• Home	• FAQs
• Site Map	Weather
• Contacts	Weather

We Accept:

Directory Listings:

Pick of the Best!
Spoon's Arabians Equestrian Center

The Anatomy of a Horse:

Last Modified: January 10, 2002

This guide has been developed for the “Pleasure Horse” Owner, as a guide to better horse care. It is for owners who want to know more about providing horses a healthy, longer life. It has been provided at this location, courtesy of Masterfeeds. A link to the Masterfeeds site is available at the bottom of every page.

Conformation is a term used to describe how well a particular horse compares structurally to an ideal model. Horses with an ideal conformation look good... and more importantly, they move efficiently and perform well with less risk of strain or injury. Characteristics to look for are:

Legs: Straight, symmetrical legs placed directly under the weight of the horse, with toes turned neither in or out. Hind legs should he directly in line behind the front legs. There should he no swelling or puffiness around joints or tendons.

Feet: The hooves should be symmetrical with smooth outer surfaces; no cracks or horizontal ridges. On the underside, the horn should be hard, not soft or flaky. The sole should be slightly concave, with most of it level with the trimmed edge.

Chest: Should be deep, but not too broad or narrow.

Neck: Should be curved, graceful, and well-set into powerful sloping shoulders.

Hindquarters: Should be powerful and well-muscled.

Head: Well-proportioned to the rest of the body. Large, generous eyes are desirable. Big, open nostrils are important for efficient air intake. Upper and lower teeth should meet to allow the horse to eat properly. Younger horses have fairly straight teeth. As the horse ages, the teeth angle out more toward the front.

Signs of good health in a horse include bright, clear eyes, alert ears that follow you around like the eyes, a smooth shiny coat, a shiny, active tail that should be centered and not held to either side or between the legs, and a smooth walking motion.

Different breeds of horse vary substantially in size and height, like the Shetland Pony, Arabian or Belgian Horses.

It’s a good idea to know the height of your horse as a guide when buying tack. Measure at the highest point of the withers (see A in the diagram). Height can be given in meters, inches or “hands”(4” or 10.16cm).

To estimate your horse’s weight using a tape, measure the circumference at the girth “B” and the length from the point of the hip (tuber coxae) “C”.

Estimated weight in kilograms = girth (cm) x girth (cm) x length (cm) divided by 8,7000. To convert your answer to pounds, simply multiply by 2.2

The above content has been provided by and is copyright ©Masterfeeds.
It may not be reproduced without Masterfeeds written authorization.
Reprinted on this site with the kind permission of Beverley
at the Calgary, Alberta Masterfeeds location.

Masterfeeds
Big enough to SERVE, small enough to CARE!
Regional Head Office: 101 - 1921 Mayor Magrath Drive
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Ph: (403) 327-2555 Fax: (403) 327-0550
Calgary: 1-800-463-5509 Didsbury: 1-800-523-6169
Edmonton: 1-800-663-8268 Red Deer: 1-800-665-0394
Picture Butte: (403) 732-5633 Taber: (403) 223-4444
Regina 1-877-929-8696 Saskatoon 1-800-667-4757
Contact us for the Dealer Nearest YOU!