(K) HORSE JUDGING, CONFORMATION & GAITS Flashcards
The distance between successive imprints of the same hoof
Stride
Gaits have 2 phases. Name them.
Weight bearing phase and a suspension or swing phase
The weight bearing phase has 4 divisions, they are?
Landing, loading, stance, breakover
Together the length of stride, rapidity, and time the hoof is on the ground results in what?
Speed
Confirmation is the physical appearance of an animal due to what?
Arrangement of muscle bone, and other body tissue
What is the definition of breed standard?
Each breed organization has identified ideal horse characteristics
Name 5 factors in judging conformation.
Balance, muscling, breed, and sex characteristics, structural correctness the way of going.
What is the sequence of judging horses from the profile?
Start with the head, throatlatch, neck, shoulder, front column of bone (leg), topline and end with hindquarters and rear column of bone
When judging, the purpose of watching ‘the way of going’ (tracking) is to evaluate what?
to view significant structural defects, as well as lameness
What is the most important characteristic when judging?
Balance
balance is best evaluated from what view?
Profile
Specifically, how is the horse divided in 3 equal parts for judging?
Point of shoulder to girth, girth to point of hip, point of hip to buttocks
When evaluating a horse’s confirmation, the legs are to be as long as what other part?
The body
The same length from point of shoulder to buttocks is?
Height of the withers
together, the angle of the shoulder, angle of the hip, length of the back, and length from the point of shoulder to buttocks should form what shape?
equilateral traingle
When judging a horse’s confirmation, what is the preferred relationship between the horse’s topline and underline?
short topline, and long underline
The straighter the shoulder, the farther forward the ____, with a corresponding ____ back, from the withers to the coupling
Withers, longer
A horse that is considered heavily muscled will have more muscling in what three areas than a horse that is lightly muscled?
Forearm, gaskin, width of hindquarters
The horse’s skeletal structure will determine the length and slope of what?
Shoulder, overall height, length of back
Name 5 characteristics of an attractive well conformed head
Short, well set ears, large bold eyes, short distance from eye to muzzle, large nostrils, shallow mouth
The measurement from the poll to a horizontal line drawn between the eyes is about 1/2 the distance from the…
horizontal line to the midpoint of the nostril
When the width of the horse’s head across the forehead is measured, that distance should be the same as…
From the poll to the horizontal line drawn between the eyes
During evolution, the eye has moved from the___to the ___
Head to the side
The eyes on the side of the head allow for more rounded vision of…. degrees.
300
A horse with excessive white around the eye often exhibits what Behavior?
Nervous and flighty
There appears to be no scientific data to support… For adequate air intake
Large flaring nostrils
The jaw of a stallion is… Compared to a Mare’s jaw
Slightly larger, deeper jaw
The jaw of a gelding is what size
Intermediate in size compared to the stallion’s
Typically the more shallow the mouth…
the softer and more responsive a horse is to a bit.
The depth of the throatlatch is usually equal to what?
one half the length of the head
The ideal ratio of top to bottom line up the horse’s neck is what?
2 to 1
The ideal slope of the shoulder is approximately how many degrees?
45 to 50 degrees
In general the angle of the pastern and will correspond to the angle of what?
Shoulder
A coon footed horse has too much…
slope to the pastern
A coon footed horse has too much…
slope to the pastern
A horse with a… Will endure more concussion and is predisposed to navicular disease
Short steep pastern
A horse that is short strided with Gates that are trappy will have a straight what?
Shoulder
The horses for lambs bear about how much of its weight?
60 to 65%
The width of the toes in the ground should be the same width as what?
Their origin in the chest
Pigeon toed horses have toes that… and have gate that is called…
Point inward, winging out or paddling
Splay-footed horses have toes that… And have a gate that is called…
Point outward, winging in or dishing
Horses that are narrow chested are usually… and will distribute more weight on the… of front hooves
Toed out, inside of front hooves
Typically a horse with large muscles mass stands…
Base narrow
A base narrow horse is predisposed to landing on the… of the hoof walls
outside
Bench knees or… is a characteristic of a horse with the cannon bones set too far…
Offset knees, outside of the knees
Offset knees usually develop what problem?
Splints
Capable of long performance life, the most frequent structural deviation of the horse’s legs when viewed from the sides are called what?
Over at the knees or buck knees
… does not remain sound, the knees bend backwards (hyperextends)
Back at the knees calf knees
The ideal pastern is … degrees is the front and … degrees in the back
45 front 50 back
Short steep pasterns tend to give the horse a… stride and predispose it to lameness due to… bones
Choppy rough stride, Additional concussion on the entire front column of bones
Pasterns that are too long relative to the length of the limb are weak and may predispose the horse to…
Tendon and ligament injuries
The topline of the horse is made up of 4 parts, they are…
Withers, back, loin, and croup
Factors that influence soundness and athletic ability are… and …
Strength of the topline and muscling over the loin
The ideal withers should be … , because this will …
Sharp, prominent, and well defined, hold the saddle on the horse without a need to excessively tighten the cinch
A horse that is weak or shallow in the loin is described a___,____, and____
Houd gutted, wasp-waisted, and light over the kidneys
A croup that is long and gently sloping has what benefit?
Adds length to the side, and well as dimension and muscling to the hindquarters
A goose rumped horse has an
Excessively steep croup
The spring a rib and depth of the heart girth are indicative of capacity of___and___.
Reproductive and athletic performance
A steep croup horse will exhibit what kind of action?
Great horizontal action with legs under its body
A structurally sound horse from behind will have an imaginary line from the point of the buttocks to the ground should bisect the ___, ___, and ___
Gaskin, hock, hoof
Bow legged horses have hocks that are too___and are generally predisposed to being___.
Far apart, base narrow
Bow legged horses have added strain on their bones, ligaments, and joints, and many types of interference in movement, they are called…
Bandy legged
A sickle hocked horse is predisposed to ___, due to the hock having excessive ____.
Curbs, angulation
A post legged horse does not have enough ___, making its leg look ___.
Angle in the hock, as straight as a fence post.
A post legged horse will likely have ___ as it ages, and strain on the ___ joints.
Osteoarthritis, stifle and hock joints.
Excess wear on the hoof, and additional strain on the ligaments/tendons and Bog spavins and Bone spavins develop from ___.
Post legged
Camped out hind leg is positioned ___ which will cause the horse to have problems with ___.
Behind the plumb line, collection and jumping.
The horse’s skeletal structure will determine the length and ___ and overall height and ___ of the back.
Slope of the shoulder, length of the back
Although rare, the toes and knees should ___.
Point straight forward
Pigeon toed is defined as ___.
Toes pointed inward
Splayfooted means what___?
Toes that point outward.
Base narrow horse is predisposed to landing on the ___ of hoof walls.
Outside
Base wide horse is predisposed to landing on the ___ of hoof walls.
Inside
Bow legged horse present the entire carpus ___.
Outward as viewed from the front.
Knock kneed is ___.
Carpus with inward deviation
Bench knees or offset knees are the cannon bone ___, and this increases the chance of ___.
Set too far to the outside of the carpi, and develop splints.
A correct conformational line on the side of the front legs should ___.
Run from the center of the scapula to the front edge of the knee and bisect the hoof.
The most common deviation of the carpi when viewed from the side is ___, which is a forward deviation of the carpi.
Over at the knees also called Buck kneed
Many Buck kneed horses are still able to ___.
Perform for a long life
A very serious conformation fault that predisposes the horse to unsoundness is ___.
Calf kneed, carpi bend backwards
The ideal pastern angle is ___ front and ___ rear
45 degrees, 50 degrees
The bones in the horse’s hind legs starting proximally are?
Femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsus, small metatarsals, second and fourth metatarsals, 2 proximal sesamoid bones, proximal or first phalanx, middle or second phalanx, distal or third phalanx or pedal bone, distal sesamoid or shuttle bone, and 6-7 bones in tarsus.
When viewing a horse from the rear for structural correctness, the imaginary line from the point of the buttocks to the ground should bisect what parts of the hind leg?
Gaskin, hock, hoof
How are the hocks positioned on a bandy legged horse and to what other conformational fault are these horses predisposed?
Hocks too far apart, predisposed to being base narrow.
Define, EWE neck
Depression of neck just in front of the withers
Define mutton withers
Withers that are too low
Define Roach back
Convex back
Splints are common in the ___ and result in ___.
Front legs, tear in the interosseous ligament that connects the splint bones to the cannon bone.
Bowed tendons are an ___
inflammation and enlargement of the superficial digital flexor tendon at the back of the cannon bone in the front legs.
An enlargement at the front of the cannon bone due to trauma of the periosteum is called what?
Bucked shins
A shoe boil is also known as ___ and occurs how?
Capped elbow, due to irritation from a hoof of the front hoof when a horse is lying down
The elbow is also known as the ___
olecranon
There are 4 types of spavins. Name them.
Blood Spavin, bog spavin, bone spavin, occult spavin
Define Bog spavin
Soft distention of the inner aspect of the front of the hock
Define Blood spavin
Swelling of the saphenous vein as it crosses a bog spavin
A jack or true spavin is also known as ___.
Bone spavin-hard bony enlargement
What is a thoroughpin?
Soft fluid filled enlargement in the hollow area of the lateral aspect of the hock, which can be pushed from outside to inside the leg.
A curb is located where ___, and is inflammation of what___?
Rear of cannon below hock, and inflammation of plantar ligament.
What are windpuffs?
Can be found on the front and back legs and are associated with hard work. They are soft fluid areas of swelling on the fetlock or pastern.
What is area of exostosis (bony growth)?
Ringbone
What are areas of bony growth in the area of the fetlock joint?
Osselets
What is “hard as heels” associated with draft breeds?
Sidebones - ossification of lateral cartilage of the coffin bone
What are the gaits exhibited by the Tennessee Walking Horse?
Flat walk, running walk, canter/lope
What are the two characteristic traits of the running walk?
Overstride and nodding head
What gait, performed by the Tennessee Walker, is a long framed walk with complete relaxation on a loose rein?
Trail walk
What are the three distinct gaits of the Rocky Mountain Horse?
Trail walk, show gait, and pleasure gait.
What are the three distinct gaits of the Kentucky Mountain Horse?
Trail walk, show gait, and pleasure gait
What gait is similar to a rack, but with more precision and medium speed?
Show gait
What gait is similar to the show gait, but shows more speed and action?
Pleasure gait
When the Racking Horse performs in a style racking class, what gait replaces the fast rack?
Style rack
Which gaited horse should not nod its head during any of its gaits?
Racking horse
What are the three gaits of the racking horse?
Show or trail walk, slow rack, fast rack
Which walk performed by the racking horse is the least collected?
Trail walk
What are the three gaits performed by the Paso Fino?
Corto, classic fino, and largo
What are the two gaits performed by the Peruvian Paso?
Llano and sobreandando
What is the most common type of unsoundness in the front legs?
Splints.
What is the most common cause of splints?
Tear of the interosseous ligament that connects the splint to the cannon.
In a bowed tendon, which specific tendon is inflamed?
Superficial digital flexor tendon
What is an enlargement of the front of the cannon bone between the knee and the fetlock joint?
Bucked shin
What is the most common cause of bucked shins?
Trauma to the periosteum
What is another name for carpitis?
Popped knee
Name 3 blemishes or unsoundnesses specific only to the hind legs of the horse.
Bog spavin, bone spavin (true or jack spavin), blood spavin, occult spavin (blind spavin), capped hock, thoroughpin, curb.
What are the 4 different types of spavins?
Bog, blood, occult, bone.
What are 2 other names for a bone spavin?
True or jack spavin
Define an occult spavin.
Hock lameness without visible evidence.
What hock bone is affected by a capped hock
Calcaneus
What is the main differences between ringbone and osselets?
Ringbone affects both pastern and fetlock.
What is the common term for sidebones?
“Hard at the heels”
What is the term that describes the distinct depression of the neck just in front of the withers?
Ewe neck.
What is the term for withers that are set too low on the horse?
Mutton withers.
What are two other names for swayback?
Easy on the back or lordosis
What is the term for steep angulation of the croup?
Goose rump
What is another name for the hunter’s bump?
Jumper’s bump
What is the term for an enlargement at the top of the croup?
Hunter’s bump (Jumper’s bump)
Which malocclusion refers to when the mandible is shortened?
Parrot mouth
What are two other names for parrot mouth?
Prognathism, overbite
Name two other names for monkey mouth.
Sow mouth, underbite, prognathia
When viewing a horse from the rear, an imaginary line from the point of buttocks to the ground should bisect which parts?
Gaskin, hock, hoof
A horse with which conformational defect will be weaker in work off its haunches?
Cow hocks
What is another name for bandy legged?
“out at the hock”
What is the term for hoses whose hocks are too far apart?
Bandy legged
Bandy legged horses are predisposed to have which other condition?
Base narrow
Coon footed horses are also predisposed to what condition?
Navicular disease
What is the most common deviation of the carpus?
Buck kneed
Describe the stride of a horse that is camped under.
Long, fluid, predisposed to unsoundness.
A camped out horse is predisposed to what three other injuries?
Navicular, laminitis, and stress on lower forelimbs.
What are the five main factors in judging conformation?
Balance, muscling, breed and sex characteristics, structural correctness & way of going.
What are the four systematic steps of evaluating conformation in a judging contest?
Viewing from the profile, front and rear, tracking, place the class.
What view is best for evaluating balance in the horse?
Side profile.
What is the shape formed from the angle of shoulder, angle of hip, length of back and the length from point of shoulder to buttock?
Trapezoid.
In horse judging, where should three imaginary lines be drawn to evaluate a horse’s balance?
Pint of shoulder to girth, girth to point of hip, point of hip to buttock.
The distance across the horse’s forehead should be almost identical to what other measurement?
From poll to the horizontal line drawn between the eyes.
Name two aspects of conformation that a horse’s skeletal structure will determine.
Length and slope of shoulder, height, length of back.
What is the ideal depth of a horse’s throatlatch?
1/2 the length of the head
Horses that are bow-legged typically possess what other condition?
Toed in with outward rotation to cannon and fetlock.
A line that runs from the center of the scapula should bisect which two parts?
Front edge of knee and bisect the hoof
What is the function or need for sharp, prominent withers?
Enabled to hold a saddle without needing to excessively tighten the cinch.
What is another name for a wasp-waisted horse?
Hound gutted or “light over the kidneys”
What are two factors evaluated in the horse’s barrel that are indicative or reproductive capacity?
Spring or rib and depth to heartgirth.
A horse with a level croup will possess what kind of hindlimb action?
Vertical
When viewing a horse from the rear, an imaginary line from the point of buttocks should bisect which parts?
Gaskin, hock, hoof
A horse with a steep croup will possess what kind of hindlimb action?
Horizontal, with a higher degree of collection.
A post legged horse is predisposed to which three other conditions?
Osteoarthritis, stifle and hock strain, spavins.
A camped out horse is often associated with having what other fault?
Upright pasterns.
Which conformation fault causes a horse to have difficulty jumping due to an inability to push off?`
Camped out
What are the three set scoring systems that are used to evaluate pattern classes?
0-10, perfect standard of 100, 70-point as functionally correct.
Which class utilizes the zero to ten scoring system?
Dressage
Which scoring system for pattern classes is commonly used with the Danish Merit System?
The scoring range of zero to one-hundred
How many classes comprise the typical horse judging contest?
Four to eight.
What are the two roles of the official judge in a horse judging contest?
Determine placing and cuts.
What is the range of cuts in a horse judging contest?
One to seven
The sum total of all three cuts on a horse judging class cannot exceed how much?
15 points
What are the two ways by which the final score for a horse judging contest can be calculated?
Hormel system or computer program and by hand.
What are the three pairs that comprise a class of horses?
Top, middle, and bottom
Name two of the purposes for giving oral reasons in a horse judging contest.
Reinforcing a deeper knowledge, introduce public speaking, reward placings that may be different from the official.
What is the term for when one or two hooves trike the ground simultaneously?
Beat
What is the term for the distance between imprints of two front hooves or two hind hooves?
Step
What is the term for the stride phase in which the foot does not have contact with the ground?
Suspension or swing phase
What is the first step of the weight bearing phase of the horse’s stride?
Landing
In which portion of the weight bearing phase of a horse’s stride does the fetlock extend to its lowest point?
Loading
In which portion of the weight bearing phase of a horse’s stride does the limb prepare to push off the ground?
Stance.
What is the term for when the heel starts to lift off the ground, tipping the foot forward to lift off at the toe?
Breakover.
What is the term for the time the hoof is on the ground versus the time it is off the ground?
Overlap time
How fast is the horse’s natural walk?
3-4 miles per hour
What is the term for a gait where both hooves on one side strike the ground before the hooves on the opposite side?
Lateral gait.
What is the speed of the horse’s natural trot?
8-10 miles per hour
What is the speed of the horse’s natural canter?
10-17 miles per hour
What is the speed of the gallop?
30-50 miles per hour
What is the term for a gait defect in which a moving leg contacts another moving leg?
Striding leg interference
What is the term for a gait defect in which a moving leg contacts a supporting leg?
Supporting leg interference.
Where does the horse usually interfere in the case of a supporting leg interference?
Fetlock
Which gait interference typically occurs in horses that are base narrow or narrow chested?
Striking
What are the two types of supporting leg interferences?
Brushing and striking
Name two types of striding leg interference.
Forging, dross-firing, scalping.
Which type of interference is found in horses working in a fast tempo at any gait?
Forging
What is the term for when a horse forges at the walk or when the toe grabs the heel of the hoof in front of it?
Overreaching
Where does the gait defect, speedy cutting occur?
Fetlock
What is another name for the gait defect called winging in?
Dishing
What is another name for rope walking?
Plaiting
What is the term for when a horse places its feet directly in front of each other?
Rope walking
Horses that exhibit the gait defect called rope walking will often have which other issue?
Base narrow and stumbling
Describe a horse that is considered a “zero” on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System.
Lameness is not perceptible under any circumstances
How would a horse be categorized on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System with a lameness that is difficult to observe, and is not consistently apparent under any circumstances?
2
Describe a horse that is considered “three” on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System.
Lameness is consistently apparent at the trot
How would a horse be categorized on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System with a lameness that is obvious at the walk?
4
Describe a horse that is considered a “five” on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System.
Lameness with minimal weight bearing in motion and/or at rest or a horse that is unable to move.
What is the numerical range of lameness severity on the AAEP’s Lameness Grading System?
Zero to five
What are the two gaits of the Mangalarga Marchador?
Marcha picada and marcha batida
What is the difference between the marcha picada and the marcha batida?
Marcha picada is lateral and marcha batida is diagonal
What is the natural pacing gait of the Maware called?
Revaal or rhewal
What is another name for the Mwari’s rhewal gait?
Revaal
Approximately how many harness racing horses exhibit at the pace?
80%
What are the three gaits performed by a Roadster pony?
Jog, road gait, and “at speed”
Describe the desired action of the Section D Welsh Cob.
Straightforward and forceful with the foreleg moving straight out from the shoulder before returning to the ground.
Describe the ideal gait of the New Forest Pony.
Free moving and straight without exaggerated leg action
What are the natural gaits of the Galiceno?
Walk, trot, canter, running walk
Name four gaits that qualify a pony for registry in the American Gaited Pony Registry.
Running walk, rack, foxtrot, stepping pace, tolt, paso.
What are the gaits performed by the Basuto breed?
Walk, trot, canter, tripple, pace
What fast, four-beat gait is similar to the tolt in the Icelandic horse?
Tripple
What are the general criteria for judging the conformation of all horses?
Balance, muscling, structural correctness, breed & sex type, way of going.
What conformational characteristic in the draft horse is thought to be an adaptation to colder climates for warming inhaled air?
Roman nose
What is the ideal conformation of the draft horse when viewed from the rear?
Hocks closer together than considered normal for other breeds, cannons parallel, toes slightly turned out.
What is considered the conformational foundation for the pulling strength of a draft horse?
Broad chest
In terms of judging draft horses, describe what a horse that has “poor curbs” looks like.
Protruding behind the hock or with little definition.
What are the two different conformation types of the Friesian?
Baroque and sport horse
What are the two different conformation types of the Friesian and how are they different?
Baroque, which is robust and classical, and the finer-boned sport horse
Which breed should exhibit a curving motion NOT nod its head, pitch or point its front legs?
Racking horse
What are the three gaits of the Missouri Fox Trotter breed?
Fox trot, flat walk, canter
What gait combines the walk in front and the trot behind, resulting in a sliding motion from the hind end?
Fox trot
Name the natural and acquired gaits that the Standardbred can perform
Walk, canter, trot, pace, stepping pace (ambling slow), fast rack
What is another name for the stepping pace?
Ambling slow
What are the two unique gaits performed by the Icelandic Pony?
Tolt and flying pace
What gait, unique to the Icelandic, is a four-beat ambling gait that can be performed at different speeds?
Tolt
What gait, unique to the Icelandic, is a two-beat lateral gait used for racing?
Flying pace
What Paso Fino gait is more collected than the speed of the corto and faster than the speed of the largo?
Classic fino
Which Paso Fino gait has a characteristic outward swinging action of the forelegs from the shoulder?
Termino
