Equine Conformation - Overall Balance and Bone

Overall Balance and Bone

Insufficient Bone

• Measuring the circumference of the top of the cannon bone, just below the knee, gives an estimation of the substance. Ideally a 1,000 lb horse should have 7-8 inches. Insufficient is less than 7 inches for every 1,000 lb of weight.
• A horse with insufficient bone is more at risk for injury (within the bones, joints, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and feet).
• Repeated impact creates soundness issues, especially in those sports with a lot of concussion (jumping, galloping, racing, long distance trail). Track horses get bucked shins, event and trail horses get strained tendons and ligaments.

Light-Framed/Fine Boned

• Substance of long bones is slight and thin relative to the size & mass of the horse. Especially noticed in the area of the cannon & pastern.
• Seen especially in show horses, halter horses in non-performance work, Paso Finos, Gaited horses, and Thoroughbreds.
• Affects the longevity of hard-working performance horses.
• See “insufficient bone.” Doesn’t provide ample support for bulky musculature & there is a lack of harmony visually.
• Theoretically, a lighter frame reduces the weight on the end of the limbs, making it easier to pick up the legs & move freely across the ground. However, with a lot of speed & impact work, light bone suffers concussion injury, leading to bucked shins, splints, & stress fractures. Tendons, ligaments, & muscles have less lever system to pull across to effectively use or develop muscle strength for power & stamina.
• It is best to match the horse with a petite & lean rider. It is best to use the horse for pleasure, trail, driving, non-impact sports, and non-speed work.

Coarse-Boned/Sturdy-Framed

• Overall bones are larger, wider, & stronger in a horse with either light or bulky muscled appearance.
• Advantageous for any sport, the horse tends to hold up well.
• The horses tend to be rugged and durable, capable of carrying large weights relative to size.
• Big, solid bones provide strong levers for the muscles to pull against to improve efficiency of motion, thus minimizing the effort of exercise & reduces the likelihood of fatigue, contributing to endurance. May add mass to each leg, and consequently slightly hinder speed.

Withers Higher than Croup

• The peak of the withers is higher than the peak of the croup when the horse is square.
• This is commonly but incorrectly referred to as built uphill. True uphill build refers to the spine and is very advantageous in dressage, eventing, etc. as the horse has an easier time engaging the hind end. High withers give the false visual of an uphill build.
• Many breeds characteristically have high and prominent withers, such as the TB. In these horses the withers may be higher than the croup giving the impression of an uphill build while the horse's actual spine levelness is downhill.
• Common in well-built warmbloods.

Withers Lower than Croup/Rump High/Downhill Balance

• The peak of the croup is higher than the peak of the withers. This is less desirable than a horse with higher withers.
• Seen in any breed but especially in Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and Quarter Horses.
• Young horses are usually built this way.
• More weight is placed on the forehand, reducing the front-end agility. Muscles must work harder to lift the forehand, leading to muscular fatigue. It is difficult to raise the forehand at the base of a jump for liftoff. At speed, more work of loins, back & front end is needed to lift the forelimbs.
• Increases concussion on the front legs, so the horse is at greater risk of front-end lameness.
• Tends to throw the saddle & rider toward the shoulders, leading to chafing, pressure around withers, & restricted shoulder movement.

Too Tall or Too Short (in context to rider)

• The height of the horse is dependent on the size of its intended rider, but does not affect the overall bone structure and balance of the horse. Each rider should be paired with a horse that is proportional to their body structure.