"The Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts"

"The Whole Is Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts"

FORM TO FUNCTION

 EQUUS CABALLUS

- is not just a pile of its parts

- is other than the sum of its parts

- is something besides the sum of its parts

- is very different from the sum of its parts

- is more than just a pretty face

A horse should be balanced and put together right. This makes the horse look good, function better within its athletic ability, extend its life span, increase its monetary value, and decrease lameness issues.

        Conformation means the way in which a horse is formed, how it is put together, its bone structure (the length of the bones, the angle of the joints and their reliability for a particular task), its musculature, the physical structure of its body, how the body works, its biomechanics, its body proportions in relation to each other. The horse's breed and its intended use also determine the conformation characteristics. Conformation is judged at rest and when moving.

        The horse either has a desirable physical build with sound muscles and joints which work correctly or has a physical structure that may limit its ability to perform a specific task, be difficult to train, predispose it to injury, be uncomfortable to ride, or have an adverse effect upon its temperament.

        To judge a horse's conformation/form to function, we have to determine its strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for purpose. Then we can manage training techniques to maximize the horse's potential and minimize the risks that go with certain faults. This will also help us determine the need for ongoing veterinary/farrier services.

        Some particular breeds have a slightly different standard of conformation. Different conformation is desirable and dependent upon what one intends to use the horse for. The best conformation for plowing a field, a cutting horse, or barrel racing is different. There is no one "good" shoulder, pastern, or pelvic structure.

Consider this: structure cannot be altered, but the way the animal uses itself can be modified through training. Posture, the way the horse carries itself and conformation are different. Conformation is all about the structure. Posture is about soft tissue, muscle tone and development.

With all that being said, their ain't no perfect 'tens'. One may believe otherwise, but there is not a perfectly conformed horse. Horses will have at least one fault and most have more. Horses can be used for 'riding', 'working', or 'competition/performance' if they are not severe. This depends on the particular problem and the horse’s intended use.

Then there is the unknown quality of the disposition/heart/spirit/the will to win of the horse. Nothing is of any good without these. The bloodlines and history have an affect on these. These may be a better indicator of how well the horse will perform for/with us. The horse's 'heart' being greater than the odds.

Studying skeletal anatomy will help us understand how the horse is built. This will help us develop an eye for functional conformation to select/purchase the right horse. It will be important when we consider/determine what job/sport/discipline we expect the horse to do. We can avoid the wrong horse and understand the struggling horse as we can relate to his ability to perform. We will then help our horse to do what he was built for, not what we want to make him do. There lies the difference. All well and good in theory. We will eventually have to have hands-on.

Some sites and articles on conformation/form to function express structural concepts in clear terms and use objective data when available. Others use different terms and descriptions based upon experience or opinion. Available to us is years of observation, the study of successful performance horses, and the application of common principles of physics. We have to know what they are talking about to understand and apply this knowledge.

My level of experience is low at this point in time. I expect to acquire an understanding of how skeletal conformation relates to success in selection, training and breeding of horses. When I am around horses I try to identify/palpate the skeletal points used in the descriptions of conformation. The ability to correctly see a horse’s conformation is a skill that I, as a horseman, will need. I want to make sure I know what to look for and what I am looking at. I need to know what is underneath what I am looking at in order to see its relationship to the form to function of conformation.

See a horse as the sum of all its parts, both good and bad, not just all its faults. Anybody can finds faults in almost any horse. Add up the good and recognize what you won't accept in a horse.

The conformation of a horse is quite a detailed subject. If it is to be of any use to us, it should be studied thoroughly.