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    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness
    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness
    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness
    Ebook97 pages52 minutes

    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness

    By Susan E. Harris

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    About this ebook

    Knowing about horse conformation, movement and soundness is important to any horse owner, whether you are selecting a horse, judging horses, or evaluating a horse's strengths, weaknessess, and ultimate potential.

    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness clearly explains and illustrates good, functional conformation and movement, faulty movement, conformation defects, blemishes and unsoundnesses, their causes, and how they affect the horse. This guide will be helpful to Pony Club and 4-H members, instructors, horse owners, and anyone interested in learning about evalulating horses' conformation, soundness and way of moving.
    The Howell Equestrian Library
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTurner Publishing Company
    Release dateAug 27, 2007
    ISBN9780470253236
    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness
    Author

    Susan E. Harris

    Susan E. Harris is an international clinician, riding teacher, equestrian author, and artist from Cortland, New York. She has taught all seats and styles of riding, and has trained, shown, and prepared horses and riders for competition in many equestrian disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, dressage, equitation, eventing, western pleasure and performance, saddle seat, and the pleasure and versatility breeds. Susan directed 5-H Acres School of Horsemanship, a nationally accredited riding instructor school, for 10 years, taught college equine studies and physical education equitation courses, and has been active in training and establishing certification standards for American riding instructors since the 1970s. In 2004 she was honored as a Master Instructor by the American Riding Instructor Association. A Senior Centered Riding Instructor and Clinician, Susan apprenticed with Sally Swift, the founder of Centered Riding®. She teaches clinics in Centered Riding and in Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement for instructors, trainers, judges, and riders of all levels and riding interests. Susan's demonstrations, "Anatomy in Motion™: The Visible Horse", in which she paints the bones and muscles on a live horse, and "Anatomy in Motion: The Visible Rider™" have been popular attractions at equine expos and clinics across North America and around the world, including EquineAffaire, Equitana Australia, the American Quarter Horse Congress, the George Morris Horsemastership Clinic at Wellington, FL, and others. Susan Harris is the author and illustrator of popular horse books, including Horsemanship in Pictures, Horse Gaits, Balance, and Movement, Grooming to Win, the three U.S. Pony Club Manuals of Horsemanship, and the USPC Guides to Longeing, Bandaging, and Conformation. She writes a regular column in EQUUS Magazine, Commonsense Horsemanship with Susan Harris. With Peggy Brown, she produced two DVDs: Anatomy in Motion™ I: The Visible Horse, and Anatomy in Motion II: The Visible Rider™. Susan designed the art for the Breyer Anatomy in Motion model horse, and has illustrated many popular horse books. Susan's study of equine and human anatomy and movement as an artist as well as an instructor, rider and trainer, has given her a unique perspective on how horses and riders balance and move together. Centered Riding techniques can help riders discover how to use their bodies better for improved balance and harmony between horse and rider. Susan's knowledge of horse gaits and movement and wide experience in various breeds and disciplines enable her to help all kinds of riders and horses improve their balance, comfort, movement and performance. Her friendly and positive teaching style and visual approach help to make learning clear, understandable, and enjoyable for English and Western riders of all ages and levels, from 4-H, Pony Club and pleasure riders to instructors, trainers, and competitors. When not traveling, teaching or writing, Susan enjoys dressage, jumping, and trail riding.

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    • 5/5
      very well written/helpful illustrations. Definitions are clear and followed with easy to understand examples plus dives into where and when things are more likely caused or seen etc... Must read for more knowledge and a better understanding on how to care for our beautiful horse partners.

    Book preview

    The USPC Guide to Conformation, Movement and Soundness - Susan E. Harris

    INTRODUCTION

    This book presents the basics of conformation, movement, and soundness, along with basic anatomy of the skeleton, foot, and lower leg. Conformation, soundness, and movement are important factors when selecting and evaluating horses and determining what type of work a horse is best suited to do. These are fundamental to a horse’s ability to move efficiently, to do his job well, and to remain strong, sound, and able. Good conformation is always attractive, but desirable form must be based on function, not just on style or prettiness.

    There are many different breeds and types of horses, bred to possess characteristics that make them suitable for certain purposes or disciplines. However, within a breed there may be several distinct types, and each individual horse is unique. The fact that a horse is of a particular breed (for instance, a warmblood or a Quarter Horse) does not necessarily mean that he will be good or not so good for a particular purpose or type of riding. Don’t be breed blind, either by a breed you admire or one you don’t especially care for. Instead, judge each horse as an individual.

    Regardless of breed, there are certain aspects of conformation, movement, and soundness that are important in order for a horse to remain sound. Knowing about functional conformation helps you focus on the most important points first: those which make a horse strong, efficient, and athletic (such as the shape and set of the legs), as opposed to merely stylish or pretty (such as the shape of the ears or the manner in which the tail is carried).

    In order to understand conformation, it helps to know something about equine anatomy and the major structures of the horse’s legs and feet. This also helps you identify and locate various unsoundnesses and understand what goes wrong when these are present.

    In order to evaluate a horse, you need to understand the basic gaits and how horses move. This book will also help you recognize movement faults, especially those that can lead to lameness or unsoundness.

    No horse is perfect; most horses have some conformation faults or blemishes, and some have serious flaws that compromise their soundness and performance. You must be able to spot defects and determine whether they are minor or major problems, and understand how they affect the horse’s ability to do his job. Although perfect conformation and clean, blemish-free legs are always desirable, some blemishes or old, healed conditions may be of minor importance. Others may indicate a serious weakness which could cause a breakdown under hard work or a chronic condition which may get worse over time.

    This book will help you acquire a basic knowledge of conformation, movement, and soundness, but it is only a start. You will need to develop your eye for a horse by observing and evaluating as many different horses as possible. For further study of horse anatomy, movement, and conformation, you may wish to read Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement by Susan E. Harris (Howell Book House, 1993).

    THE USPC GUIDE TO

    CONFORMATION,

    MOVEMENT

    AND

    SOUNDNESS

    CHAPTER 1

    BASIC HORSE ANATOMY

    To understand how your horse is built, how he moves, and what can go wrong with him, it helps to know some horse anatomy. Horses have basically the same bones and muscles as people do, although some of the bones and muscles of the horse have adapted into different shapes for different purposes. It is easier to understand horse anatomy if you compare each part of the horse with the same part of your own body. (It helps to remember that if you were a horse, you would be walking on all fours, on your middle toes and fingers.)

    BONES AND JOINTS

    Bones are the framework of the body. They support the horse, protect his organs, and act as levers to move him. Bones are held together by ligaments, which are strong, slightly elastic fibers.

    A joint is a place where bones meet. Flexion (or bending) can only take place at a joint. Joints also absorb some shock.

    The ligaments around a joint form a closed joint capsule. Inside the joint capsule is a slippery oil called synovial fluid, which lubricates the joint. The ends of the bone are covered with cartilage, which is smooth and softer than bone. Cartilage helps to cushion the joint, absorb some shock, and let the bones move freely.

    MUSCLES AND TENDONS

    Muscles move the body. They are attached to the bones by tendons, which are like strong cables or straps. Muscles are made up of fibers which can contract (or

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