Conformation
of the Back, Hip and Hock
By Todd Martin
This
is the last of a series on conformation, but do not mistake this as
being all that you consider in conformation. If I were to cover everything,
I would have to write a book. I will be the first to admit that I
do not know every single thing there is to know about confirmation.
However, I am confident in what I look for from a performance perspective.
Let’s
begin with conformation of the back. We have all heard that we should
be looking for a short backed horse. It is not necessarily important
to me that the back is short, but it is important that the back and
underline match. When I refer to the back I am talking about the distance
between the withers and the rear flank. The rear flank is where there
belly meets the leg, it is also where the hair swirls or changes direction.
When looking at how long or short the back is you need to compare
with the length of the underline. I do not want to see a horse that
has a short back and a long underline. Why? Because this body condition
makes it very difficult to obtain collection. I will have to work
against his natural body conformation to obtain collection. Likewise
I do not want a horse with a long back and a short underline. It is
a bit easier to obtain collection, but the horse will not be as free
moving in its stride or as pretty of a mover. Although, If I had to
choose on condition over the other, this is the one I prefer.
Ideally, I look for a horse that is balanced in his back in relation
to the rest of his body. I like some depth to its heart girth. This
is the place where your cinch goes around the chest when your horse
is saddled.
As
for the hip and hock, I am looking for a sloping hip and a low hock.
In common terms, I want the hip to be round and the ham muscle to
tie into the leg low. I do not want to see a horse that has a bubble
butt and look like his legs are just sticks coming out of the bottom.
I also like to see the tail head sets down inside the muscle, not
protruding out. This is mainly because it is distracting to the look
of the horse and takes away from the appearance.
When
it comes to the hock, I of course like a horse that is low hocked.
To identify what is low hocked you have to look at the hock in relation
to the rest of the body. An easier way to identify low hocked is to
look at the angle of the leg. I like to see a horse that naturally
stands with its legs underneath its self. Preferably his back feet
are standing just underneath his rear flank. This creates a natural
angle to the leg that allows for easier stopping and creates less
stress on the hock joint when performing more difficult maneuvers.
Which hopefully will cause less chance for injury and more longevity
in the performance pen.
To
wrap this all up in a nut shell. I am looking for a very balanced
horse. You have to keep in mind that this is just one part of looking
for a great horse. You also have to have a good mind and a want to
perform and learn. These things are just as important and once again
that is where the balance comes in. I will forgo a short back for
great athletic ability and a strong desire to learn. Remember, there
is no perfect person and likewise there is no perfect horse. Essentially,
I as a trainer, am looking for the best employee. I want the horse
that likes his job, has a desire to learn, the ability to perform,
and has a good work ethic.
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