Ysh conformation and soundness2010 nov 2012

YORKSHIRE SPORT HORSE
[SHB OF GB]

CONFORMATION AND
PERFORMANCE

JANE NIXON MA, VET MB, BSc, MRCVS.

www.nixonequinevetconsultancy.com

www.nixonequinevets.com

The Horse
Some pertinent evolutionary facts
It is a
 Herd animal
 Galloping animal
 Chased ‘prey’ species. Fright Flight (not fight!)
 Defender rather than an aggressor
 Single limb bone column: on Tip Toe
 Pedal bone in horn capsule, the hoof

 Grazer so requiring
 large head
 long neck
 capacious digestive system
 Four legged, one at each corner, with
 no collar bone
 powerful hindquarters


As a prey animal the wild horse had to be
 Readily aware
 Quick off the mark
 Agile, fast and balanced in asymmetric gaits
 Quick to return to grazing composure

As a domesticated horse the
 Fright and Flight had to be trained (converted) into
 Alertness
 Responsiveness to aids, (biddable)
 Capable in all gaits (increasing speed and agility)
 Not stressed under saddle
 Fit to do and to recover


80% of propulsion comes from the hindquarters
 Hamstring and pelvic muscle power
 Top line muscle power to lift forequarter
“come up in front”
 Good shoulder / pastern line
 Saddle room for shoulder blade sweep
Always view from both sides

Growth to maturity is judged by final height at
withers
 Brisket, ribs, vertebrae & dorsal processes
later
 Limb bones to elbow close around 2 years

 This age of this varies with breed

 Ponies usually earlier than warm bloods


The Horse’s outline - Points are those of the skeleton

 The surface areas – the jargonese description or name of the various parts
 The “points”
 The landmarks at protruding parts of bones usually at a joint
 Visible and palpable
 Obesity does not hide the points


The skeletal top line and the bird’s eye views show
areas of bone available for optimal muscle
attachment. i.e.

 Flat of ribs
 Side of dorsal processes
 Lateral processes of lumbars
 Flat of upper hind limb bones
 Ham string and thigh muscles “size”


Fore Quarters Hind Quarters

No collar bone Bony
Attachments


Scapular range

Shows the different positions assumed by the blade bone during the flexion
and extensions of the limb


AT MATURITY

Balanced fore quarter Balanced Hindquarter


A balanced horse at grass

Able to graze without compromise of forelegs

Conformation > Soundness, ability, durability

 Based on underlying, genetically determined skeletal
framework (eg Skeletal “top line”)

 Unalterable after maturity

 Can only be ‘managed’ by breeding


Conformation is (constant and) fixed
 However there are 3 variables which can be managed

I. CONDITION

II. HOOF BALANCE

III. DENTAL ARCADE BALANCE

 All 3 of which can give a false impression of altered conformation
and action


 Conformation must not be confused or
interchanged

with condition


Condition
 in the “furnished” animal
reflects

 muscle development between
bones – fittening

 fat deposition throughout
- nutrition at varying levels

It is weighable and contour measurable
- profile/scoring

It is manageably variable and gives the
effective top line


A “Furnished” Horse

It should “fill the eye”

VETERINARY TIMES JANUARY 25TH 2010

“ANIMAL LOVERS UNABLE TO RECOGNISE PORTLY EQUINES”

WORLD HORSE WELFARE CHARITY POLL

i) 50% could not recognise pictures of overweight horses and many did not
view condition as a welfare threat

ii) Thin horses often the correct weight, but looked thin compared to
overweight field companions

JUDGES: Go National Hunt racing to see fit horses


FAT DISTRIBUTION
UNFIT HORSE FAT FILLS IN BETWEEN MUSCLE GROUPS

↓

SMOOTH ROUNDER APPEARANCE

↓

FIT HORSE FAT IS REDUCED

↓

DEVELOPED MUSCLES STAND OUT


 HORSE WITH GOOD CONFORMATION WILL/SHOULD

 BE EXHIBITED IN CONDITION SUITABLE FOR JOB IN HAND

 THOSE HORSES WITH WEAK CONFORMATION ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE EXHIBITED TOO FAT IN ORDER TO HIDE
FAULTS

 I.E FAT HORSE IS INDICATION OF CONFORMATION PROBLEM


THE FEET
The hoof wall is modified skin (epidermis) thus
 It is constantly growing down from
the coronary band

 Coincidentally worn down or
trimmed

 The whole hoof as judged at
weight bearing should be
balanced front to back, side to
side, to give level foot fall

 Should be trimmed to
conformation of the individual limb

 It is subject to distortion by torque
from action due to poor
conformation and/or foot balance


MEDIO- LATERAL INBALANCE


LEFT FORE FROM BEHIND

OUTSIDE

OUTSIDE

INSIDE

INSIDE


How to assess foot balance, left
and right handed farriers

Well balanced foot Unbalanced foot


Conformation of Dental Arcade
THREE-POINT BALANCE PLUS Three-point balance refers to the correct
EXCURSION function of:-
1. The incisors
2. The molars
3. The mandibular (jaw) joint

Three-point balance allows normal jaw
movements to take place and is
achieved by:-
 The removal of hooks
 The removal of sharp points which
develop on the outside of the upper
and the inside of the lower premolars
and molars
 Adjusting the line of the incisors


Conformation of Dental Arcade

 A purebred horse shows better conformation of the lower molar dental
arcade fitting with the upper dental arcade than a crossbred horse.

 Crossbred horses are more likely to have aberrant dental arcades with
regard to the width, length and contours of the top and bottom jaws.

 The angle of the head on the neck also makes a difference as to the fitting
of the lower jaw to the upper jaw.

 The factors alter the acceptance of the bit & the consequential muscle
development & action of the horse


CONFORMATIONAL
FAULTS

 Does no
t fill the eye
1st appeara on
nce
Unbalan
ced


NECK
 Hollow in front of
withers
 dorsal spinal ligament
– weak build up
ventral muscles

 Crest fat → laminitis


THE BACK

 WITHERS HIGHER THAN CROUP

 → Horse built upwardly

 → Easier to transfer weight to hindquarters

 → Trotters → Highest Speeds Achieved with Wide
Short Thorax


BACK CONFORMATION AND PERFORMANCE

ADVANTAGE FOR CONFORMATION

Jumping Ability HEIGHT AT WITHERS

(Holmstrong 2001 Sweden) LENGTH PELVIS

NECK LENGTH

Dressage Ability Longer Backs than Jumpers
as greater required suppleness


CONFORMATIONAL FAULTS

 Shallow girth → poor lung capacity
 Short back → kissing spines
→ lumbar spine pain
 Slack loins → SI disease

BACK
 Jumper’s bump → SI disease
 Long back → More flexible but
Weak → S I disease
 Roach back
 Sway back → caudal 1/3 foot
pain


LONG BACK – More Flexible →SI Disease


ROACH BACK - Unsightly but not usually a
problem


SWAY BACK
Cause of 1/3rd of Foot Pain


SHORT BACK – Kissing Spines


“SLACK LOINS” → SI disease


SHALLOW GIRTH
POOR LUNG CAPACITY


Slab Sided
Narrow Pelvis
Ribcage

Good horizontal surface for
saddle panels Weak


THE FORELEGS

 MAINTENANCE OF RHYTHM IN ALL PACES IS
FUNDAMENTAL

 LONGER LEGS →

i GREATER VARIETY IN STRIDE LENGTH

ii EXTEND MORE EASILY WITHOUT RAISING
FREQUENCY OF STRIDE


THE FEET 1
 SLIGHTLY ODD FRONT FEET

 ESPECIALLY HEEL DEPTH

 NO HEEL SUPPORT

 WEAK HOOF CAPSULES

 SIGN OF LAMINITIS

 UNEVEN HEEL DEPTH → Uneven scapular height → Asymmetrical
Shoulders re: saddle fit


THE FEET 2
 NAVICULAR SYNDROME

 LATEST RESEARCH DR S DYSON 2011

 FIN AND FRESIAN HORSES LOW FLAT AND
CONVEX

 DUTCH WARMBLOODS HIGH CONCAVE AND

UNDULATING

 * More Research required into sensory nerve supply of the Navicular Bone.
The syndrome does not seem to be related to foot shape!


SHOULDERS

Breed susceptibility to

 overloading → laminitis
→ poor saddle fit

Asymmetrical scapular cartilage →
difficult to fit saddle


The Competition Horse conformational faults

 ALL rotational and angular limb
deformities out 8/10 rule

 Overdeveloped muscles
indicate → lameness behind


NORMAL


BACK AT THE KNEE


BACK AT THE KNEE
Back at the Normal
Knee


FAULTS PREDISPOSING TO SPLINTS

Offset Knees Bow Legs Knocked Knees


THE HINDQUARTERS

 The flatter the pelvis
 → More muscle
 → Greater strength and flexibility

 STRAIGHT HIND LEGS → Unable to come under the
horse

 ACUTE HOCK ANGLE → Less able to carry weight

 TARSAL VALGUS → Risk of Pelvic fractures


The Competition Horse conformational faults

Quarters width should be parallel with thighs

HINDLEG

NORMAL
HOCK


HINDLEG CONFORMATION FAULTS

PREDISPOSED TO HIGH
SUSPENSION DISMITIS

AS SEEN IN ANDULASIAN
Straight
Hocks
AND PASAFINOS


HOCK CONFORMATION

Cow Hocks Sickle Hocks
Pre-dispose to Pre-dispose to
Pelvic Fractures Curbs


CURB
ANATOMY APPEARANCE


DEFINITION OF A CURB

 COMPLEX OF SOFT TISSUE INJURIES ON BACK OF THE HOCK
JOINTS

 CONFORMATIONAL BONY ABNORMALITIES AND/OR INJURIES
MAY MIMIC AND CONTRIBUTE EVENTUALLY TO CURB
FORMATION

 CAUSING UNDER PERFORMANCE AND LAMENESS


PASTERNS

 SLOPING

→ OVEREXTENDED FETLOCK

 → STRAIN UP THE WHOLE OF THE BACK OF THE LEG TO
THE PELVIS AND BACK

 UPRIGHT

→ JARRING OF JOINTS ESPECIALLY FETLOCK →
ARTICULAR AND TENDINOUS WINDGALLS


HIND FEET BALANCE
 MORE IMPORTANT THAN FORELEGS BECAUSE HIND LIMBS
ATTACHED TO AXIAL SKELETON AT SI JOINT

 LONG TOE/LOW HEEL → SLOWS BREAKOVER → PELVIC PAIN

 MEDIO LATERAL INBALANCE

 → HIND LIMB TORQUE

 → PELVIC ASYMETRY

 → BACK PAIN


DISCIPLINE INDUCED ORTHAPAEDIC
RISK (AHT 2006)
 S.J. ↑ INJURY SOFT BELOW FETLOCK) REPEATED STRAIN ON
 SOFT FORELEGS ) LANDING OVER HIGH
 FENCES

 DRESSAGE ↑ HINDLEG HIGH SUSPENSORY ) EXTRAVAGANT
 DESMITIS ) MOVEMENT AND
 ) COLLECTION

 GOOD CONFORMATION WILL DECREASE THE RISK


Examples of conformation faults
causing multifactorial problems in
the Competition Horse


 HEAD CONFORMATION → JAW JOINT PAIN
 → One sidedness
 → Head Tilt
 → Uneven back muscle development
 → Poor saddle fit
 → Hind leg lameness


 Heel of one front foot deeper than the other
 High heeled foot → ↓ Shoulder blade → Poor Saddle fit
↓ ↓
 → Suspensory ligament pain → Uneven loading of back
↓
Hind leg lameness


 Straight hind leg conformation →

 Upward fixating patellla →
 Gaskin MM → Asymmetrical pelvis
 → S I Pain
 → ↓ Impulsion
 → Forehand M M
 →Foreleg lameness


Equine Development and

Welfare

is dependent upon

EDUCATION &TRAINING


‘TO MEASURE IS TO
KNOW’
 What is NOT new ;

 BALANCE

 1 routine monitoring for early identification of
problems.


BALANCE

2 monitor rider position

Forehand = fluidity //hindquaters
=stability


What IS new ;

/pacing
anytime

Fairfax girth


THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE?

www.nixonequinevetconsultancy.com

 please phone 07713342416 anytime


Ysh conformation and soundness2010 nov 2012

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