Module 2- Describing, Selecting, and Judging the Horse Flashcards
In identifying many features, the description of horses and ponies depends on?
Sex
Height
Color
Markings
Age
Description of type
is a young horse of either sex up to 1 year of age.
Foal
is a female less than 3 years of age. (For Thoroughbreds, fillies include 4 years old.)
Filly
is a male less than 3 years of age. (For Thoroughbreds, colts include 4 years old.)
Colt
is a mature female, 4 years of age and older. (Thoroughbred mares are 5 years of age or older.)
Mare
is a mature male 4 years of age or older. (Thoroughbred stallions are 5 years of age or older.)
Stallion
Young stallion that has been castrated
Gelding
is a mature male horse that has been castrated.
Stag
is a male horse that has retained one testicle within the abdominal cavity.
Rig
For the purposes of the Joint Measurement Scheme, the horse should be measured without it
The horse should be measured without shoe
How many inch should be deducted for horses and ponies that are shod.
1 cm or 0.5 inch
Horse is traditionally measured by what?
Hands
Equivalent of a hand?
4 inches
Why Correct height measurements are important in equine?
for dividing horses into their correct height classes for show jumping, showing and other equestrian events. It also provides an accurate assessment of the horse when offered for sale.
The points of the horse are used for more accurate assessment of color, and these refer to:
Muzzle
legs
mane and tail
eyelids
tips of the ears
A horse with no white markings at all is termed as what?
Whole colored
all become white with age, but are always described as grey and never as white
Grey horses
3 different color found in bay horse
Light bay
Dark bay
Bright bay
golden or reddish brown with black mane, tail and lower limbs
Light bay
rich, dark brown with black mane, tail and lower limbs
Dark bay
horse chestnut color with black mane, tail and lower limbs.
Bright bay
is a horse with darker brown almost black, with black mane, tail and limbs.
Brown horses
Is a horse black with black mane, tail, limbs and muzzle
Black horse
may be blue or yellow with a dark line or ‘list’ along the backbone
22. diluted black color with black mane, tail and limbs
23. dark gold color with black mane, tail and limbs.
24. varies from gold to cream with similar colored limbs and lighter or silvery colored mane and tail.
25. has large patches of black and white
26. has large patches of white and any other colors.
27. has pink or mottled skin
28. dark spots dispersed over a lighter background
29. dark spots on the rump area of lighter color
30. white spots on a darker color.
31. has a grey coat with darker colored spots. Markings may be leopard, blanket or snowflake as above.
32. has a light cream coat with white muzzle, mane, tail and limbs. The skin lacks pigment and the eyes may be blue or pink in color.
33. is found in several shades with white hairs mixed evenly through the coat
34. is red and white with similar mane, tail and limbs
35. is black and white (appearing blue) with black mane, tail and limbs
36. is white and light chestnut with matching mane, tail and limbs.
li
has a grey coat with darker colored spots. Markings may be leopard, blanket or snowflake as above.
appaloosa
has a light cream coat with white muzzle, mane, tail and limbs. The skin lacks pigment and the eyes may be blue or pink in color.
cremello
is found in several shades with white hairs mixed evenly through the coat
roan
is red and white with similar mane, tail and limbs
strawberry roan
Is black and white (appearing blue) with black mane, tail and limbs
blue roan
is white and light chestnut with matching mane, tail and limbs.
Chestnut roan or sorrel
The horse’s markings including:
Scars
brands
and acquired marks from injury or saddle horse
is a white mark on the forehead. May be further described as large, small, irregular or may even consist of a few white hairs.
star
is a narrow white mark down the face which may be a continuation of a star and may be further described as irregular, narrow, etc.
stripe
Is a wide covering of white hair running down the face over the nose
blaze
is an exaggerated blaze covering much of the horses’ face.
White face
a white mark between the nostrils.
snip
describes white skin covering both lips and the nostrils.
White muzzles
white skin at the edge of the lips
white upper lip/ under lip
- describes an eye that is grey-blue in color, the sight is unaffected
a wall eyes
Markings in the head/ horse face markings
Star
Stripe
Blaze
white face
snip
white muzzles
white upper lip/under lip
wall eye
describes the dark line found along the backbone of dun horses and donkeys.
Dorsal stripe, list or ray
describe any stripes on the body.
Zebra mark
small areas formed by changes in the direction of hair growth, occurring on the head, neck, body and upper limbs.
Whorls
Type of horses should have at least five whorl positions noted in their identification.
Grey and Whole-colored
an obvious indentation in the muscle on the neck, shoulder or hindquarters said to be a sign of good luck and often seen in Thoroughbreds and Arabs.
Prophet’s thumbmark
patches of pink skin that grow white hair.
Flesh marks
Different markings on the body
Dorsal stripe, list or ray
Zebra mark
Whorls
Prophet’s thumb mark
Flesh marks
Brands resulting in white hair are a commonly used method of protecting horses against theft.
Freeze brands
Identification brands may also be placed on what part of the body
Hooves
tattooed on lip or gum
It is Black spots on the white marks
Ermine marks
usually reflects the color of the skin on the coronet.
Hoof color
These are official certificates that must be completed by a veterinary surgeon, who will note down a description of all markings and color on a sketch. The vet will also give a written description.
Identification certificates
Are outlined in red and filled with red diagonal lines
white markings
are shown by an X in black
whorls
it shows scars
tick in black
should be in black ink and should note the position of whorls and scars according to the sketch.
Written description
Fine horses are described as?
lightweight
those with a little more substance and bone are described as what?
middleweight
substantial weight carrying horse is known as what?
heavyweight
If the horse has characteristics of a certain breed, but the actual breed is unknown then it may be described as what?
Thoroughbred-type
Sometimes referred to as blood horses, these types evolved in warm environments. Owing to high temperatures they developed fine skins and coats. Their heads are shorter and finer. Finer and longer legs helped to rid the body of excess heat. These types tend to be more-sensitive and quick to react. tend to be more spirited and these include the Thoroughbred and Arab.
hotbloods
- These include heavier breeds such as draught horses (Clydesdale horse) and ponies. They are heavier and more thick set with deep wide bodies and shorter legs to maintain their body heat. They have thicker and longer coats with feathering around their lower legs to help keep them
warm in the colder climates.
cold bloods
- have resulted from crossbreeding hotbloods and coldbloods. Breeders have attempted to match desired traits from both groups such as athleticism from hotbloods and the toughness and calmer temperament of the draught horse.
warmblood
refers to the horse’s inherited structure.
conformation
Differentiate static conformation from dynamic conformation
Static conformation refers to the shape or the horse while the dynamic conformation refers to the way the horse moves.
It is not included in horse conformation
Horse actual performance in term of speed, endurance and jumping
The horse upper jaw is longer than the lower
Parrot mouthed
The horse upper jaw is shorter than the lower
Sow mouthed
as seen in stallions and many Welsh ponies, are not desirable in mares and geldings.
Heavy crests
line from the withers to the point of the shoulder, and the angle made by the pastern to the ground should be about the same.
Slope of shoulder
If the neck dips down in front of the withers . This is often seen in severely underweight horses
Ewe necked
The horse withers are lower than the croup
Croup high
Indicates breed or country origin and may be situated in neck, shoulder or quarters.
Brands
White markings on the leg
Sock
Stocking
Fetlock
Pastern
Coronet
Partial pastern
What will happen if the horse head is too big
Always tend to travel on the forehead
Starts at the wither with cartilage extension of the shoulder blade, which runs forward to the point of shoulder.
Shoulder
Advantage of having upright shoulder and to have a slightly upright pastern
Help to distribute the forces through the limb evenly.
Gives a shorter stride and the forelimb are more likely to show wear and tear more quicly.
Upright shoulder
Often see in harness horses as it provides better pulling power.
Upright shoulder
What is the prefer formation of the shoulder?
Good sloping shoulder is preferred as this gives a longer, more flowing, stride.
Position of the elbow in forelegs
Elbow should be placed well forward from the ribs
It should be well muscled from the elbow and longer than the lower limb below the knee
Forearm
Should be straight down from the top of the limb to the foot
Foreleg
What will happen if the foreleg of a horse does not run in a straight line
The horse has poor conformation in this area and additionally strain is placed on the tendons, joints and ligaments of the lower leg
Consist of box of bones each is separated by shock-absorbing cartilage
Knees
Static Conformation of a good knee
Should be broad, flat, and deep to allow room for the attachment of tendons and ligaments
Horses when they are back at the knee concaved viewed from the side.
These horses are not suitable for fast work and/or jumping due to added strain on tendons
Calf knee
Horse when they appear to be forward from the elbow to the top of the pastern
Over the knee
below the knee if the cannon bone is narrower just below the knee than just above the fetlock
tied in
These should be rather short straight and flat in front, with the tendons standing out cleanly at the back.
Cannon bones
swellings on the sides of the fetlocks indicate wear and tear.
Soft swelling
these should not appear too rounds
fetlocks
should be of medium length, not too short or too long
pastern
Too much slope of the pastern puts greater strain on the tendons and?
if they are too upright, excessive concussion may result in foot problems.
In feet of horse the “Front and hind feet should be matching pairs” but there is an exception to this rule what is this?
The horse that lost a shoe and therefore undergone excessive wear of that hoof in comparison to the shod foot.
It should be slightly concave and certainly not concex
Sole
Contracted heels may slightly restrict blood flow to this part of the foot increasing the risk of what syndrome?
Navicular syndrome
Large, flat feet may cause what?
Problems such as corns
Smaller feet have greater tendency to develop what?
Unsoundness
What should be avoided in the static conformation of feet?
Upright, boxy feet.
The hoof should be smooth and free from cracks
The hoof wall should not show many rings as this may indicate what?
Chronic laminitis
Poor quality of hoof horn leads to what?
Excessive wearing and difficult in retaining shoes.
Hoof horn seems to be better quality on what type/breed of horse?
Hardier native types and Arabs
Careful assessment of the diet may indicate the need for supplementation with what?
Biotin, zinc, methionine, and calcium to help improve horn quality.
Improvement will take at least 6 months
Vitamins that help improve horn quality
Biotin, zinc, methionine and calcium
Foot conformation should ideally be as follows:
The front feet should slope at an angle of roughly 45 degree from the ground
The hoof wall should continue at the same angle as the pastern
The hind feet should have a more upright slope and should be narrower and longer than the front feet
All feet should point straight ahead
Is essential to provide plenty of lung and heart room.
A deep, broad chest with well sprung ribs
Horses that are shallow through the girth are describe as what?
Showing too much daylight
The measurement of chest and barrel of horse
The measurement from the lowest point of the girth to the withers should be approximately equal to that from the ground to the girth.
Young horses often appear leggy but develop a deeper chest as they mature.
A horse with flat ribs is known as?
Slab sided
The first eight pairs of ribs are known as? It is attached to the spinal vertebrae and sternum or chest bone.
True ribs
The rearmost ribs should come close to the point of hip so that the horse is?
Well ribbed up
A wide distance between the last rib and the point of hip makes a horse appear long in the back and is often described as?
Short of a rib
When the underline of the belly slopes up excessively from front the back may cause what?
Girth to slip back
After stress of excessive work there may be a tightening of the abdominal muscle and the horse may appear what?
Tucked-up
It should be almost level and medium in length
Back
Strong but less comfortable for the rider
Short back
Gives a more comfortable ride, but are more liable to injury
Long backs
Often seen in older horses as a sign of age, but may be sign of weakness in young
Hollow back
Arched upwards these backs are uncomfortable for the rider even though they are strong.
Roach back
In older horses roach back maybe as sign of what?
Arthritis
Type of back in horses
Short backs
Long backs
Hollow backs
Roach backs
Situated immediately behind the saddle area
Loins
The static conformation of loin should be what?
Loin should be broad, flat and well developed
Is often see with a weak back and should be avoided
Slack loin
These provide the power for forward impulsion and should be muscular, rounded and a pair.
Quarters
The hindquarters of this horse slope excessively from the croup to the tail and these horses tend to lacking speed however often seen in successful show jumpers.
Goose rumped
A high croup is known as?
Jumping bump
Speed is expected in horses with plenty of length from point of hip to the hocks often referred to as, as what?
Well let down hocks
When the horse is standing square, the hind legs, viewed from behind, should show what?
a straight line from the point of buttock through the point of hock down through the fetlock to the ground.
should remain within the body and not be thrown outwards as the horse moves forward.
Stifle
number of conformational faults associated with the hock
cow hacks
bowed hacks
sickle hocks
straight hocks
hocks out behind
feet turned out and point of hocks close together. These horses often brush
cow hocks
feet turned in and point of hocks wide apart
bowed hocks
excessive angulation of the hock with feet placed more towards the forelimbs. More susceptible to curbs and wear and tear
sickle hocks
too little angulation of the hock, good for galloping, but less power for jumping
straight hocks
hocks stand out behind the horse, these horses jump well but do not tend to be good gallopers.
Hocks out behind
are less likely to suffer excessive strain and wear and tear of their legs. There should be slight knee action, but this should not be excessive.
Straight movers
may help to correct small deviations in youngstock through corrective trimming from foal through the yearling phase.
Farrier
is a symmetrical gait with a four-time beat
walk
is a symmetrical gait with a four-time beat
walk
The horse’s feet follow one another in the following sequence in walk:
- off hind
- off fore
- near hind
- near fore.
Good walkers will place their hind feet in front of the hoof print left by their forefeet when walking up in hand. This is known as?
over-tracking
are often good gallopers and this is a trait often searched for by prospective buyers at the yearling sales.
Good walker
Horses that place their hind feet in the hoof prints left by the forefeet are known as a ?
’
‘tracking up
- is a two-time gait with the legs moving in diagonal pairs
trot
(near hind, off fore and, off hind, near fore
a moment between each beat, if the horse is extending at trot
suspension
is desirable as is a supple back, well-engaged hindquarters and freely, evenly flexing hocks.
A free moving shoulder with no sign of restricted movement
This gait is three time, followed by a moment of suspension. It is also a gait used to assess soundness in wind.
canter
If cantering to the right (or right-hand circle) then the sequence of footfalls is:
- left hind
- left fore and right hind together
- right fore
It is achieved by the hind leg being placed well underneath the horse.
Balance
should combine both speed and lightness with a good rhythm.
Gallop
Exaggerated movements may lead to unsoundness:
• dishing
• plaiting
• forging
• over reaching
• brushing/speedy cutting
Forefoot appears to be thrown out from below the knee, particularly at trot, but the actual fault lies in flexion of the elbow. It may occur in one or both forefeet.
dishing
Severe dishing may lead to what?
excessive wear and tear of the fetlock joints.
At walk and trot the horse places one foot in front of the other and is more often associated with narrow chest conformation.
plaiting
Excessive plaiting may lead to what?
Stumbling
The hind shoe strikes the fore shoe and usually it may be corrected by good schooling to build up muscle. If the toes are too long the farrier may correct this.
Forging
The hind leg over extends and the toe cuts into the forelimb somewhere between the heel and knee. This often occurs when horses are jumping or galloping and may result in severe injury to the tendons of the foreleg.
Over reaching
The hind feet pass close by to one another and may brush against each other, if they come into contact higher up. This is often seen in horses that have toe out conformation in their front or hind feet. Affected horses will need to wear boots when ridden.
brushing/speedy cutting
is often goose rumped and straight in the shoulder
draught horses (cow hocks are also often seen with these types.)
should be undertaken in good light and with plenty of time allowed.
Assessing conformation of a horse
will be preferred for its excellent nature and temperament, helping the child to develop riding skills. Minor conformational faults would be overlooked in favor of safety
bomb proof
schoolmaster
child’s pony
most important factors when choosing a competition horse
athleticism and good character.
This horse should be overlooked and left to professional riders.
A horse with excellent conformation, but dubious temperament
is a question of usefulness and not of disease.
Unsoundness
five-stages of vetting procedure
• preliminary examination
• trotting up
• strenuous exercise
• period of rest
• second trot and foot examination
The aim of this examination of a horse or pony on behalf of the purchaser is to establish the facts about the horse and to conduct a five-stage examination looking for any abnormalities
Five-stage vetting procedure
is a defect that affects the usefulness of the horse.
unsoundness
is an imperfection that does not affect the usefulness of the horse.
Blemish
bad habit of horses that developed because of long period of idleness or poor handling
vices
is a behavior in which a horse bites down on some part of a solid object.
Cribbing
takes place when a horse presses the upper front teeth on some object and pulls back, at the same time sucking air into the stomach.
Wind suckling
it will help prevent or halt these two vices. The cribbing and wind suckling
Fitting a wide strap around the throat so that the larnyx is compressed when pressure is put on the front teeth.
occurs when the horse pulls back against the halter while tied.
Using a heavy halter or
heavy chain or rope around the neck when tying the horse will help to prevent this vice
halter pulling
another vice, refers to the horse using its front feet to paw or dig. Horses that paw may damage stalls and other facilities. Most commonly, a horse that paws will dig at the stall floor. Stall mats will discourage this behavior.
Pawing
is of greatest importance when selecting race and show horses.
Pedigree
Common gait of horses
Walk
Trot
Canter
Gallop
Stepping pace
Running walk
Fox-trot
Rack
Pace
amble
are kept on both stallions and mares
breeding and production record
typical information kept for stallions includes
the stallion’s name and registration number,
identifying marks,
the mare’s owner when bred
date of service
the mare’s name
breed
registration number
the number of mares bred,
the number of mares settled
the number of live foals,
and the performance records of foals.
Typical records kept on mares include:
the mare’s name and registration number
the birth date
owner
Breed
sire and dam,
identifying marks
number of times bred,
number of times sett led
number of live foals,
and performance record of foals
Horses should be selected based on what?
Conformation
Use
Age
Sex
Soundness
Most common Vices of horse
Cribbing
Wind sucking
Halter pulling
Kicking
Pawing
If hoof or shoe marks are on the walls of stall the horse may be what?
Kicker
Forefeet toed in
Pigeon toed
Forefeet turned out
splay footed
