An Introduction To Functional Conformation

An Introduction toFunctional ConformationJudy WardropeJ.W. Equinewww.jwequine.com

Why is Conformation Important?Observing aspects of functional conformation canaid in making decisions regarding the prevention ofinjury, the sport, discipline or the level ofcompetition for a horse

What is Good Conformation?Good conformation means different things todifferent people, but from a functionalperspective it means structurally suitable for thejob. If a horse is built to perform a particularjob (generally something athletic), then it hasfunctional conformation.

What is Good Conformation?In many cases although a horse may exhibit less thanperfect conformation by conventional analysis, if he isbuilt to function well in a particular discipline or job,performance may not be affected.For Example: this horse’s legs are toed-in, which isconsidered a conformation fault, yet she remainedsound through a career at the track followed by nearly20 years as a lesson horse and dressage competitor. Shewas able to do all of this because she had elements offunctional conformation that lightened the impact onher front legs.

What is Good Conformation?Both of these horses have a trait, being over at the knee, that is considered a fault, yetClearly Canadian competed at Open and Young Rider level in dressage and Rainbow Questwas a champion racehorse. Both had functional conformation that enabled them to lightentheir forehands, thereby putting less stress on their front legs.

What is Good Conformation?When we think about conformation, we usually consider straight legsand musculature, but: Do these points provide sufficient information to truly assist in our breedingor purchasing decisions? Do they truly describe the horse accurately? Not if the horses in the photo’sthus far are any example.It doesn’t help that a lot of the terms we generally use to describehorses are subjective. For example, what do descriptions like nicehip, good shoulder, or well-balanced, good mover and so on reallymean?

What is Good Conformation?A nice hip for a reiner is notconstructed the same asfor an endurance horse

What is Good Conformation?A good shoulder for a jumper likely doesn’tresemble that of a barrel racer

What is Good Conformation?Well balanced for a western pleasure horse is not necessarilythe same as for an eventer

What is Good Conformation?Good movement for a show hunter is quite different than thatof a dressage horse and so on

What is Good Conformation?Skeletal aspects of conformation vary fromdiscipline to discipline or from function tofunction. In order to assess the functional aspectsof conformation, and in order to use them to ouradvantage, we need objective descriptions

Being ObjectiveAs a noun “objective” refers to theintended goal and as an adjective itmeans undistorted by emotion, bias orinterpretation. It is the opposite ofsubjective. Objective definitions can beadvantageous when choosing all thesethings: A suitable horse for our purpose The best discipline(s) for a horse An appropriate level of ability or levelof performance within a discipline The right match to produce the foal ofour dreams

Being ObjectiveBecause the process can seem intimidating and it takes timeand effort to learn the points of conformation that determinesfunction, specialty and/or level of ability, we often neglect thefirst steps. However, we can learn the functional aspects ofequine conformation by first building on some of the things wealready know, which is referred to as “Step One”.We will need to know how to identify or palpate the points offunctional conformation, understand how the parts work andhow they are inter-related, which is referred to as “Step Two’.

Being ObjectiveWe will need an objective way ofrelating the information, which isreferred to as “Step Three”.We will need to understand the degreesof athleticism required for variouspursuits as well as the discipline-specificaspects of conformation, which isreferred to as “Step Four”.

Step One:Building on What We Already KnowWe already understand function at some level and weapply our knowledge of it in all sorts of ways. Withoutthinking, we understand the basic principles of a teetertotter. We know that if we add or subtract a little weight from oneend or the other, it affects the balance. We know that if we move the fulcrum, or balance point,even slightly, we have affected the balance once again.

Step One:Building on What We Already KnowIn fact, if we’re on an unbalanced teeter- totter, we likelycompensate in order to correct the balance automatically. Thatis not something we were born knowing, it is something welearned, but now, is second nature.We also understand that, depending on the degree of change,the basic mechanics of a teeter-totter can be adapted toproduce a pry bar or catapult.

Step One:Building on What We Already KnowWe look at monster trucks and know that we wouldn’twant to spend a whole day driving one on the windinghighway. We look at a sports car and know that it shouldbe a joy to drive on the same road. We can also tell whichone is functionally constructed for speed. If we werelooking at sand dunes, instead of a winding highway, ourchoice would be different.It didn’t take long to make these assessments? Again weare talking about acquired knowledge that is now secondnature.

Step One:Building on What We Already KnowIt isn’t difficult to expand on what we alreadyknow and make a shift to a more analyticalapproach to decisions regarding our equinepartners.Fortunately, with a little effort and the basictools, we can learn to consciously andobjectively analyze the physical strengths andphysical limitations of horses as well as therequirements of the job we have in mind forthem.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkIn order to understand the functional aspectsof conformation that either contribute to orinhibit athletic ability, and to envision whatthe horse has to do mechanically, we willneed to know the anatomical parts of thehorse, understand how the parts function andenvision how the parts are inter-related.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkFor the purposes of thisintroduction, we’ll focus onthe lumbosacral joint, point ofhip, illium, femur, point ofbuttock, stifle, scapula, pointof shoulder, humerus, andelbow. We’ll also touch on therear triangle and the pillar ofsupport.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkKnowing these points is not enough, however; we need toknow how they operate in unison. And, like the teetertotter, we have to visualize and have a clear picture of allthe elements in order to make an accurate assessment offunction. What could we tell about the teeter-totter if weonly saw a third of it?All of the parts are interrelated, and thus must beconsidered as a unit. And, like the teeter-totter, differentconfigurations can result in either different functions orsimilar functions.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkIf function is our prime concern, then starting to assesconformation at the front of the horse doesn’t make sense.The horse generates its power from the hindquarters (like themotor of a vehicle) and transfers it forward and upward (likea vehicles transmission), so it makes sense to start afunctional assessment from the rear.That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check the horse’s bodylanguage – eyes, ears and breathing. But we should be awarethat if we start making a judgment at the front, we tend toforgive faults because of a pretty face or become harsherbecause of an unattractive one.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkIf we are to purchase a truck to pull our horse trailer, we wantto know about the motor, the transmission and the suspensionbefore we choose a colour or comment on the amount ofchrome.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkThe Motor:Where to find it: the reartriangle can be traced from thepoint of hip to the point of thebuttock (red line), from the pointof the buttock to the stifle(green line) and from the stifleback to the point of the hip (blueline).From point of hip to point ofbuttock is used as the iliummeasurement, and from thepoint of the buttock to the stifleis used as the femurmeasurement.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkDifferences in the length of the iliumand the femur can be “measured” withinthe triangle. We can tell if the ilium isthe short side, the femur is the shortside or if the sides are of equal length.And stifle placement, which is coveredin the next section, can be measured inrelation to the sheath of a male horse(or, on a mare, where the sheath wouldbe).

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkHow it Works; The rear triangle is the equivalent ofthe horse’s motor and dictates what type of power willbe produced. The relationship between the bones andthe joints, the length of the bone, angle or degree ofslope of bones and the positioning of a stifle alldetermine stride length, amount of spring, ability toreach, ability to sit as well as susceptibility to injury.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkVariations; Veterinarian Dr. Nancy Loving states that ashort femur is effective for sprinting and draft work.Researcher and veterinarian Dr. Hilary Clayton, who isinterested in Dressage, says the femur should be long andshould slope forward. Who is right? Both are, becausethere are discipline-specific differences in construction.And that is why it is best to really examine things insteadof making blanket generalizations about conformation. More variations can be found in the discipline-specificsection (Step Four) of this course.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkThe StifleWhere to find it; The stifle is actually a joint comprised of the lowerend of the femur, the upper end of the tibia and the patella.Because there are three bones, the stifle is actually two joints: thefemor-tibial joint and the femoro-patellar joint.For our purposes, and for clarity, we will use the femoro-patellarjoint (the lower portion of the stifle joint), because it is the mostvisible. It shows as a protusion – as seen in the photos – and we caneasily watch its range of motion as a horse moves. The muscle thathelps the joint move is NOT what we will use as a marker.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkThe lower part of the stifle – the partthat protrudes, is easy to see or feeland is circled on the photos.How it works; Stifle placement (inrelation to the level of the sheath) is akey element in length of stride, scopeover fences, ease of collection,distance preference and several otherdiscipline-specific abilities.

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkSteeplechasersHorse #1 shows the stifle extended and at the very end of the walk stride, just before the left hind lifts off the ground.Horse #2 shows the stifle bent and reaching forward in preparation of the left hind striking the ground.Horse #3 shows the stifle beginning to extend as the body moves over the left hind in preparation of the position shownby Horse #1. All three of these horses have stifles that are well below the level of the sheath, have long strides andscope, which suits their jobs as steeplechasers

Step Two:Understanding the Parts & How they WorkVariations; As the photos of these four racehorses illustrate, stifleplacement varies considerably. In the discipline-specific section(Step Four), we’ll examine more variations and learn why thedistance preferences of these four go from shortest (A) to longest(B) distance.