Horse Judging
What to look for
Judging horses, like all livestock judging, is an art that must be developed through patient study and long practice. A horse judge must -Know the parts of a horse and there location.
-Know which parts are most important and the most desirable form of each part.
-Visualize the ideal horse, perfect in all respects.
-Make keen observations of horses and compare them to his ideal.
-Weigh the good and bad points of each horse.
-Develope a system of examining horses so he won't overlook important points.
Desirable type in a saddle horse requires a horse of medium size and weight, generally ranging in height from 14 1/2 to 17 hands and weight from 408 to 590 kilograms, depending on the breed. This horse has a long, sloping shoulder, a long croup, a fairly short back, and a short, strong couping. The bottom -line is much longer than the top-line, allowing a long stride .
Both fore and rear quarters show an adequate amount of muscling for the breed. The chest is deep and the ribs well-sprung. Legs are clean, flat-boned, and medium to short in lenght.
Horses that do not fit this general description are called off-type. They may be too small (pony-type) or too large and heavy ( draft-type).
SIDE VEIW
-type, style, balance
-propotional depth of leg and depth of body
-slope and legth of shoulder
-lenght and setting of head, neck and ears
-length and strength of back
- shortness of coupling, length and turn of croup
- width of forearm, arm stifle and gaskin musles
-set of front legs ( correct, calf, or buck-kneed)
-set of rear legs ( correct , sickle-hocked , bow-legged)
-slope of pastern
-Height at withers , length of underline
REAR VEIW (from distance) look for
-general width and proprtional width over hips and through thigh or quarter and stifle
-length and width of inside and outside gaskin musle
-set of hind legs and hocks ( correct, cow-hocked , bow-legged )
FRont veiw look for
-shape and expresion of head; size and setting of ears
-width of chest and muscling of arm, forearm, and v-muscle
-set of front legs ( correct, splay-footed, pigeon-toed, knock-n=kneed, or bow-legged)
-alignment of knee and cannon
CLOSE INSPECTION look for
-close veiw of above points
-height and cleanness of wither
-shortness and muscling of coupling
-soundness of feet and leggs *****
-shape and texture of hoof ,depth of heel
-unsoundness : lameness, blindness, curbs, spavins, splints****
-defects, blemishes
-spring of ribs
-parrot mouth ( ask exibitor to display the horses's teetj)
good luck hop this is some help let us know how you do.
