sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
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Post by sarahp on Apr 3, 2012 19:04:30 GMT
As far as defining ideal conformation goes, it's mostly a question of mechanics, bone angles etc, so should be pretty standard for all animals.
But on top of that breed features, judges' individual scales of what faults are more important than others, remembering that no animal is completely perfect, weight preferences and the details of lumps, bumps and scars and why caused make it an inexact science.
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Post by berretino on Apr 3, 2012 19:46:39 GMT
mnnnn I would agree that conformation is vital and will always inform performance, however have a look at the 1973 Grand National. (on youtube) You can see Red Rum coming a mile off because he is flinging his legs all over the place. Interesting.
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Post by bomerang on Apr 15, 2012 16:23:28 GMT
jimbo...... what lovely wise words!
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Post by sometime on May 26, 2012 22:35:13 GMT
My pet hates too Jimbo my three year old looks like a three year old not a bullock so she was placed down the line she has lovely fit in a box conformation and moves superbly and straight but she is small and so called immature. Another case of being bred for a job I certainly wouldnt like to try and lift a stag onto a 14.2 tank of a pony so a small strong square flat backed pony would be my choice for that too
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Post by kmc on Oct 1, 2012 16:11:51 GMT
Why wouldn't you expect to be dropped when the judge noticed your horse dishes? They have to judge conformation and dishing is a conformation fault :/ Good comment Crazy Chic- but i'm sure alot of ponies that dish will be in the hoys classes this year- merely because they had a 'face' on them, so wrong, judges should be putting ponies down for this- if ponies win that dont move straight- how is that right for them to get a good confirmation mark? It isn't! Why would anyone wish to breed from any stallion/mare that doesnt more straight, it is incorrect and can be passed onto off spring, i think this is worse that a pony with a splint for example- least u can breed from that! These ponies should be rightly put down for it Dishing is my pet hate and it looks shocking when they do it badly - mainly referring to welshes with my point- not the persons horse inparticular who started the thread! x |
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Post by kmc on Oct 1, 2012 16:15:30 GMT
I happen to think conformation is the be all and end all. Otherwise issues in their later years very often arise. Even dishing comes from a fault somewhere in the conformation, so for future soundness any faults should be taken into consideration. It is very important to me for them to have a good, straight movement. Agree! |
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Post by cyffryn on Oct 2, 2012 9:11:24 GMT
I happen to think conformation is the be all and end all. Otherwise issues in their later years very often arise. Even dishing comes from a fault somewhere in the conformation, so for future soundness any faults should be taken into consideration. It is very important to me for them to have a good, straight movement. Agree! I totally agree - conformation is everything. If you look at old pictures of M&m breeds,hunters, heavy horses etc that won at big shows they may not be pretty to our eye with big heads, white where there shouldn't be white etc but the thing they all had was good conformation with good hind legs, shoulders, bone,etc - the things they would look for in breeding any horse or pony so they would produce good sound stock. These old horsemen knew a thing or two. Regarding scars and knocks and bumps - I would put these well below conformation issues on a mature working animal - and would only consider them if a prize was closely contested or maybe a championship. In a young animal I would be a bit more suspicious depending on what it was. |
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Post by kmc on Oct 2, 2012 15:05:34 GMT
100 percent agree with above comment x
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Post by jeanslater on Oct 2, 2012 15:59:16 GMT
Blemishes in my mind are only acceptable in brood mares and a brood mare is only as good as the foal she has at foot. Head down, watching for incoming.  |
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Post by nia2311 on Oct 2, 2012 16:17:28 GMT
Out of interest, would you stop showing an animal with perfect conformation (near as dammit) if it cut itself out in the field and finished up with a little blemish on its otherwise-perfect leg?? I think that's daft personally. If the conformation was good at the start, certain blemishes due to normal life, wear and tear are acceptable and should not be taken into account
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Post by kmc on Oct 2, 2012 17:52:30 GMT
I'd much prefer a horse with a blemish from wear and tear than having something that doesnt move properly (straight) x
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Post by gillwales on Oct 4, 2012 6:57:27 GMT
In answer to the OP, conformation is in fact extremely important, not just in showing. If you were going to purchase a horse for hacking then if money was no limit you would purchase the best you could find. A horse with good conformation is going to give a more comfortable ride and has far as dishing is concerned apart from putting unlevel stress on limbs it is also more likely to trip than one that moves correctly. What is the point of showing classes if those with conformation faults are not marked down? You know your horse has a fault, so do not be surprized when others notice it too.
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Post by jeanslater on Oct 4, 2012 14:30:27 GMT
Out of interest, would you stop showing an animal with perfect conformation (near as dammit) if it cut itself out in the field and finished up with a little blemish on its otherwise-perfect leg?? I think that's daft personally. If the conformation was good at the start, certain blemishes due to normal life, wear and tear are acceptable and should not be taken into account A minor scar is a minor scar and in my opinion doesnt even come into reckoning unless there is a lot of proud scar tissue, even then in brood mare classes unless it affected movement it shouldnt matter too much. |
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Post by jump4joy on Oct 6, 2012 20:58:53 GMT
mnnnn I would agree that conformation is vital and will always inform performance, however have a look at the 1973 Grand National. (on youtube) You can see Red Rum coming a mile off because he is flinging his legs all over the place. Interesting. I think i'd be flinging my legs all over the place if i'd just run over 4 half miles and jumped the Liverpool fences. Rummy was flat bred, raced from a 2 year old, had degenerative pedal bone' itis, raced till he was 13, won/placed 5 times in the hardest steeplechase and lived to a grand old age..agreed conf: is paramount but for a performance animal it means nothing if they haven't got ability but fantastic if they have good conf: and the ability to match! |
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Post by rhosyn on Oct 10, 2012 13:42:07 GMT
Acquired small scars and blemishes aren't part of the horse's existing genetic make-up but I also think that showing is all about having as near to 'perfect' an animal as possible. To me, if it dishes for example it is going to be further away from ideal than a lot of animals in the same lineup which don't.
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