CONFORMATION - WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The purebred Arabian: An Introduction

When evaluating a horse, first just stand back and look at the overall impression the horse makes.  It should be balanced, all the parts should fit nicely together and be proportioned correctly. The Arabian has a distinctive topline.  The withers should rise at the base of the neck and be pronounced.  The back should be short, flowing into a powerful loin and gently rounded, muscular croup. The tail should be set fairly high, but not necessarily level with the topline. 

Each part of the horse must blend with the other parts to function at maximum efficiency.  Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a horse is only as sound and efficient as its weakest feature.  A powerful shoulder hindered by a poor hindquarter negates the ability of that good shoulder to function as well as it could, just as a strong, driving hindquarter burdened by a straight shoulder is self-defeating.  Each part of the horse either compliments or detracts from the whole.  Look at the balance, the placement of the legs, and all the other parts with respect to the overall animal.  Basic geometrical divisions can be utilized to understand the parts of a horse and their interaction with each other.

The shoulder should be long and sloped.  If you are not accustomed to looking at shoulder angles, compare the pastern to the shoulder. Unless the feet are badly trimmed or shod, the angles will be approximately the same but must be of medium length, neither too short or too long.   The front legs should drop straight down from the shoulder, should not be set too far forward.  The backs of the hind legs should be approximately aligned with the back of the profile of the butt, not camped way out behind. The hip and hind legs are the horse's engine and they must be strong and properly set if the horse is to have the ability to perform. From behind the hind legs there should be a line dropped down in a fairly straight line. The hocks should not come together with the toes pointed out.

The shape of a well-balanced horse should fit neatly into a square or rectangle. The square type horses are in most cases better suited for sprint type racing, reining, cutting, working cow horse and the like.  The points described here for the square would thus not be the same for a horse that is more rectangle in shape.

Square type: The point of the chest, top of the withers, point of the buttocks and the feet all touch the edges of the square.  The back of the hocks should run parallel to the edge of the square, but the front legs should be well set under the shoulder.  In most breeds the point of the croup is usually about the same height as the withers.  On many Arabians that is not the case, since the breed naturally tends to have a somewhat flatter appearance to the croup.  

The neck should rise from the withers in a graceful arch.  On the bottom, it should not tie into the chest too low.  The throat latch should be trim but not tiny. The horse's airway must have space to be large to supply his great lung capacity. From the front, the chest should have good width, the front legs should have good inside muscling, giving the base of the chest a somewhat V shaped appearance. The cannon bones should come down straight from the center of the knee and flow into medium length pasterns with the hooves set on straight from the front view.  From the side, the angle of the hoof can be about the same as the angle of the pastern but not necessary so as there are horses with good sloped shoulders and very upright pasterns.  Hooves should be round and of good size.  The face should be attractive with a soft expression in the eyes. What makes a pretty head is very much a matter of opinion.  The only real rule is that when you look at the head, it should be obvious that you are looking at an Arabian.

Good movement is crucial to a good horse.  Arabians should exhibit a long, reaching stride not a short, vertical stride.  The long, free shoulder of the Arabian horse allows him to cover ground quickly and smoothly with minimal concussion. The trot of an Arabian appears to float, the long, easy stride of his canter will make the miles fly by. Watch the horse's walk and trot.  The back hooves should strike the ground past the where the front hooves struck with every stride. The faster the pace, the more pronounced this over reach should become.

The horse can be divided into four equal sections from the withers to the ground.  The top of the withers to the point of the chest and buttocks comprises the first quarter.  The point of the chest to the bottom of the chest behind the front leg makes up the second quarter.  The bottom of the chest to the bottom of the knee, comprise the third quarter; and the bottom of the knee to the ground, the fourth quarter.  The withers to the underline of the chest equals approximately 50% of the height of the horse and chest to ground the other 50%.  The forearm comprises 50% of the overall height of the front leg and the cannon, pastern, and foot the other 50%.  

One can also divide the body of a horse into four vertical lines.  The point of the chest to the front of the withers makes up the first quarter.  The withers to the center of the back define the second quarter.  The center of the back to the point of the croup defines the third quarter.  And the point of the croup to the point of the buttocks is the fourth quarter.  This type of division, instead of the three circles concept, emphasizes the fact that the withers to the bottom of the chest and withers to the point of the croup make up approximately 50% of the overall body height and length.  Any major variations in those ratios will likely affect the mobility of the horse.

Mentally place a diamond on the horse that touches at the point of the chest and the point of the buttocks.  The shoulder follows the 45-degree angle of the diamond from the withers to the point of the chest .  This is the correct shoulder angle needed to achieve optimum forward reach.  Notice also that the sides of the diamond touch the corners of the small square at the top of the withers and over the point of the croup .  On the under pinning of the body, the line of the diamond crosses over the hind leg at approximately the stifle joint and where the back of the front leg meets the chest.

Note that the horizontal line that runs through the knees and the vertical line that bisects the front and rear halves of the horse converge at the bottom point of the diamond .  The horizontal line drawn over the center of the body adds another 25% of height above the withers, and converges with the diamond and the center vertical line at point .  The center of the body should be an equal distance form.

The body has now been divided into essentially equal sections and each part blends with the whole to form a correct usable symmetry.  There will always be variations, but any major deviations in the basic formula will increase the possibility of problems, and the more severe the problems will probably be. 

An additional aid in helping seeing symmetry in a correctly structured Arabian is using a circle.  The center of the body id the radius point, and the radius is equal to 50% of the height of the horse at the withers.  If the horse you are evaluating is a balanced individual, the points of the diamond will touch or be very near the circle’s edge, and the contours of the chest and buttocks will flow along the arc of the circle.  If that isn’t the case then there are weaknesses that should be monitored.  

Now, having discussed the ideal horse, what do you really look for?  It depends upon what you want to use the horse for.  If you are seeking a mare for breeding, keep the compromises to an absolute minimum.  A mediocre mare will produce a mediocre foal. If you want to breed, you are better off, both financially and with what you will accomplish, by having one outstanding mare than by having five ordinary ones. The most stringent conformation demands should be placed on a breeding animal.  There is absolutely no reason to breed less than  the best possible quality horses.  Only select excellent mares for breeding then choose a stallion who is at least as good, hopefully better.

If you are looking for a riding horse, you can make some compromises.  If you want to ride endurance or jump, be sure you select a horse with a well constructed hip and shoulder, well sprung ribs and good sized nostrils and above all, excellent legs. If you want a trail horse or a horse for the kids, temperament is of primary importance.  You can live with offset canons or imperfect hind legs in a family friend and riding horse, you cannot live with a mean or unwilling disposition. There are some bargain horses available at very reasonable prices.  Evaluate your needs - you don't need a top of the line breeding or show horse to ride down the trail.