Anatomy / Pedigree

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

Conformation is the overall shape and structure of a horse, which is evaluated by looking at the bone structure, muscles and body proportions.

Good conformation starts with the bones - 205 bones make up the equine skeletal anatomy.

The horse skeletal structure is held together with ligaments, tendons and muscles.

The hocks, on the back legs of a horse, are similar to the ankle joint on a human skeleton. The hocks are essential for propelling a horse forward as they are the engine of the animal.

The hind quarters can propel the horse forward 40 miles an hour in six strides.

Horses have a range of vision that covers a combined 330 degrees. Humans have a range of vision of a combined 120 degrees.

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame

Every thoroughbred's ancestry can be traced back to three foundation stallions imported to England in the 18th century: the Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk and the Godolphin Arabian. These stallions are the forefathers of thoroughbred horses.

Education Blogs

Vision of horses

Thoroughbred horses have incredible vision. Their eyes are the largest of any land mammal and the peripheral range is quite wide, warning them of predators. If you add the range of each eye together it covers a field of about 330 degrees. The human eyes can see around 120 degrees. The drawback ...

Winter Weather

Horses deal with cold temperatures much better than they deal with heat. Provided with adequate supplies of fresh water, hay and feed, horses tolerate sub-freezing, zero or minus temperatures remarkably well. The process of digesting long stem roughage (grass or hay) generates a lot of body heat ...

Farrier work

Farriers are the professionals who care for the horse’s hooves. They are an important part of the equine management team. Most farriers are familiar with specific breeds of horses and their needs by studying at a training school, serving an apprenticeship, and then becoming licensed or certif...

Equine Fetal Sex Determination with New Money Honey

======== THE SEX OF THE EQUINE FETUS CAN BE DETERMINED PRIOR TO DELIVERY AND E5 RACING, THE OWNERS OF NEW MONEY HONEY DECIDED TO HAVE THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED ON THEIR MARE. ======================================================= The procedure is done by examining the m...

Conformation

Conformation is the shape or structure of a horse which is evaluated by looking at the bone structure, muscles and body proportions. The sum of these body parts and how they blend together can form a strong athlete. In general, the conformation of a horse is used to determine if the horse has ...