YouthJudging Guide

Compiled bythe Appaloosa Horse Club

Table of ContentsIntroduction 2Anatomy of a Horse 2Conformation Analysis 3Judging Conformation Classes 7Judging Performance Classes 8Classes Unique to the Appaloosa 14Horse Judging Contests 16Placement Score for Judging a Class 16Providing Oral Reasons 19Suggestions for Successful Judging 25Judging Terminology for Conformation 26Judging Terminology for Performance Classes 29Judging Terminology for Equitation Classes 31Definitions 33

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INTRODUCTIONFor the person interested in the equine industry, there’s no great-

er compliment than to be told you’re a good judge of quality horses. Whether you’re a complete novice or you’ve worked with horses for years, the process of learning how to judge a horse is a tough but rewarding experience.

Judges must know the criteria used for appraising conformation and performance classes. They must also critically compare horses within a class as well as comparing each to an ideal type or stan-dard. Finally, a judge must be able to logically and coherently de-fend their class placings orally. Judging horses is truly a skilled art that can only be mastered with practice and patience.

Each horse’s breed benefits from educating high-quality judges as people are trained to select and breed for the horses that come closest to the breed standard of perfection. It’s the goal of this guide to enable horse enthusiasts to analyze horses and learn what quali-ties make one animal superior to another in a class.

ANATOMY OF THE HORSEThe first things a potential judge must learn are the names and

locations of various parts of the horse. Conformation refers to the physical placement and interrelationship of muscle, bone and other body tissue. Conformation is important because it will affect the horse’s ability to perform specific tasks. A clearly marked diagram of the horse’s parts is provided. Study the diagram and learn the parts of the horse; this knowledge forms the foundation for all your future judging skills.

See the diagram on pages 22-23 for detailed information.

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BalanceWhile this criterion is often the hardest to comprehend or visu-

alize when selecting the “ideal” horse, it’s also perhaps the most important criterion listed. The ideal light horse should be balanced overall and be divisible into three equal portions of mass. To best determine if a horse is balanced, pay special attention to the length of neck, shoulder, topline and back.

A horse uses its neck as a lever and as a form of counterbalance. A trim neck is a sign of an athletic horse that can easily flex its neck vertically and laterally, thus allowing it to carry itself in a collected and agile manner. Horses with short, bulky necks lack suppleness and mobility and are therefore undesirable. Neck trimness also de-termines how the neck ties into the horse’s forequarter or shoul-der.

A good judge should also consider the length and slope of a horse’s shoulder. Long, well-sloped shoulders give horses a wider range of movement, a smoother ride and fewer foreleg unsound-nesses because they absorb more shock. A 45-degree angle from the point of the shoulder to the top of the withers is ideal. It takes a keen eye to determine the shoulder’s slope based on the scapula’s spine and not by lines of muscle.

The horse’s topline should be one smooth, continuous line. A horse with a short back is desirable. The area located between with-ers and loin should be short compared to the horse’s underline, as shorter backs are capable of greater weight-carrying capacity. As a horse ages, a long back that once looked strong will age and be-come swayed.

CONFORMATION ANALYSISLearning how to judge conformation involves knowledge of the

six major criteria for conformation analysis: Balance, Structure, Muscling, Quality, Type, and Travel. Evaluating these criteria will help you develop an understanding of which horse is of better qual-ity, and determine whether its form will permit it to function for its intended purpose.

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StructureUnsoundness is a deviation in form or function that interferes

with a horse’s serviceability, and most commonly occurs in the feet and legs of horses with poor skeletal structure. Correct structure is essential to maintain soundness, and should be determined from all views: front, rear and side.

Ideally, a judge should be able to draw a straight line from the shoulder down the front of the knee and cannon bone to the back of the hoof in the front legs. Another straight line should be drawn down the hock and cannon bone to behind the hoof in the rear legs.

The legs should appear flat and clean, hard, and free from puffi-ness. The pasterns should be long, as they help determine gait smoothness, spring and stride length. The slope of the pastern and hoof should be equal. The hooves should be well rounded, tough and proportionate to the horse’s size. At the heels, hooves should be deep, wide and open.

Figure 1. The Front Legs, Front View

Figure 2. The Rear Legs, Rear View

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MusclingThe ideal horse is an athlete that’s uniformly muscled through-

out. A judge must evaluate the horse’s muscling based on quantity and quality. Muscle quantity is best judged by assessing the overall volume of muscling. Certain areas of the horse’s body should dis-play added muscle volume: the chest or pectoral region, forearm, shoulder, loin, croup, stifle and gaskin. All of these large muscle groups contribute greatly to the horse’s ability to perform as an ath-lete.

Muscle quality should be judged by length, thickness and dis-tribution. A judge should look for long, deep-tying, smooth, well-defined muscling. Short, bunchy muscling makes a horse less agile and athletic, and so is undesirable.

Judges should evaluate muscling from the front, rear and both sides. In the front, a judge should look for a wide chest with a deep, inverted V in the pectoral region, and noticeably large forearms showing muscle definition and density.

When viewing a horse from the rear, a good judge will evaluate the muscling in the stifle and gaskin. A horse’s stifle should be as thick, if not thicker, than the width of its hips. The stifle should also be wide, as it provides the power necessary for stopping. The gaskins should be predominantly large and strong with definition, both on the inside and outside of the leg.

When viewing a horse from the side, a judge should assess the shoulder muscling and strength over the loin. Shoulder muscling is important for jumping and for forward and lateral movement. Muscling in the loin is important for supporting the rider and for coordination of the hindquarters during movement.

Evaluating a horse based on its muscle quality is important, as the horse depends on its muscles for a variety of functions. Because the horse is a performance animal, this criterion must be weighed heavily.

QualityWhile very few quality factors affect the horse’s ability to per-

form or its athletic potential, these factors are very important and are often considered and weighed heavily when determining the placings of two horses of similar quality.

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A horse’s quality can be defined as its overall refinement in-cluding head, neck, feet, legs, skin, bones and hair. The head must display character and have a short face tapering to a fine muzzle. The throatlatch should be clean and refined. The feet should be of medium size and well rounded. Horses that are dull or coarse in appearance are less desirable, while horses of high quality show presence and eye appeal.

Type (Breed and Sex Characteristics)Breed standards and expectations vary, and special consideration

should be given when evaluating how well a horse represents the breed with which it’s registered. Certain breeds of horses may car-ry more muscle than others and this should be taken into account when considering the suitability of the horse for its breed purpose. For example, a more heavily muscled Arabian may not be as suit-able for a particular purpose such as endurance riding.

A horse’s type can be evaluated by observing its head and mus-cling. Stallions and geldings should have larger, broader heads and more extensive body muscling with a degree of masculinity. Mares should have more refined heads with softer, more doll-like eyes and should exhibit an overall degree of femininity.

TravelOne of the last criteria to evaluate when analyzing a horse’s con-

formation is the way it travels. A judge must look for unsound-ness or abnormalities that affect the horse’s serviceability. The ideal horse will travel in a straight and fluid path with no interference of limbs or stride. Judges must realize that the degree of action in a horse’s stride will vary between breeds.

Structural faults commonly influence a horse’s travel. Horses that are narrow in front or pigeon-toed often display a paddling-type stride, and horses with a wide base or that toe out will display a winging-type stride.

Judging the straightness of a horse’s travel is very challenging and any deviations can usually be attributed to structural incor-rectness.

Blemishes are abnormalities that affect the horse’s value but don’t affect the horse’s ability to perform. Examples of blemishes include rope burns, wire cuts, shoe boils or capped hocks.

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JUDGING CONFORMATION CLASSESEvents that judges must familiarize themselves with include

halter events that deal with conformation and a horse’s quality. A general understanding of these types of classes enables a judge to make knowledgeable decisions when selecting the horse that best matches its breed standard. Halter classes are judged based on conformation: a horse’s physical appearance resulting from the ar-rangement of muscles, bone and other body tissues. Halter class standards stress the importance of conformation attributes as they contribute to the athletic performance of the horse.

HalterA horse is evaluated by its individual breed’s standards, its sex

characteristics, balance, structural correctness, refinement and de-gree of muscling. Horses are typically shown in-hand at both the walk and trot and are evaluated for their way of traveling by track-ing to and away from the judge when asked. They’re also “set up” squarely so the judge can view the horse’s structure standing still. Transmissible weaknesses count strongly against the horse.

Hunter in HandHunter in Hand classes judge the conformation of a horse for

its suitability as a hunter. Typically the hunter horse is taller and

Figure 3. Path of feet as seen from above.

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leaner, built for cross-country jumping and events such as steeple-chase or fox hunting. However, leanness shouldn’t be mistaken for malnourishment or thinness. A quality hunter-in-hand horse dis-plays a long, well-sloped shoulder covered with lean, flat and pow-erful muscles. Shoulder depth should carry through to the heart girth. Hindquarters should be powerful and show long, smooth muscle. The bone should be of high quality, showing substance and strength.

Horses are asked to travel at a walk and trot around a triangular pattern of marked cones. Once all entries have worked the triangle, they’re asked to back to the lineup for final evaluation and com-parison. Horses are scored 60 percent on movement, 30 percent on conformation and 10 percent on temperament.

JUDGING PERFORMANCE CLASSESPerformance classes are evaluated on the ability of a horse and

rider to perform in a certain riding discipline, either western or English, and consist of two types: those based on the horse, and those based on the rider.

In each class, a judge must note breed differences and select the horse that best represents its breed standards for that class. It’s im-perative that judges have a broad understanding of the most com-monly offered performance classes and their measures of quality.

Western PleasureHorses entered in western pleasure classes are shown at the walk,

jog and lope both directions of the ring, and are evaluated on their manners, willingness, functional correctness and quality of move-

Figure 4. Hunter in Hand pattern

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ment. A good pleasure horse’s stride is of reasonable length in rela-tion to its conformation. The stride must have balanced, flowing motion while exhibiting correct gaits of the proper cadence.

A great deal of consideration should be given to the quality of movement and the consistency of the horse’s gaits. Its head and neck should be carried in a relaxed position with poll level or slightly level above the withers, and it should move lightly on the front with the hind end well underneath for greater impulsion. An exceptional western pleasure horse will move on a relatively loose rein and responsively execute any transition or movement when asked. The horse should appear relaxed, be fit and a pleasure to ride.

Horses that don’t display a four-beat walk, two-beat jog or three-beat lope should be penalized for not performing the required gait. Excessive slowness or loss of forward motion should be noted, and horses faulted for carrying their heads too high or too low. Horses that nose out beyond the vertical or over-flex at the poll when rid-den should be penalized. A horse that breaks gait or lopes on the wrong lead should be faulted and marked down in placing.

ReiningWhen selecting the winning reining horse, a judge shall be critical

of a horse’s mannerisms and discipline, pattern accuracy and de-gree of challenge. At most open and breed shows, judges are asked to use the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) guidelines for reining classes.

Each contestant is required to individually perform a pattern consisting of a series of maneuvers. To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every move. The ideal reining horse should respond readily to cues and work the pattern easily, fluently and effortlessly while maintaining a reasonable level of speed. Light bit contact should be maintained at all times.

A good reining horse should execute a smooth, sliding stop on its haunches, and take leads smoothly and without hesitation. Roll-backs should be tight, and spins or pivots should be executed with speed on the correct hind leg. A good reining horse will settle easily and remain calm.

The best reining horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance. Any movement on his own

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must be considered as a lack of control, as are any deviations from the exact pattern. Therefore, faults are marked according to sever-ity of the loss of control. Credit will be given for smoothness, fi-nesse, attitude, quickness, and authority in performing the various maneuvers while using controlled speed. Each individual perfor-mance is scored on a basis of 1 to 100, with a 70 denoting an aver-age performance. Points are added or subtracted from each of the maneuvers in the pattern, which are scored in ½ increments from a low of –1 ½ to a high of +1 ½ . A zero denotes that the maneuver was correct with no degree of difficulty.

Western RidingIn western riding, judges evaluate horses for quality of gaits, lead

changes at the lope, response to the rider, manners and disposition. The horse should perform with reasonable speed, be sensible and well mannered, free- and easy-moving.

Each western riding horse will perform the pattern individually. Credit shall be given for smoothness, even cadence of gaits, and the horse’s ability to change leads precisely, easily and simultane-ously both hind and front at the center point between markers. The horse should have a relaxed head carriage showing response to the rider’s hands, with moderate flexion at the poll. Horses may be rid-den with light contact or on reasonably loose rein. The horse should cross the log both at the jog and the lope without breaking gait or radically changing stride.

Scoring will be on a basis of 0 to 100, with 70 denoting an average performance. Points will be added or subtracted from the maneu-vers in the pattern. Individual maneuvers are scored in ½ incre-ments, from a low of –1 ½ to a high of + 1 ½, with a 0 denoting an average performance. Horses should be penalized with negative scores for failing to make a lead change, blatant disobedience, break-ing gait at the lope, hitting the log, or not performing the specified gait where called for in the pattern. A horse will be disqualified if it ventures off course, knocks over a marker, completely misses the log or performs four or more simple lead changes and/or failures to change leads.

Hunter Under SaddleHorses entered in hunter under saddle should be asked to walk,

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trot and canter both ways of the ring. Horses may be asked to ex-tend the trot and selected entries may be asked to perform a hand gallop at the judge’s discretion. Horses are to back easily and stand quietly. They must be brought to a flat-footed walk before changing gaits.

Hunters should be judged on performance, manners, conforma-tion, quality and substance. Hunter under saddle horses should be suitable for their purpose, such as hunting and jumping. Hunters should move in a long, low frame and be able to lengthen their stride and cover ground, as in traversing hunt country following hounds. They should be obedient, alert and responsive to their ex-hibitors. Judges should emphasize free movement and good man-ners.

Horses that don’t display a four-beat walk, two-beat trot or three-beat canter should be penalized for not performing the required gait. Quick, short strides or excessive speed should be penalized. Horses that move in an artificial frame and are over-flexed and be-hind the bit should also be penalized. Hunters should not carry their heads too high or too low. A horse that breaks gait or canters on the wrong lead should be faulted and marked down in placing.

Hunter HackSelection criteria used to judge the hunter hack class are man-

ners and willingness, way of going, style over fences, even hunting pace and flat work. Upon completion of the jump work, horses be-ing considered for placings must then be shown at a walk, trot and canter both ways of the ring with light contact. Preference is given to horses that jump a fence squarely in the middle of the obstacle. Placing for this class shall be evaluated in the following propor-tions: 70 percent for individual fence work and 30 percent for work on the flat.

Horses are first required to jump two fences. While rules may vary among breed associations or equine organizations, ApHC rules state that the first fence may be 2 feet, 2 feet 3 inches, or 2 feet 6 inches, but in no event more than 3 inches lower than the second fence. The second fence may be 2 feet 3 inches, 2 feet 6 inches or 2 feet 9 inches. Fences may be in a line and the lead change between fences is optional.

Faults to be scored accordingly, but not necessarily to cause dis-

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qualification, include being on the wrong diagonal at the trot or canter lead, excessive speed, breaking gait, or the horse carrying its head too high or too low.

Faults that result in elimination include obtaining three refusals, bolting on the course, failure to keep on course, or jumping obsta-cles not included on the course. Horses may be faulted during the rail work portion of the class for the same reasons a hunter would be penalized.

Western Horsemanship/English Equitation Horsemanship and equitation classes are judged on the rider’s

ability to control the horse. Each exhibitor must individually per-form a pattern provided by the judge or show management, that asks the rider to demonstrate their skills at all three gaits. The ex-hibitor will be asked to govern, control and properly exhibit the mount they’re riding and are commonly asked to perform a desig-nated pattern. After each exhibitor has been worked individually, the judge may place the class or choose to recall some or all of the exhibitors for rail work.

Scoring of these classes should be on a scale of 0 to 20 with ½-point increments acceptable. The overall appearance of the ex-hibitor and horse should be worth up to 10 points. Appropriate at-tire is required for each class. Clothing and person should be neat and clean. All exhibitors must wear boots and long-sleeved shirts or jackets. The exhibitor must wear a cowboy hat or English hunt cap as well as an appropriate belt. The exhibitor shall be judged on his or her basic position in the saddle, hand position, leg position and back position. The rider should sit with legs hanging in a straight line from the ear, through the center of the shoulder and hip, touch-ing the back of the heel or through the ankle. This form should be maintained through the pattern and rail work of the class.

Pattern performance is worth up to 10 additional points. The exhibitor should perform the work accurately, precisely, smoothly and with reasonable promptness and minimal visible cueing. Fail-ure to perform the prescribed pattern, knocking over or working on the wrong side of the markers should be penalized. Excessive schooling or training or willful abuse by the exhibitor are cause for disqualification. A score of 16 to 20 represents a generally good to excellent pattern with a maximum of one minor fault.

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ShowmanshipShowmanship classes are based on the exhibitors’ abilities to

show their horses to the best of their advantage as they perform a set pattern and series of maneuvers prescribed by the judge with precision and accuracy while exhibiting confidence, poise and balance. The handler is judged on his or her ability to present the horse. It is merely a prop used to show the handler’s ability. The showmanship class is not a halter class and should not be judged as such.

The ideal pattern for this class is one where the exhibitor is com-pletely tuned in to their horse and provides such subtle clues that they wouldn’t be visible to the untrained eye. The exhibitor must be clean and dressed in a professional manner while exhibiting a clean and physically fit horse. The exhibitor must walk, trot, stop and back the horse as directed by the judge and as dictated in the pattern. All turns must be to the right with the exhibitor walking to the right around the horse. The exhibitor must lead from the left-hand side of the horse.

Exhibitors should be judged on their methods of presentation. The showman must always have an unobstructed view of the judge. If the judge is standing at the rear quarters of the horse, the showman must be on the same side of the horse as the judge. If the judge is standing at the forequarters of the horse, the showman should be on the opposite side of the horse as the judge. Exhibitors that fail to lead the horse properly, kick or manually place the legs of the horse into position should be faulted for their actions. Over-showing through unnecessary actions is not necessary and should be considered as a fault.

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CLASSES UNIQUE TO THE APPALOOSAThe Appaloosa breed approves several classes not offered by any

other breed. The breed is known for its unique color and coat pat-terns and treasured for its versatility and adaptability. Its demeanor makes it perfect for all types of exhibitors, from youth to the profes-sional showman. It is a breed capable of being shown in halter only to be used later that same day in a speed event and then again in a pleasure class. Understanding the special classes only offered by the Appaloosa breed provides one with a greater appreciation for their uniqueness.

Most Colorful at HalterThis halter class is open to all ages and all sexes of Appaloosa

horses. The class is run in a format similar to all other halter classes and entries shall be judged individually standing and also at a walk and trot on the line. Horses are judged 60 percent on color and 40 percent on conformation, action, substance, quality and manners. To be eligible for this class, Appaloosas must display the necessary characteristics needed for regular ApHC registration.

HeritageThe heritage class was created in an effort to honor the Appa-

loosa’s rich heritage. The horse and rider are attired in authentic garments and trappings in keeping with periods from the Appa-loosa’s history. The class is worked on the rail at a walk and trot in both directions of the ring. The judges then go through the lineup scoring each costume’s authenticity and suitability. The markings and colorful qualities of the horse and the overall picture and pre-sentation are to be considered.

Rope RaceThe rope race is similar to musical chairs. Small, four-foot ropes

are loosely tied to a wire extending across the arena, with one rope less than the number of competitors. At the starter’s signal, the rid-ers race to take hold of a rope with one hand. The rider without a rope is eliminated and another rope is taken off the line. This is continued until only one rider is left holding the last rope.

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Horse-Against-Horse Games ClassesThe Nez Perce stake race and Camas Prairie stump race are

unique to the Appaloosa breed because they are games classes run horse-against-horse. The horse against horse events are not offered in any other breed association.

In the Nez Perce stake race, two sets of six poles are set a mea-sured distance apart from each other on opposite ends of the arena. At the same time, both riders ride down the right side of their row of poles, and on reaching the last pole, begin winding back through. On returning to the first pole, they wind back through in the oppo-site direction, and then head back toward the finish line on the left side of the poles. The winner of each heat advances to the next heat and knocking down a pole disqualifies an entry in that heat.

In the Camas Prairie stump race, two sets of three barrels are set up in a triangular fashion on opposite ends of the arena. Both rid-ers start on the same line, face to face. Both entries start at the same time and head for the barrel to their right, circle it, and head to the barrel left of the starting line, then race to the far barrel in the cen-ter, circle it, and head back to the finish. The winner of each heat advances to the next heat and knocking over a barrel disqualifies an entry in that heat.

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HORSE JUDGING CONTESTSWhen an individual is devoted to learning to judge horses, they

must be willing to compete in horse judging contests to challenge their knowledge and skill. Horse judging contests allow potential judges the opportunity to compare their placings against those of professionals and to develop a better eye for a quality horse. In the competitive horse judging environment, emphasis is placed on learning to place and orally defend those placings. This process teaches students to be objective, honest and fair in their approach to evaluating the class. Judges are scored on their ability to correctly place the class on a scale of up to 50 points. Judges are also scored on their ability to give an excellent set of reasons on a scale of 50 points maximum. Together, the score on the combined exams is no greater than 100 points.

PLACEMENT SCORE FOR JUDGING A CLASS Judging normally consists of evaluating and placing a class of four

participants. Judging contestants are scored based on their abilities to place a particular class as compared to how the contest officials placed the class. The closer the contestant’s opinion is to matching that of the officials, the higher the score the contestant will receive. A score of 50 is awarded when the contestant’s placings perfectly match those of the officials.The placement score is determined for each judging contestant

based on point deductions from the perfect 50 score. Point deduc-tions are made based on the margin of difference between the of-ficial’s class placing and the judging contestant’s. The official judge will establish a number or value for that margin of difference, this value being called a “cut.” A “cut” is assigned by the official judge for each pair in a class placing. The three pairs in a class are the top pair (1st place – 2nd place), the middle pair (2nd place – 3rd place), and the bottom pair (3rd place – 4th place). A small cut indicates that the animals in the pair being compared are very close in qual-ity while a large cut indicates that more obvious differences exist. Cuts can range from one to seven points and the sum of all three cuts may not exceed 15 points. (See Table 1 for the description of cuts as defined by the National Collegiate Horse Judging Coaches Association.)

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Cut Description of Cuts

1 Horses are extremely similar; no obvious reason why one should be placed over the other; or, both horses have numerous faults and none supersedes the others; placing is strictly a matter of personal preference; placing varies among official judges.

2 Horses are very close, but one horse has one or two quali-tative or quantitative advantages; the majority of official judges would not switch the pair, but half of the contes-tants could logically switch the pair.

3 Horses are of unequal quality, but there is a logical placing in favor of one horse; either one horse has several faults or several advantages; all official judges would agree on the placing; no more than one third of contestants would be expected to switch the pair.

4 Horses are not of similar quality; one horse has sev-eral decided advantages based on many points; all experts would quickly see the placing; no guesswork or personal preference required to make placing; no more than 10% of contestants would be expected to switch the pair.

5 Large number of extreme differences between the horses; placing is obvious to everyone on first, quick observation; careful study not required for the placing; pair consists of an inferior horse vs. a consistent winner; only very inexpe-rienced, uninformed contestants would switch the pair.

6 Horse not even comparable; differences reflective of a champion quality horse or performance vs. a horse or per-formance that is not of show quality.

7 Largest cut; differences reflective of a world-class halter horse vs. an extremely poor quality or lame horse; or a world-class performance vs. a disqualified performance.

Table 1. Description of Cuts

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To calculate scores for placings, six comparisons between animals or performances must be made. They are:

1st place vs. 2nd place, 1st place vs. 3rd place, 1st place vs. 4th place, 2nd place vs. 3rd place, 2nd place vs. 4th place, and 3rd place vs. 4th place.

If the contestant’s placings are the same as the official’s, there will be no point deductions as there are no comparisons to be used. If the comparisons vary between contestant and official judge, a deduc-tion is made. To determine the total point deduction, a contestant must use the comparisons above to determine the total sum of up to 3 cuts of varying value. Please refer to the following examples:

Example #1: Official Placing: 2 – 1 – 4 – 3

Official Cuts: 2 5 2

Judging Contestant’s Placing: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4

Comparisons Contestant Point Deduction Step 1: 1st Place vs. 2nd Place 1 over 2 -2 Step 2: 1st Place vs. 3rd Place 1 over 3 0 Step 3: 1st Place vs. 4th Place 1 over 4 0 Step 4: 2nd Place vs. 3rd Place 2 over 3 0 Step 5: 2nd Place vs. 4th Place 2 over 4 0 Step 6: 3rd Place vs. 4th Place 3 over 4 -2 Total: -4

Score: 50 – 4 = 46 Example #2: Official Placing: 2 – 1 – 4 – 3

Official Cuts: 2 5 2

Judging Contestant’s Placing: 4 – 3 – 2 – 1

Comparisons Contestant Point Deduction Step 1: 1st Place vs. 2nd Place 4 over 3 0 Step 2: 1st Place vs. 3rd Place 4 over 2 (5+2) -7 Step 3: 1st Place vs. 4th Place 4 over 1 -5 Step 4: 2nd Place vs. 3rd Place 3 over 2 (2+5+2) -9 Step 5: 2nd Place vs. 4th Place 3 over 1 (2+5) -7 Step 6: 3rd Place vs. 4th Place 2 over 1 0 Total: -28

Score: 50 – 28 = 22

The official individual and team scores should be available to each contestant at the end of the judging contest. It’s important for the contestant to review the scores so that he or she can address their areas of weaknesses and improve upon them.

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PROVIDING ORAL REASONSThe process of providing oral reasons helps students learn how

to think, to organize their thoughts and speak about those thoughts in a professional environment. Defending their class placing can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding, experiences for a judge. It enables a judge to make keen observations and encour-ages them to clearly and confidently express their thoughts. Giving oral reasons helps individuals to judge in a more orderly fashion. It encourages the judge to think in comparative terms and analyze a horse point by point.

Judging contestants are required to provide their oral reasons for how they placed a class several hours after the class finished. The success of the judging contestant depends on their ability to take good notes during the judging portion of the class. These notes will later serve as a preparation aid for the oral reasons presentation. Note-taking shouldn’t interfere with the constructive observation and judging of a class. Notes shouldn’t be written until completion of the class or upon completion of individual rider/horse perfor-mances, at which time thorough comparisons among class entries should be made. Once all notes have been written, they should be organized so pairs of horses are compared. This will help when the judging contestant must defend their placings of one horse over another.

A contestant will be scored on a scale of 0 to 50 for the reasons they provide. A score of 40 to 50 represents a presentation that fol-lows a good organizational scheme, commands evidence of class procedures and judging criteria, understands terminology and has great presentation skills that exude confidence and knowledge of the class(es) evaluated. The official judge will evaluate the contes-tant in the following areas: organization, relevancy, appropriate ter-minology and presentation.

OrganizationReasons should be organized and delivered in a clear, logical se-

quence. The basic approach to comparing the horses in a class is to provide an opening statement delivering the placing of the class, comparisons of the horses in three pairs, concluding with a closing statement. When discussing the placings of the class, the top pair of horses should be compared first, followed by the middle pair

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and lastly the bottom pair. Within each pair, the judging contestant should focus on why one horse placed over another. and explain in a comparative format rather than a descriptive format.

RelevancyWhen providing oral reasons, the judging contestant should

make comparisons of the pairs of horses based on significant points and actual differences. Reasons that focus on the important reasons for why a class was placed as it was, and not on minor details, will receive a higher score. If reasons sound “canned” or methodical and aren’t consistent with the true differences in the class of horses, the judge will reduce the score of the set of reasons dramatically.

Appropriate TerminologyIn comparing horses placed in a class, the explanations should be

comparative rather than descriptive. Using comparative terminol-ogy helps the judging contestant to visualize the class and keep main points in mind. Correct use of equine vocabulary should also be used throughout the oral presentation and relies on a strong knowledge base of the equine industry from the contestant. Ter-minology should be correct and acceptable by industry standards. Terms used should be accurate and concise.

PresentationOral reasons should be presented in a poised, professional and

convincing manner. The correct use of English is a must, and pro-nunciation and enunciation of words and syllables is required. Rea-sons are limited to approximately two minutes so contestants must make a good initial impression and be concise and convincing. Professional dress and behavior is expected of a judging contestant and will be evaluated when a score is assigned to the contestant for their performance. Contestants should stand 6 to 10 feet away from the official judge and stand with weight balanced evenly on both legs in a comfortable manner.

A high score on presenting oral reasons represents an individual who could visually organize the differences between horses in a class and professionally present their reasons in a confident and comfortable manner. (See tables 2 and 3 for examples of quality oral reasons for a halter and a western pleasure class.)

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Aged Appaloosa MaresBeginning with the individual who dominated the class in

terms of muscling, balance and femininity, I place this class of aged Appaloosa mares 3-2-1-4.

In my top pair, I placed 3, the chestnut with the snowflake blan-ket, over 2, as she did spread the greatest abundance of muscling over her largest frame. She was the widest from stifle to stifle, exhibited the greatest circumference of the gaskin, and the larg-est muscled forearm. Moreover, she displayed the broadest rib with the greatest depth of chest and had the best overall balanced muscling. However, I do conclude that 2, the leopard, did present a greater-sloped croup.

Moving to my middle duo, I did place 2 over 1, as 2 followed 3 more closely in terms of overall dimension of muscle. She showed more bulge and flare throughout the hindquarters, stifle and gaskin and did exhibit a longer, more sloping croup. Addi-tionally, she presented a more correctly angulated shoulder and pasterns, thus displaying a greater reach in stride. She presented a shorter back and tapering underline, although I grant that 1 did exhibit more chiseled, refined, feminine features about the head and a cleaner throatlatch.

Concluding with my bottom pair, I did place 1, the black with white hip blanket, over 4, the solid chestnut, as 1 was a more symmetrical individual. Further, 1 was more structurally correct, showing a straighter column of bone, being less splay-footed, and having a more correct slope to her pasterns. I admit that 4 had a cleaner throatlatch and leaner neck, which would not allow her as much flexion at the poll. I must fault 4 and leave her the bot-tom of the class today as she was the least muscled individual in the class with the least feminine head and she did stand sickle hocked when viewed from the side.

It is for these reasons that I place this class of aged Appaloosa mares, 3-2-1-4. Thank you.

Table 2. Oral Reason Example 1

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ForeheadFace

Bridgeof NoseNostrilMuzzle

Upper LipLower LipUnder Lip

Throat Latch

Point of Shoulder

Chest

ArmElbow

Forearm

Knee

Hoof

Underline

Cannon

Fetlock Joint

Pastern

Coronet

Neck

Shoulder

Hea

rt-g

irth

BarrelThigh

Poll

Crest

Withers

Topline

Back LoinPoint of Hip

Rump or Croup

Buttock

Flank

Stifle

Gaskin

Hock

Fetlock

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ForeheadFace

Bridgeof NoseNostrilMuzzle

Upper LipLower LipUnder Lip

Throat Latch

Point of Shoulder

Chest

ArmElbow

Forearm

Knee

Hoof

Underline

Cannon

Fetlock Joint

Pastern

Coronet

Neck

Shoulder

Hea

rt-g

irth

BarrelThigh

Poll

Crest

Withers

Topline

Back LoinPoint of Hip

Rump or Croup

Buttock

Flank

Stifle

Gaskin

Hock

Fetlock

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Table 3. Oral Reason Example 2

Western PleasurePlacing at the top of the class the individual who was the most

collected in frame and displayed the most cooperative and will-ing attitude; I place this class of Western Pleasure 3-4-1-2.

In my initial pair, I did place 3, the roan Appaloosa, over 4, the sorrel with the white blanket, as 3 was the most efficient in both movement and transitions. He did reach out further from the shoulder, while simultaneously showing the most engagement of the hindquarters, thus, giving him the smoothest, most rhyth-mic stride. Additionally, he did present the most horizontal line from his poll through his withers to his croup, coupled with the most vertical break at the poll. Furthermore, he was the quickest to make both his upward and downward transitions, going both ways on the rail. Although I must admit, 4 did back more will-ingly and in a straighter fashion.

Moving to my middle pair, I did place 4 over 1, the leopard, as 4 did exhibit a truer 2-beat jog, and a more cadenced and collected lope. Additionally, he was more responsive to the cues of the rid-er, as evidenced by his smoother and quicker gait transitions, and more willing attitude during backing. Likewise, he did work on a more desirable length of rein, while looking straighter through a bridle as he traveled down the rail. However, I do concede that 1 did maintain a more natural headset throughout the class.

In my concluding pair, I did place 1 over 2, the sorrel with 3 white socks, as 2 did exhibit more energy and purpose of stride. 1 was brighter and more alert, and worked at more desirable speeds. He did present a smoother, more ground-covering walk, and was truer in his diagonals at the jog. Additionally, he reached his hocks further underneath himself at the lope, and maintained a flatter and more correct topline. While I would agree that 2 was quieter at the bit, I had to fault 2 and place him at the bottom of the class for showing an absence of impulsion from the hind-quarters at the lope, and thereby four-beating. Moreover, 2 had a tendency to over-flex at the poll and carry his head below the horizontal plane through his topline.

It is for these reasons that I place this class of Western Pleasure 3-4-1-2. Thank you.

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SUGGESTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL JUDGINGThere are never any truly correct answers in horse judging. The

activity of horse judging is purely a subjective process but as an individual becomes more familiar with each breed’s standard and class requirements, a qualified judge will be able to separate dif-ferences and place a class according to the horse’s conformation or skill level. During this learning process, there are several sugges-tions to keep in mind along the way.

It’s imperative that judges stay current with judging standards. These standards can change very quickly so it’s important that you attend seminars, clinics and judges’ schools as needed and obtain as many rulebooks and judging guides as possible.

When viewing classes, a judge should position him or herself so that they’re evaluating the exhibitors from the same viewpoint (angle and distance). This technique will increase your objective-ness of comparison. When judging halter classes, your most objec-tive judging can be done from approximately 20 to 30 feet from the horses. On rail classes, many judges position themselves along the far rail to find an effective place for judging. When judging pat-terns, position yourself in an area that gives you the best view of the entire performance.

Learn, through a great deal of practice, to take little notes and quickly assess the entries’ perfor-mances. Keep your full, undivided attention on the class in the arena so that you can recall events and positive attributes.

It takes a great deal of time and knowledge to become an equine judge. It’s no small feat and re-quires constant education and training along with practice.

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General Terms:More balancedMore symmetricalMore stylishMore refinedMore femininityMore masculinityLarger framedMore skeletal dimensionLarger, stouter madeMore structural correctnessMore athleticHigher qualityMore highly conditionedShows better breed characterMost eye appealing

Head Features:Cleaner headMore refinementShows more breed characterSharper, chiseled features about the headMore refinementMore chiseled featuresMore intelligent, kinder eyesTapers to a finer muzzleMore desirable head setShorter/neater ear

Neck:Cleaner through the throatlatchMore desirable neck setLonger, leaner neckLonger from the poll to the witherNeck ties in higher to the shoulderHigher neck set on the shoulderMore graceful arching neck

General Terms:Poorly balancedLacks symmetryMore coarseRoughRangyLacks typeStockyShallow bodiedLacks femininityLacks masculinityLacks qualityLight muscledPoorly conditionedDisplays little breed characterLeast eye appealing

Head Features:Coarse-headedPlain-headedNarrow headLong headLacks femininity/masculinityHeavy, coarse earsDull, pig eyesRoman nosedParrot/Monkey mouthedLonger/coarser ear

Neck:Neck too long/shortNeck too thick/thinEwe-neckedNeck set too low on the shoulderThick throatlatchCresty neckedToo thick at the base of the neck

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FOR CONFORMATION

Ideal Faults

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Shoulder and Chest:More sloping shoulderDeeper chestBroader chestMore muscled VShows more width of chestMore definition of musclingMore heavily muscled shoulder/ chest

Leg and Forearm:More powerful forearmSmoother muscled arm and forearmHeavier muscled leg and forearmLonger forearm

Ribs, Barrel, Heart Girth:More sprung ribsDeeper heart girthLonger from point of wither to the elbowMore arch of rib

Topline, Underline and Mid-Section:

More level toplineShorter topline in relation to longer underlineSmoother underlineMore prominent withersShorter coupledStrong backedLonger croupStronger toplineHigher tail setDeeper flankedMore level croupFuller in the loin

Shoulder and Chest:Short shoulderSteep sloping shoulderLightly muscled shoulderLacking in depth of chestNarrow chestNo V muscling in the chestToo wide in the chest

Leg and Forearm:Weak armShallow forearmLight muscled forearmShallow leg and arm

Ribs, Barrel, Heart Girth:Shallow in the heart girthShallow ribbedLacks depth of barrelStraight sided (slab sided)

Topline, Underline and Mid-Section:

Weak toplineSway backedLong coupledWasp-waistedMutton withersWeak loinShort croupLow tail setPot-belliedUneven toplineLacks prominence of withersHigher at the withers than croupWeak through the back

Ideal Faults

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Rear Quarters:Wider through the stifleHeavier muscled thighSmoother muscled quarter and gaskinMore expressly muscled gaskin, tifle, and thighMore powerful gaskinsStronger, more athletic and powerful hindquarters

Feet and Legs:Stands squarer on all four legsStraighter legsWider in the frontStood wider in the backHigher quality of boneStands more squarely on the hoofHigh density of boneLarger kneeCleaner jointsMore correct set to the hocksMore well-defined tendonsMore sloping pasternsTougher hoofsStronger/longer pasternsMore flat kneed

Action:Moves freer and easierMoves with a longer strideTracks straighter and truerHas a more collected stride

Rear Quarters:Apple-rumpedGoose-rumpedLight muscledNot tied in Rough over the hipLacks width through the stifleWeak in the gaskinsRafter hipped

Feet and Legs:Camped underCamped outCalf-kneedCow-hockedBowed tendonOver at the kneeWeak/short pasternsKnock-kneedStands too close in front/backStraight hockedPoor quality of boneBone/bog spavinRingboneBench kneedContracted heels

Action:Restricted movementPaddles in front/backTravels wide in front/backShort, choppy strides

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FOR CONFORMATION

Ideal Faults

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General Appearance:More attentive/alertMore consistent/steadyMore relaxedMore agile/athleticMore supple and willingMore responsiveMore collectionMore supple

Reining:More controlled speedSettled more readilyRan a more precise patternFaster and flatter in the spinMore correct in maintaining hind pivotBacked more readilyCircles were more equally roundLead changes were more correctEasily guided

Action:More balanced way of goingCovers more ground at the trotFreer way of going at the ______Slow easy jogGoes more collectedly at the ___More cadenced trot or extended trotIs more stylish More coordinated/agile moverMore relaxed at the ________Has a truer stride at the _______Is more supple at the ________More engaged hindquarters

General Appearance:UnattentiveLacks consistencyUnresponsiveHigh-strungAnticipates in advanceUnwillingLacks disciplineLacks finish or polish

Reining:Too fast/too slow speedUnnerved and hyperMissed the fine points of the patternHopping on the front end for the spinPerformed irregular circlesShows no flexion at the pollUnwillingness to stopLopes out of rollbacks on the wrong leadFailure to perform flying lead change

Action:Choppy stridedLacks smoothness of strideCrossfires at the lope/canterLacks collectionLacks balanceToo slow/fast at the _____Lacks impulsion from the hindquartersLacks consistency at the ______Laboring motionFour beats at the lopeReluctance to performBehind the vertical

Ideal Faults

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FORPERFORMANCE CLASSES

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Aids and Responses:More rapid transitionsSmoother transitionsMore fluid upward/downward transitionsSmoother backing upMore correct reversalsStands quieter in lineupLess resistance to the bitRequires less rein pressureMore desirable headsetSmoother lead changesMore prompt in transitionsStraighter backMoves without undue constraintStands quieter in the lineupMore correct/balanced stopBacks more readily

Head and Neck:More desirable head carriageMore stylish head and correct head carriageMore flexion at the pollMore collected

Jumping:More evenly pacedApproached fences in strideCantered straighter to the center of each fenceTucked knees in tighter and more evenlyJumped more centered between standardsCovered the coarse with longer, more sweeping stridesWas scopier over fencesJumped with more symmetryIncurred fewer faults, knock- downs for refusalsMore effective in folding its hocks

Aids and Responses:Too slow of transitionsLacked responsivenessShowed resistance to aidsBobbing of the headDisplayed nervousness, swished tailAnticipates commandsToo loose/tight of reinsIn front of/behind the bitIncorrect leadRough transitionsBreaking of any gaitCrooked backBouncy, heavy stopPins ears to spurringMouthy with the bit in resistanceRefuses to back up

Head and Neck:High/too low carriage of the headNeck ties in too high at the shoulderLacks flexion at the pollLacks collection of movementLacks masculinity and femininity

Jumping:Too fast on courseUnevenly paced throughout courseRefused obstaclesWasn’t very square in jump departureLacked scope over fencesFailed to tuck forelegs or hocks when jumpingLacked forward motionShowed little interest in approaching fencesAdded unnecessary strides Failed to jump down the center of obstacles

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FORPERFORMANCE CLASSES

Ideal Faults

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General Appearance:More consistentSmoother performanceHorse and rider more coordinatedMore alert/attentiveMore responsiveCalmer/relaxed/willing horseMore correct performanceBetter adherence to patternLess noticeable cues

Rider’s Seat:Deeper seatMore balancedMore correctMore relaxedTighter seat

Rider’s Hands:Quieter handsMore correct positionLighter/more supple

Rider’s Upper Body:Straighter backMore vertical line from shoulder to hipMore relaxedShoulders more squareCorrect arm position

Rider’s Lower Body:More leg contactMore knee contactMore correct leg positionHeels further downToe pointed forward and straighter

General Appearance:Rough performanceMore obvious cuesHorse and rider not in rhythmInattentive, sluggish, dull horseShows resistance and resists aidsUnruly, nervous, stiff horseLacks steady performanceLack of adherence to pattern Inconsistent performance

Rider’s Seat:Loose in the saddleUnbalancedLess correctMore rigid, stiff backTense, bouncing seat

Rider’s Hands:Rougher, more jerky handsImproper hand positionHeavier hands lacking suppleness

Rider’s Upper Body:Slouching shouldersToo stiff and rigidRounded shouldersBreaking the vertical line from shoulder to hip

Rider’s Lower Body:Less leg contactLess knee contactLess correct leg positionHeels further upToes pointed outward

Ideal Faults

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FOREQUITATION CLASSES

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Pattern MovementsBack Up:StraighterOn the bit, more collectedMore readily/responsiveQuicker

Stop:More balancedMore correctDesirable headsetLess bounceOn the bit

Lead Changes:Smoother lead changeQuicker to change leadsDid not anticipate the lead changeSharper and truer to the lead change

Transitions:Smoother transitionsMore correctOn the bit throughout transition

Pattern MovementsBack Up:Backed crookedlyBehind/in front of the bitResisted the bitSlower/more reluctant to back

Stop:Lacked balanceLess correctHigh headsetBouncyGaping mouth at the bit

Lead Changes:Rougher, strung out lead changeLess prompt Required excessive leg strengthCrossfiring

Transitions:Less prompt transitionsLess balanced transitionsBehind the bit/in front of the bit

JUDGING TERMINOLOGY FOREQUITATION CLASSES

Ideal Faults

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DEFINITIONS

Above the Bit: Evasion of the bit; the horse carries his head too high and is difficult to control.

Action: The movement of the feet and legs; should be straight and true.

Age of Horse: For show purposes, a horse is one year old on Janu-ary 1 following the foaling date. Exception: Foals born in October, November or December are not considered one year old until the second January 1 following their foaling dates.

Anatomy: Science of the structure of the animal body and the rela-tionships of its parts.

Balance: Equal action at each gait; correct proportion in body. It is desirable body proportions.

Base Narrow: This distance between the feet is less than the dis-tance between the limbs where they originate at the chest. It causes the horse to bear more weight on the outside of the hoof than the inside.

Base Wide: The distance between the center of the feet is greater than the distance between the center of the limbs where they origi-nate at the chest. It forces the horse to bear more weight on the inside of the hoof than the outside.

Bench Knees: When the cannons (when looking from the front) fail to come out of the center of the knees; often causes large splints to develop.

Blemish: An abnormality that does not affect the serviceability of the horse, including such things as rope burns, wire cuts, etc. A blemish is not a conformational fault.

Blindness: A partial or complete loss of vision in the eye(s), which may be characterized by opaqueness of the lens.

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Bog Spavin: A soft, fluid-filled swelling on the upper inside of the hock.

Bone Spavin: A bony swelling on the lower inside of the hock at the point where the hock meets the cannon. It is an inheritable weakness and one of the most destructive conditions affecting the horse’s usefulness.

Box Foot: A hoof with a too-high heel.

Bowed Tendons: Overstretched superficial and/or deep flexor ten-dons (located behind the cannon bones). The front legs are most commonly affected.

Bow Legged: Wide at the knees and close at the front. It is when the horse stands pigeon-toed on its hind feet with the points of its hocks turned outward.

Broken Crest: A heavy neck that falls off to one side; also called a fallen crest.

Brushing: A general term for striking of the feet against each other or parts of the leg. Usually this is not severe enough to break the skin but rather brush the hairs of the other leg.

Buck Knees: Over at the knees. Not as severe of a condition as calf-kneed.

Bursa: Small fluid-filled sac that lubricates a moving part of the body to minimize friction.

Cadence: Rhythm and tempo of a horse’s hoofbeats.

Calf-Kneed: Knees are too far back. Knees appear to break back-ward. This is the opposite of buck-kneed or knee sprung.

Camped: A horse that has legs extended too far in any direction. A horse is said to be “camped in front” stands with its front legs too far forward. A horse said to be “camped out behind” stands with its hind feet too far behind himself. A horse is “camped under” if the legs are too far underneath its body.

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Canter: Three beat gait.

Capped Elbow: A swelling at the point of elbow due to trauma.

Capped Hock: A soft, fluid-filled swelling on the point of the hock due to trauma, which eventually hardens.

Carriage: How the horse carries itself; particularly its head, neck and tail.

Clean Legs: No blemishes or unsoundness on the legs, especially from the knee or hock down.

Coarse: Lacking in quality or refinement; plain; thick; etc.

Collected: Traveling in a well-balanced manner, with hocks under-neath itself and carrying less weight on its front end. Up in the bit with the poll flexed, jaw relaxed, and hocks well under the body.

Condition: The state of health as evidenced by the coat, amount of flesh, muscle tone and general appearance.

Conformation: Body shape or form of a horse. It is how a horse’s body is put together and determines how a horse moves and how well or poorly is body can withstand the effects of those move-ments.

Contracted Feet: A condition most often occurring in the forefeet characterized by a drawing-in or contracting of the heels.

Corn: A bruise of the soft tissue underlying the horny sole of the foot that is seen as reddish discoloration of the sole immediately below the affected area.

Coupling: The area between the point of hip and the last rib.

Cow Hocked: Hock joints pointing inward, toes pointing out. The legs are base narrow from stifle to hock, and base wide from hock to feet. Legs are prone to bone spavin.

Crest: Top part of the neck.

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Cross-firing: The horse canters on one lead in the front and the oth-er lead in the back.

Curb: An inflammation below the point of the hock due to trau-ma.

Deviation: An alteration of the normal state.

Dished Face: A face profile that features concavity below the eyes; it is seen most often in Arabian horses.

Downhill Balance: The backbone slants down form the hip joint to the base of the neck, making the horse heavy on his front end.

Ewe Necked: A neck with a dip between the poll and the withers. The profile of the horse’s neck is concave rather than convex.

Fault: A conformation flaw that might hinder the athletic ability or predispose a horse to injury and unsoundness.

Fistula: An inflamed condition with a draining abscess, typically in the region of the withers, commonly thought to be caused by bruising.

Flat Footed: The soles of the feet are flat or dropped instead of con-cave.

Forging: A defect in the way of going, characterized by the strik-ing of the supporting forefoot by the striding hindfoot on the same side.

Founder: A serious and painful ailment of the hoof. It can be caused by over-eating, overwork, giving hot animals too much cold water or inflammation of the uterus during foaling.

Gait: Sequence of foot movements.

Girth: The area of the body behind the elbow; the circumference of the body measured around the barrel at this area.

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Good Bone: Good amount of support under the horse; proper den-sity and circumference of the cannon bone; not too heavy and not too refined.

Heaves: The horse has difficulty forcing air out of the lungs. It is characterized by a jerking of the flanks during exhaling. The horse displays wheezing and lacks stamina.

Hernia: The protrusion of any internal organ through the wall of its containing cavity, but it usually means the passage of a portion of the intestine through an opening in the abdominal muscle.

Hock: The large joint in the hind leg of a horse that allows it to bend forward.

Interfering: A defect in the way of travel characterized by the strik-ing of the foreleg or cannon of the supporting leg by the opposite food that is in motion.

Junior Horse: A horse under 5 years of age.

Knife Neck: Unusually thin neck with very little crest. This is some-times due to poor conformation or emaciation and lack of muscle.

Knock Knees: When a horse stands in at the knees or is too close at the knees. Kock-kneed conditions are caused by the bones of the upper and lower leg not entering and leaving the knees squarely.

Lameness: Abnormality of gait caused by the horse favoring a sore foot or leg.

Lordosis: Having a swayback.

Moon Blindness: A cloudy or inflamed condition of the eye that disappears and returns in cycles.

Navicular Disease: Inflammation of the navicular bone area due to faulty conformation caused by excessive concussion to the foot.

Osselet: Abnormal bony growth at the fetlock.

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Over At The Knees: When viewed from the side, the knees flex forward and are not aligned directly under the forearm. The legs are bent forward when the horse stands squarely; also called buck knees sprung knees, and goat knees.

Overstepping: The high foot lands a good distance in front of the track left by the front foot.

Parrot Mouth: A hereditary imperfection in how the teeth come to-gether. The lower jaw is shorter than the upper jaw producing an overbite.

Pigeon-Toed: When a horse appears to be standing with the aim of the hoof turned toward the center of the body. Such a horse com-monly exhibits paddling as a result of this condition.

Pig Eyed: Small, narrow, squinty eyes; the eyeball is set farther back in the head than normal.

Poll: Bony protrusion on the top of the skull of the horse. It is lo-cated between the ears and is the topmost part of the head.

Post-Legged: When viewed from the side, there is little angulation to the hock joint. The high leg appears very straight and the hock is set straight under the stifle. This conformation fault results in a short, rough stride.

Quarter Crack: A vertical split in the wall of the of the hoof that extends from the bearing surface of the hoof upward for some dis-tance or extends from the coronary band downward.

Quittor: An active, seeping sore at the coronet of the hoof, usually over the area of lateral cartilage. Normally confined to the forefeet, this condition can cause a long lasting lameness.

Ribbed Up: The rear ribs are well arched and slant backward. A horse that is close coupled like this is “well ribbed up”, the ribs ex-tend well back and the horse is deep through the flank.

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Ring Bone: Bony enlargement near the coronary band that may in-volve the pastern joint or coffin joint; usually associated with stress and faulty conformation.

Roaring: A whistling or wheezing when respiration is speeded up with exercise. This condition involves a faulty throat cartilage and can generally be corrected surgically.

Scalping: Another form of over-reaching in which there is contact between the coronary band and the hind foot and the toe of the forefoot.

Sclera: The white of the eye.

Scratches: A dermatological inflammation of the posterior surfaces of the fetlocks and pasterns.

Shelly Feet: Feet with thin, brittle walls that break easily.

Shoe Boil: A soft fleshy swelling caused by an irritation at the point of the elbow (also called capped elbow). Usually caused by injury from the heel caulk of the shoe and injury from contact with a hard surface.

Sickle-Hock: A condition when a horse’s hind feet are set too far forward in relation to his hocks. Horses which have this definite angle in the set of their hocks have an advantage in collection but if the angle is too acute, the horse can become unsound.

Side Bones: Ossified lateral cartilage seen to protrude immediately above and toward the rear quarter of the hoof head. Lameness may or may not be present but it is the most common potential unsound-ness in the feet of horses.

Sound: Healthy and free of any abnormal structure or injury that would affect a horse’s ability to perform.

Splay Foot: A term applied when a horse stands with the toes of his front legs turned outward. The striding foot of a splayfooted horse will swing inward toward the supporting leg. Interference is almost inevitable.

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Splints: Abnormal bony growths which can occur on the inside and/or outside of the cannon bone. Splints may enlarge or be high enough to interfere with normal knee or hoof movement.

Stifled: A horse that is said to be stifled when the patella of the stifle joint has been displaced. Occasionally this can be manually fixed but more often the horse must undergo surgical corrections.

Stringhalt: A nerve disorder causing excessive flexion of the rear legs during movement.

Sweeney: A depression in the muscle mass of the shoulder caused by an injury to a nerve resulting in a lack of control of muscle tone. Atrophy or muscle degeneration results.

Thoroughpin: A puffy condition in the hollow of the hock. The puff can be seen mostly on the outside, but is moveable when palpated. Thoroughpin rarely causes lameness.

Toed In or Toed Out: Toed in is pigeon-toed with possible base nar-row conformation. Toed out is splay footed with possible base wide conformation.

Thrush: A disease of the frog of the hoof, characterized by a black, thick, foul-smelling discharge. It is caused by unsanitary condi-tions.

Type: Classification of different kinds of horses. Horses having characteristics that contribute to usefulness for a specific purpose, such as stock-horse type, racing type, harness type.

Underline: The lower shape and length of the horse; the line from elbow to sheath or udder.

Undershot/Overshot Jaw: A hereditary imperfection in the way the upper and lower jaws meet. An undershot horse has a lower jaw longer than the upper jaw.

Unsoundness: Anything that makes a horse lame or unsafe to ride, impairs the stamina needed for an ordinary day’s work or other-wise makes him unable to perform normally.

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Uphill Balance: The backbone slants up from the hip joint to the base of the neck. More weight is carried on the horse’s hindquarters than is normal.

Way of Going: How a horse travels and moves his feet.

Well-Sprung Ribs: Ribs that curve out from the backbone, project-ing back and down, forming a wide rib cage.

Winding: A twisting of the striding leg around and in front of the supporting leg so as to resemble a tight-rope walker.

Windpuff: A puffy enlargement of the pastern joint, also referred to as “windgall”. The enlargement is a fluid distension of the bursa (joint sac or capsule).

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SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Horse Judging Manual, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Craig H. Wood and Stephen C. Jackson.

Washington 4-H Horse Judging Manual, Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service, Jerry Newman, 2003.

Kansas Youth Horse Judging Manual, Kansas Cooperative Extension Service, Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Mark J. Arns.

Horse Conformation Analysis, Washington State University Cooperative Extension Service, 2001.

Oklahoma State 4-H Horse Judging Guide, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Dr. David Freeman, 2002.

The Horse Conformation Handbook, Heather Smith Thomas, Storey Publishing, 2005.

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Notes

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Notes

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