Uphill, level, downhill - where do you draw the line?

T

Teajack

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 October 2018
Messages
589
Visit site
Musing while window-shopping horse sale ads - how do you tell if a horse is built uphill or downhill? Very much either way is easy to see, but I usually can't decide with the ones nearer the middle. Do you look at the relative height of croup and wither, stifle and elbow, or the hip joint and where the shoulder moves from? Do you draw some other imaginary line? Or just go by the overall impression?
 
I've seen it done two ways- line from the stifle to the elbow, or from the top of the croup to the wither. Honestly though it also depends on how the horse moves- I've seen some that look nice and uphil drag themselves around on the forehand and some really lovely balanced downhill ones that i wouldn't have looked at twice, save for the video.
 
Stifle to elbow s better, but what you really need to be looking at is the pillar of support. Thats what makes them ride and feel downhill.

This is a very good article on functional conformation

link
 
Thanks LW - only had time to skim so far but that looks a very interesting article, particularly as it discusses a variety of types.
 
Breagha said:
My OH gelding is very croup high but rides extremely uphill naturally.
Click to expand...
ohmissbrittany said:
I've seen it done two ways- line from the stifle to the elbow, or from the top of the croup to the wither. Honestly though it also depends on how the horse moves- I've seen some that look nice and uphil drag themselves around on the forehand and some really lovely balanced downhill ones that i wouldn't have looked at twice, save for the video.
Click to expand...

Been trying to find a side on photo of a horse I used to ride, he could move beautifully uphill and really lift his forehand - whether he could have maintained this through to a higher level I don't know. Can't remember if he was particularly downhill, his confo was definitely nothing to write home about but obviously worked as a whole. And he liked dressage.
 
From a single photo- it’s tricky. In terms of general work it’s certainly possibly for a built downhill horse to move uphill naturally. I’m not convinced even the real dressage top boys are conformationally as uphill as we might imagine.
 
One thing is conformation while standing still, but you also need to see the horse in motion. My mare is slightly croup high, but boy, does she have an engine! In motion she doesn’t seem downhill at all.

Look at a horse like Isabell Werths Weihegold. Not really the perfect conformation for a dressage horse... scores over 80% anyway.1576174635079.jpeg

1576174697515.jpeg
 
I think you would have to see them move. Still pictures can be very deceptive, not least when crafty people tilt them! - be careful to look at the ground line as well as the horse on stills!
 
Leandy said:
I think you would have to see them move. Still pictures can be very deceptive, not least when crafty people tilt them! - be careful to look at the ground line as well as the horse on stills!
Click to expand...

Very few horses are stood up properly, which is just annoying. Assume its usually not deliberate, but some dealers put up pictures taken on a road with the horse standing across the camber.
 
Teajack said:
Very few horses are stood up properly, which is just annoying. Assume its usually not deliberate, but some dealers put up pictures taken on a road with the horse standing across the camber.
Click to expand...

Oh how I agree! The number of adverts that just show it head on, or jumping! Can't see it at all!
 
AUB said:
One thing is conformation while standing still, but you also need to see the horse in motion. My mare is slightly croup high, but boy, does she have an engine! In motion she doesn’t seem downhill at all.

Look at a horse like Isabell Werths Weihegold. Not really the perfect conformation for a dressage horse... scores over 80% anyway.View attachment 39342

View attachment 39343
Click to expand...

Given how many just bounce their quarters in piaffe rather than doing it 'properly' I think you'd get photos of a lot of them looking arse high.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top