they tend to be well balanced conformationally. It also depends what I wanted it for! Just a happy hack, if it's sound it doesn't really matter, if I wanted to show it, obviously would have to be well put together, and strong enough for the more strenuous work involved in competing.

Neither of mine were bought specifically for dressage, so neither really have the perfect conformation for that. Pip is built very downhill, I'm not sure you'd realise seeing him move, but he does like to fall onto the forehand if he's tired! And Sims has a very short neck, but it doesn't seem to be an issue. Apart from that they're pretty good, legs all straight, symmetrical, no massively noticeable flaws.

I would probably go for a more uphill horse in the future, just to make dressage that little bit easier. Would also avoid anything with overly long or short pasterns, and anything back at the knee.
 
If giving a home to a horse in need, I don't care about conformation one jot.
If buying a horse, then sure as hell, I want the best.
 
As long as it hasn't got a ewe neck and is in possesion of four good feet I don't much care what it looks like! I loathe showing so looks are not an issue, in fact I swapped a very pretty but phsycotic welsh pony for the ugliest trotter X you ever did see and the trotter is 100 times better than the welshie would have ever been, !

EKW -Alf has the biggest, ugliest head you have ever seen, but I like looking at it over the stable door - he's so ugly he's kinda cute and I wouldn't swap him for any pretty show horse!!
 
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If it does the job you require then conformation isn't that important. Obviously some jobs are difficult to do without good conformation. But I know some shockingly badly put together animals that have been more than worth their weight in gold. One that stands out was a pony that didn't have two feet that pointed in the same direction! He also had long pasterns, a broken hoof pastern axis and cow hocks. But he had BSJA winnings and went on to be a perfect schoolmaster at a very busy riding school and was sound as a pound into his late 20s.
 
I know, it's weird but sometimes the worst put together horses stay soundest the longest! You sometimes have to wonder if some flaws actually strengthen legs or lessen pressure on joints (over at the knee etc).
 
I can't say I'm to fussed, my first horse used to be called the horse on pony legs and looked a bit ridiculous! But never a issue from him..

I bought a well breed mare and had nothing but trouble with her soundness. It doesn't guarantee a thing and I find the most strange looking horses are the best kind for staying sound!

I wouldn't buy anything with hideous conformation, but I don't make it the focus point.

To breed from yeah has to have good conformation, don't see the good in breeding otherwise. We breed to improve (well the good breeders anyway!).
 
I look at the overall picture and haven't made a bad decision yet 14 horses and 20+ years. I couldn't tell you what perfect conformation looked like but I can tell when I like / dislike a horse.
 
Fell in love with a horse (oops typed hore first ) I knew I was being crazy ,so I insisted on a 5 * vetting, I knew he would fail and I would convince myself that it was not to be. He only bloodywell passed it with flying colours, best trot up I have ever seen. Shaggy bog irish draught with terrible feet. A sad sight but there was somthing there. My vet ,brought in at great expense to fail said beast , and thus save my sanity, said "he is an ugly duckling who may turn into a swan...................or an ugly big duck!Oh gee thanks and this is what you get paid the big bucks for!Anyway I bought said horse ,who turned out to have the manners of a saint and the courage of a lion(except where :rabbits ,pigeons ,and anyone firing a gun are concerned.But we all know how dodgy these creatures can be!.He is not just my horse ,he is my soul mate. He has his ups and downs and so do I. He sulked for two weeks after the dentist. (ok it was some pretty major work )But now I am forgiven and we need to work on our dressage Bob! Ultimately conformation is important if you want to achieve the top, yet I have witnessed the most expensive yearling (in its day ) ever to enter training .The wonder horse,yet despite its wonderfull bloodlines and price tag,the horse had no courage,edited to add that Bob also has a distrust of cats .Just to keep the record straight
 
Were it a case that I was to buy a horse now and had the money and time to do so, I would be very particular about conformation. I suppose I like the idea that the less there is technically wrong, the less risk there is of things going wrong down the line (but then horses are horses so that probably makes that theory redundant!).

I haven't always had such an interest in conformation and would have previously been in the "if he's sound and does the job, he's fine" class but I suppose I am now a bit more particular

For me, the horse needs to be as correct as possible, there are some things I'd let slide or would be lenient to, but if the horse doesn't look the full picture as a whole, I think there must be something wrong.

Things I would personally try to avoid would be ewe neck, very upright shoulder, back at the knee or extremely over the knee, tied in behind the knee, knock knees, extremely light of bone (though depends being true to breed/type), long cannon bones, very upright pasterns (and equally very long, sloped pasterns), when the angle of the shoulder and pastern don't match, very weak/light barrel, very long back, high set tail, roach back/weak back. Sickle hocks or post legged. Legs not being a pair, base narrow.

I'd forgive being toed out over pigeon toed, and as far as movement goes, I think that the main thing is that the horse is active and tracking up, I'd not be a fan of plaiting though could let dishing go if it were a special horse.

I suppose that were the horse my dream horse in every other respect I wouldn't let it go on the basis that it was a little cow hocked/short of rein etc but in a toss up between two similar horses, the one that is most correct conformation and movement wise would trump the other. If it were a case of buying to breed, I would really take the conformation seriously... it's near impossible to breed correctness and quality from something with none to begin with! But perhaps I am pedantic and over cautious when it comes to conformation!
 
High set tails has been mentioned as a negative on another thread. Can someone explain why please - beyond it being against breed standard in some breeds? As an arab owner I'm so used to high set tails that it's normal to me.
 
I suppose for me (and perhaps I'm wrong) but when I say high set tail, I don't mean to refer to just a high tail carriage. I perhaps have just failed to articulate that what I'm trying to get at is a high tail as a result of a flat croup. But I would have little proper knowledge of the like of the arab breeding standards and I'm purely coming from a sport horse (/sports horse type) point of view, in which case a flat croup and high tail would, to me at least, indicate weakness, lack of power in the hind quarters and pose problems for the horse to easily engage, and make full use of himself. But as ever, it's just my opinion (:
 
I don't know why but I always associate a high set tail with sharpness... Perhaps it comes from the way the tail is set on making the horse look like it always has it's back up. Funny little quirks and assumptions.
 
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