Conformation Flashcards
What is the abnormal contraction of the heel?
Contracted feet
Source: Horse Science (National 4-H Council), p. 13
Name 3 common faults in the foot corrected by trimming?
Splayfoot, pigeon toe, quarter crack, cocked angles, contracted heels
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 49
If a horse is parrot mouthed, what does that mean?
The lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 10 / Horse Science (National 4-H Council), p. 13
Which is a more serious condition, toed-in or toed-out?
Toed-out
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 151
What is coon footed?
Long sloping pasterns throwing fetlocks low
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 8
What is splayfoot?
It is when the front toes are turned out and the heels are turned in
Source: Horses and Horsemanship, Ensminger, p. 458
What is it called when the angle of the foot is noticeably less than 45 degrees?
Flat feet
Source: Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms, p. 109
The back of the horse carries the weight of the rider. A concave or sagging back is termed what?
Swayback
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 152
What term describes a horse that is low in the withers with heavy shoulder muscling?
Mutton withered
Source: Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms, p. 184
What is buck-kneed?
Knees bent forward or over at the knees
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-5
Name two conformation faults associated with the stifle.
Straight behind, standing under behind, camped behind
Knock knees or bench knees are conformation faults that are visible from the…..?
Front
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 12 / AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-5
Structure, form and symmetrical arrangement of parts as applied to a horse is referred to as what?
Conformation
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 8
When buying a horse, how should the height of the croup compare to the height of the withers?
The should be the same
Source: Horses and Horsemanship, Ensminger, p. 34
Is parrot mouth a genetic defect?
Yes
Source: Horses and Horsemanship, Ensminger, p. 60
What is a bench knee?
The cannon bone is not centered in the knee as viewed from the front
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 147
What term describes ears that are carried in a loose, inattentive, sluggish manner?
Lopped ears
Source: Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms, p. 172
A heavy neck which breaks and falls to one side is called what?
Broken crest
Source: Illustrated Dictionary of Equine Terms, p. 40
What is the conformation fault in which the knees are bent forward?
Buck-kneed
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-5
What is calf-kneed?
Knees bent backward
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-6
Referring to horses, what is a hand?
A measurement of height; one hand equals 4 inches
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 139
What is the hardest working joint in the horse’s legs?
Hock
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 154
What is tucked up?
Thin & cut up in the flank like a greyhound
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 4
What is the term for flat-ribbed?
Slab-sided
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
At what angle should the head join the neck?
45 degrees
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 10
What is the term for protruding eyes?
Bug-eyed or bovine eyes
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 144
What is cow-hocked?
Hocks close together, feet wide apart
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
Describe goose-rumped.
A croup that slopes and tapers from the hip to the buttocks
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 154
What is the difference between splayfooted & pigeon-toed?
Splayfoot - front toes turned out
Pigeon-toed - front toes turned in
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-1,2
What is roman-nosed?
Face is convex
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-4 / Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 10
Name an undesirable trait of the croup?
Goose rumped
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 154
What is the most common defect in the rear legs?
Cow hocked
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-6
Why should the bottom line of a horse be longer than the top line?
To allow for a longer stride
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-6
Why shouldn’t a horse have low, flat withers?
They don’t hold a saddle well
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-6
What is the term for a horse having a short, steep croup?
Goose-rumped
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
What is the term for a horse with too little angle at the hock?
Post-legged
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 11
What is the term for a horse with too much angle at the hock?
Sickle-hocked
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 11
What is the ideal angle of hoof to ground?
45 degrees
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 11
What is paunchy?
Too much belly
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
What is the term for a thin, sharp, arched back?
Roached back
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
Describe phenotype.
The way the horse looks on the outside
Source: Equine Science, Griffiths, p. 91
What are mutton withers?
Low, flat withers OR round, thick
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 151
Describe swayback.
Concave or sagging back
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 152
Describe roached back.
Convex appearance of back
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 152
Describe the saddling problem that occurs with a mutton withered horse.
The saddle slips and will not stay in place
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 151
What term means that a horse is proportionally as long as it is tall?
Balanced
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 133
Besides supporting the weight of the saddle & rider, what is another reason that the loin should be short & strong?
Carries power from the hind legs forward
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-6
Define the term “camped out behind”.
Entire forelimb is too far forward and away from the body
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-5
A horse whose hocks are too far apart with his feet set close together is said to be what?
Bow-legged or out at the hock
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-7
Name one desirable characteristic of the rear quarters as viewed from the side or rear.
Should appear square
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-7
To evaluate conformation, it is necessary to know what?
The parts of the horse
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-3
What does the term Roached Back mean?
Having a thin, sharp, arched back
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
Name one area of the hindquarters where the muscle should have thickness.
Thigh, stifle, gaskin
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 153-154
Name one characteristic you want in a horse’s eye.
Large, clear, set wide apart, bright, bold, alert, soft, kind
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-4
Body type, color patterns, gaits & way of going are examples of what type of characteristics?
Breed characteristics
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-8
Define base narrow.
Horse stands closer at the ground than at the origin of the legs in the chest
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-2
Describe the “bow-legged” horse.
Wide at the knees, narrower at the feet
Source: Horses and Horsemanship, Ensminger, p. 514
Base wide, narrow-chested horses have feet that are usually what?
Toed out
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 230-3
What is monkey-mouthed?
Undershot jaw
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-4
In reference to conformation, describe a horse that is “built downhill”.
Height at hip is higher than the height of withers
Source: The Horse, Evans, p. 135
What is the term for the physical appearance of an animal?
Conformation
Source: AYHC Horse Industry Handbook, 220-1
What is goose rumped?
Having short, steep croup
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
What does it mean if a horse is slab sided?
Flat ribbed
Source: Horses and Horsemanship (National 4-H Council), p. 9
What does the term bugeyed mean?
Eye protruding horse; horse usually can not see well
Source: Horse Science (National 4-H Council), p. 8
