Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky

When selecting horses, it is important to develop a systematic approach to evaluating conformation. Once established, this approach allows the evaluator to quickly and consistently evaluate horses. One suggested system includes four basic steps:

Step One: Initially track the horse for soundness and structural deviations in way of going.

Step Two: View the horse from the profile, starting at the head and moving down the neck, shoulder and front column of bone to the topline, hindquarters, and rear column of bone. The profile inspection should be done at a distance in order to view the entire horse.

Step Three: View the horse from the front. When evaluating a horse from the front, width of chest, muscling, and structure of the front legs and hooves combined with close observation of the head and neck are necessary.

Step Four: View the horse from the rear. From the rear, muscling of the entire hindquarter should be observed as well as the structure of the rear legs.

After completing all four steps, take several steps back and evaluate the horse one more time from the side view for balance, structural correctness, and muscling. Any evaluation system that allows for consistent, repetitious evaluation will work.