Ranch Roping

Commonly Used Shots


Lifelong cowboy Dave Stoddart, offers tips on the various rope shots every ranch hand should be able to throw.
Over the Shoulder

You must choose the shot for the situation, and one of my most successful shots is over the shoulder.

The roper eases toward the rodear, so he doesn't disturb the cattle. Say the calf's on the edge of the rodear, on your left facing toward your horse's tail, or even facing you. Using the over-the-shoulder shot, you can ride to the right. When you get into a position of about 45 to 90 degrees to the calf, throw across your horse and over your shoulder.

The calf just stands and looks at you because, in his mind, you're leaving. I've seen guys really reach with that shot, about 30 feet, throw a big loop, pretty high, and it just swallows up the calf. But that's for a pretty unsuspecting calf. To gain distance, some guys put an extra coil or two with their loop.

If the calf's pretty wise, you just ride by, and he thinks you're going someplace else. You can throw an over-the-shoulder shot if your hand is pretty flat. The honda will go down. Your loop releases and your honda spins off the spoke as it carries. You don't get any advantage by turning your hand farther because of the plane of the loop when you swing it. Where you release it determines how it's going to carry - depending on the exact position of the calf. But, and this is essential, you have to follow through across yourself.

Houlihan

The houlihan is a one-swing flip shot at a calf traveling in front of you from left to right. With the calf at about 90 degrees to your horse, throw as the calf passes your horse's ears. A lot of people call it a backhand shot because of the position of your thumb when you swing. It's really a houlihan. You rotate your hand so your thumb is down and the hondo is down. The position of your thumb and the honda stands the loop up in front of the calf. And he's yours.

Backhand

The backhand shot is similar to the houlihan, with minor variations. The backhand can be thrown behind your horse, which is kind of tricky. It's not a high-percentage shot. When you throw the backhand, keep your hand and your thumb up to concentrate the energy in the loop. You can't throw a loop behind with your thumb down; the honda would just take it into the ground. If you keep your thumb and the honda up, you can catch the calf behind your horse.

Culo

The culo, meaning "tail shot," is a masterful throw, generally used when the calf travels straight away. The loop can be manipulated to achieve a number of results. You can throw the culo from a long distance and not have to hurry. When I throw the culo, I focus right on the back of the calf's neck.

In our country, the Buck Miller culo is thrown by swinging a loop flat, a bit behind you and over the top, or you can throw it a little sidearm. When you release, bring your hand over the top and flip your hand straight. That little flip is important because it causes your loop to push out at the bottom and makes it stand up. It'll sail through the air, hit the calf on the back of the neck, flip around the neck and cross in front of its front feet. The calf runs through it and you jerk your slack. Your slack comes out between the calf's hind legs, and you have him by the neck. If you throw it over the top and flat, you'll have quite a Christmas package.

The heel shot can be thrown from any position. If you're on the left or behind the calf, swing it sidearm. Bring your hand over the top when you release, and focus on the back of the calf's neck. The loop should carry and go around the calf as it hits the calf in the back of the neck. The tip of the loop flips in front of the calf's front feet. Then you have to go to work. Flip your loop over - it's a subtle thing, because if you flip it too hard, you'll jerk your slack and it'll bring your loop off the calf. If you flip your loop over correctly, you'll catch him by both hind feet.

Throwing the culo for a heel shot is a little harder on the calf's right side. You must really scoop that loop under the calf's neck and over its back.

If you're heeling calves with the culo, your header needs to know what's going on. If the header alters his speed, it won't happen. The best thing the header can do is just hold the calf straight and let his turns slide to keep the calf's feet on the ground, and maybe get him bouncing a bit. It makes the calf think if he pulls back a little more, he's winning.

If you throw a culo on a calf that's standing still, and it's a well-thrown culo, there's no escape. The loop goes around in front of the front feet and goes over the back of the neck, the honda will be on the left side, and the loop encircles them. No matter which direction the animal goes, something will end up in the loop.

If you have to rope a large animal outside, and your opportunity is limited by brush or terrain, the culo is a perfect alternative.

Hip Shot

This is a good heel shot to throw from either side, but best when you throw it from the right at about 90 degrees to the calf, or facing the calf. If you're too far in front and angled, it's pretty easy for the calf to tip his hip just enough to keep the shot from working.

The plane of your loop should be between the flank and the front feet, a little bit side-armed. Throw your loop into the calf's flank, then flip your hand over the top, which causes the loop to hit the calf's side and fold over the top of the hip. The tip of the loop goes in front of the hind feet. The honda travels a little bit behind it, and actually goes past the hip. Then you don't have to do anything but wait. Even if a calf standing still goes forward, you have him; he goes backward, you have him.

You can throw the hip shot from behind, too, only you throw it a little more like a trap shot, kind of flat over the top. Think about putting the tip of your loop into the flank just like you would with a trap, and still bring it over the top with your hand. The loop hits the flank and splatters out, goes under the calf's belly and the honda carries on over the back.

If the header takes the calf straight away, the heeler can use the hip shot by riding straight away behind the calf. At about where the calf passes your stirrup, throw a backhand shot right in between the hip and flank. The loop folds right around to catch the calf's hind feet. Thumb up or thumb down depends on the position of the calf. It's like the team roper's heel shot from the other side.

The neat thing about this shot is it's an easy one to start a colt on. He gains confidence out there where he's got lots of room, and you don't have to crowd him among the cattle and make him nervous. I just park the colt and carry on from there.

Hock Injection


In addition to shoeing, turnout and training-routine changes, surgical fusion and supplementation can be factors in maintaining hock health and minimizing potential performance problems, as can injections of hyaluronic acid and polysulfated glycosaminoglycans.
Teresa Garofalo, VMD, a rider and horse breeder in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and fellow University of Pennsylvania graduate Jose Garcia-Lopez, VMD, offered their expert advice in the print feature. Here, Garofalo describes the hock-injection procedure.

When your horse is scheduled for hock injections, have a clean, dry area with ample space for the veterinarian to work safely. A sterile environment lessens your horse's risk for infection during and after the procedure, Garofalo advises. Have a skilled horse handler hold your horse to prevent unnecessary moves while the veterinarian works.

Garofalo explains the steps your veterinarian will take during joint injections. "The veterinarian ties up the horse's tail, sedates the horse and scrubs two areas on each hock, one on the inside and one on the outside, where the injections will be made. Scrub chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine is applied for about seven minutes, followed by alcohol to remove the soap residue.

"Once the injection sites are sterilely prepped, the doctor dons sterile gloves and prepares the medications and needles in a sterile manner," she continues. "A twitch is usually applied right before the injections to keep the horse safe, so that he doesn't move when the needle goes into the joint, and also to keep the veterinarian safe should the horse become agitated.

"Usually the process of injecting the hocks goes quite quickly compared to the prep time," Garofalo comments. "The veterinarian feels for anatomical landmarks with the injecting needle. Once the veterinarian is sure that the needle is in the joint, he attaches the syringe with the medication and injects it. The tarsometatarsal joint is generally easier to get to; the joint space for the distal intertarsal joint is much smaller and can be more of a challenge especially if the horse has significant arthritis."

In the days following hock injections, monitoring your horse's condition and managing his environment is important to his continued good health. Clean living quarters help minimize his risk of infection as does taking his temperature twice daily and checking for any heat, swelling or discomfort. After resting for four to 10 days, his movement should change within one to three weeks.

Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage

EIPH Research - Past And Present

Photos courtesy of Dr. Jim Jones
Since the early 17th century, scientists have recognized that many horses that exercise strenuously bleed from their nostrils during or shortly after a workout, a phenomenon known to horsemen as "bleeding." For many years, people thought this blood originated from the nose. However, 20 years ago, an energetic young graduate student from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. John Pascoe (now
Executive Associate Dean of the School), used a fiberoptic bronchoscope to examine the airways of horses following racing. He demonstrated that the blood originates in the lungs and he coined the technical term for the disease -- exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage or EIPH. Dr. Pascoe found that the majority of racehorses eventually experience EIPH and more recent studies suggest that anywhere from 70 to 100 percent of horses in racing and training experience EIPH. This problem is not only limited to racehorses; horses engaged in any activity that involves strenuous effort are susceptible, including draft horses pulling heavy loads.

Bleeding from the lungs during exercise is rarely reported in other mammals, yet nearly all horses experience this bleeding -- why? Research has shown that during exercise, horses have unusually high blood pressures in the vessels that lead from the heart to the lungs -- two to three times higher than in almost all other species -- and scientists have hypothesized that high blood pressures in the lungs' small vessels could lead to their breaking and releasing blood into the airways. Research has focused on why the blood pressure in the pulmonary blood vessels is high during exercise in horses, and particularly on whether the high pressures are required to push the blood through the smaller blood vessels in the lungs because they are too small and have high resistance.

In an effort to reduce this blood pressure in the lungs, the diuretic furosemide (Lasix) has been administered to horses prior to a race. Horsemen use Lasix to make the horse urinate, thereby slightly reducing the volume of fluid in its circulatory system and hence, the degree to which the blood vessels are stretched and generate pressure. Although studies have shown that Lasix does lower blood pressure slightly, it has never been definitively demonstrated that Lasix reduces the frequency or severity of bleeding. Furthermore, Lasix has numerous undesirable effects, e.g., dehydrating a horse just prior to engaging in heavy exercise, diluting the urine and making it more difficult to detect illegal drugs, and a number of other direct and indirect physiological consequences for different body systems. Evidence also suggests that the sum of these effects is a slight, but measurable enhancement of racing performance in horses receiving Lasix.


Nearly 10 years ago, Drs. Jim Jones and John Pascoe of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine evaluated this question from a different approach. If the blood pressures in the vessels leading to the lungs were due to the high pressure needed to push blood through the lungs themselves, the pressure would be used up as the blood went through the lungs. Instead, what if the high blood pressure was due to the blood pressure being high on the far side of the lungs (downstream)? These blood vessels simply collect the blood from the lungs and return it to the heart, where it is pumped to the rest of the body. If the pressure in these vessels were high, then in order for blood to flow from the lungs to these vessels, the blood pressure in the lung vessels would have to be even higher. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to evaluate this hypothesis because the vessels that connect the downstream side of the lung to the heart are inaccessible -- they are deep within the horse's chest.

Drs. Jones and Pascoe began a series of studies in which they surgically implanted catheters into the hearts of horses to directly measure blood pressures. These were very difficult studies because they required horses to recover from major chest surgery, then return to maximum performance on the treadmill. The results showed that the pressures in the heart are unusually high, thus raising the blood pressure throughout the lung and setting up conditions in which EIPH might occur. These studies were funded by CEH and Grayson-Jockey Club. Concurrent studies have been funded by the CEH, Japan Racing Association, and the Southern California Equine Foundation/Dolly Green Research Foundation. In extensive collaborative studies with the Japan Racing Association (JRA), researchers utilized surgically implanted catheters in conjunction with ultrasound crystals surgically affixed to the surface of the heart to directly measure the mechanics of the heart during exercise. These excruciatingly difficult experiments showed that the fundamental cause of the high pressures in the heart, and hence the lungs, appears to be the heart's inability to relax quickly enough between beats during extreme exercise. When the heart is not relaxed and thus too stiff, it takes higher pressure upstream (in the lungs) to fill the heart between beats. This finding led to current studies that evaluate possible methods to enhance the rate at which the heart relaxes during heavy exercise.


The Japan Racing Association and UC Davis researchers are working together to improve equine athletic performance.
To understand why the horse's heart relaxes too slowly at maximum exercise, Dr. Jones compared horses with another mammalian athlete, the pronghorn antelope. Among mammals, pronghorn antelope have one of the highest abilities to utilize oxygen (they are highly aerobic). They have a maximum rate of oxygen consumption during exercise that is nearly twice that of a horse (per unit of body weight). They also are capable of sprinting at speeds approaching 60 mph and running fully aerobically for an extended period of time at a speed (45 mph) that the fastest Quarter Horse can only reach in a sprint for 20 seconds. However, pronghorn are exceptionally skittish animals. To study them on a treadmill was a challenge.

Dr. Jones and colleagues spent a month camped in the sagebrush of northern Colorado to capture newborn pronghorn fawns. The fawns were then bottle fed and hand-raised for two years until they were mature and had grown up trained to run on a treadmill. These studies showed that although the pronghorn is more highly aerobic and its heart pumps relatively more blood than the horse's, it accomplishes this without the high blood pressures that occur in the horse. This suggests that body (and heart) size may be an important factor in understanding why horses have such high blood pressures and why their lungs bleed.

Our current knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for causing EIPH is not sufficient to provide a cure or method to prevent it from occurring. However, we have made great advances in just the past few years in understanding the physiological factors that seem to be involved. These advances hold great promise for providing the tools necessary to develop a method to prevent or reduce the severity of EIPH in the near future. Much of this information, particularly that related to the heart's role in predisposing the horse to this problem, has resulted from the collaborative research studies between UC Davis and the JRA. Experiments are currently being conducted to evaluate physiological strategies on which a future therapy might be based.

Vital Signs



If you own, ride or handle horses, it is mandatory that you educate yourself on how to take good care of them. You will need to know at some point, how to tell if a horse is feeling well, or if a horse needs immediate veterinary attention. A horse's vital signs should be checked regularly. Check the horse's vital signs every time you suspect any change in his behavior. Learning to accurately observe and judge your horse's vital signs takes alot of practice. Your horse is counting on you to find and treat every problem or illness in its early stages!

If ANY concern arises, never hesitate to call your veterinarian!


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1. TEMPERATURE

Normal body temperature is 99 - 101 F. A temperature higher than that, may indicate an infection. A healthy horse's temperature can vary by 3 degrees depending on environmental factors. Horses tend to have higher temperatures in warm weather and during/after exercise, stress or excitement. A high fever doesn't always indicate a severe condition, but it is a good idea to take your horse's temperature often and if you his temperature is over 102 F, you should call your veterinarian.

How To Take a Horse's Temperature:

The most accurate way to take a horse's temperature is rectally. Always secure a string to the end of the thermometer, so that it doesn't get lost (some of you know what I'm talking about, or have experienced it...it's not very fun). Tack shops and pharmacies sell all types of thermometers. Plastic digital thermometers work very well and are generally easier to use, and most of them beep when they are done. Be sure that if you use an older mercury-type thermometer, that you shake down the mercury before taking the horse's temperature.

The horse should be tied or held still by an assistant. Lubricate the tip of the thermometer with petroleum jelly, vaseline or saliva. Move the horse's tail to the side and out of the way and insert the thermometer into the horse's rectum, angled slightly towards the ground. Do not stand directly behind the horse, because some horses don't like this - but most don't mind. For the most accurate reading, leave the thermometer in position for at least 3 minutes. Many digital thermometers work well in less than 1 minute.

Always clean the thermometer well before returning it to its case...and especially if used on an ill horse, to prevent the spreading of an illness.


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2. PULSE

The pulse rate of an adult horse at rest averages 30-40 beats per minute (bpm). A pulse rate of 50 or higher in an adult horse at rest may mean the horse is in physical distress. The average pulse rates for young horses are as follows:
Foals (70-120 bpm), Yearlings (45-60 bpm), 2yr. olds (40-50 bpm).

The horse's pulse rate will increase if he is excited or nervous, in pain, during/after exercise, or has a disease. The higher the heart rate, the more severe the condition.

How To Check a Horse's Pulse:

The horse's pulse can be found near the front of the left jawbone. Under the jawbone, there is a major artery that sticks out slightly. Using your forefinger (never your thumb - because you may feel your own pulse), press against the artery firmly. Use a clock or counter to time a 15 second period. Multiply the number of beats you counted by 4.

You may also place your hand or a stethoscope behind the horse's left elbow to take his pulse. Be sure to count each lub-dub as 1 beat.


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3. RESPIRATION

The average respiration rate of an adult horse at rest is 8-15 breaths per minute. A horse's respiration rate increases with hot or humid weather, exercise, fever or pain. Rapid breathing at rest should recieve veterinary attention, and keep in mind that the respiration rate should NEVER exceed the pulse rate. A horse should also spend equal time inhaling and exhaling.

How To check The Respiration Rate:

Watch or feel your horse's ribcage/belly for one minute. Be sure to count 1 inhale and 1 exhale as one breath (not as two). Each breath is fairly slow. If you are having difficulty seeing the ribcage move, try watching the horse's nostrils or place your hand in front of the nostrils to feel the horse exhale.

An even better method is to place a stethoscope to the horse's windpipe to listen to his breathing. This will also give you strange sounds if the horse's windpipe is blocked by mucous or if the he has allergies or heaves.


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4. GUT SOUNDS

The gut sounds that come from your horse's stomach and intestines can be very important information for your vet to diagnose an illness. Gut sounds should always be present. The absence of gut sounds is more indicative of a problem than excessive gut sounds. Usually, an absence of gut sounds indicates colic. If you don't hear any sounds, contact your veterinarian.

How To Check for Gut Sounds:

Press your ear up against your horse's barrel just behind his last rib. If you hear gurgling noises, he's fine. Be sure to check gut sounds from both sides.

If you do not hear any sounds, try using a stethoscope in the same area.


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5. DEHYDRATION

Healthy horses drink a minimum of 5 gallons of water per day. If your horse is dehydrated, it is very important that you urge him to drink. If he refuses to drink water, try adding flavor to it (Gatorade or apple juice is ideal), and contact your veterinarian if he still won't drink.

How To Perform a Pinch Test:

Pinch the skin on your horse's neck. If the skin flattens back into place when you let go in less than 1 second, the horse is fine. If it doesn't, it means he isn't drinking enough water, he is dehydrated.

The longer the skin stays pinched up before flattening, the more dehydrated he is.


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6. CAPILLARY REFILL TIME (CRT)

Capillary Refill Time (CRT) is the time it takes for blood to return to blanched tissues in the gums. This is an indicator of blood circulation. Normal refill time is 1 to 2 seconds.

How To Check CRT:

Lift your horse's upper lip up and firmly press your thumb against his gums for 2 seconds to create a white mark. This white mark should return to the normal pink color within 1-2 seconds after releasing the pressure.

If the CRT takes longer than 2 seconds, the horse may have shock.


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7. MUCOUS MEMBRANES

The mucous membranes are the lining of a horse's eyelids, his gums and the inside of his nostrils. The color of the mucous membranes are another indicator of blood circulation. A healthy horse's gums are slightly more pale than a humans. If a horse's gums are very pale, bright red, grayish blue or bright yellow, call a veterinarian immediately.

Color of Mucous Membranes:

Moist Pink: Healthy normal circulation.
Very Pale Pink: Capillaries contracted, indicates fever, blood loss or anemia.
Bright Red: Capillaries enlarged, indicates toxicity or mild shock.
Gray or Blue: Severe shock, depression and illness.
Bright Yellow: Associated with liver problems.

Equine Teeth

Floating and Balancing the Equine Mouth
by Larry Kimberlin, D.V.M.


In this article we are going to talk about what it means to have your horse “floated and balanced”.

The term float and balance means different things to different people. You will see these terms used in magazines in conjunction with the term equilibration. You may see them used interchangeably when they actually refer to different procedures. The true definition of the words are not as important to me (and probably you also) as why it needs to be done and what changes have occurred in my horses mouth after it has been done.

The horse has teeth that are continually worn down and replaced by eruption of tooth (crown) surface into the mouth. This process continues throughout the horse’s life until there is no reserve crown left.

The anatomical difference in the width of the lower jaw in comparison to the wider upper jaw causes the teeth to form sharp edges along the outer edge (called buccal) and the inside edge (called lingual) of the lower teeth.


The edges or “points” can become razor sharp over time and lacerate the cheek and tongue as shown in this photo. Bacteria and virus organisms will then infect this soft tissue and cause pain and discomfort. This is similar to having a cold sore in your mouth or when you bite your lip or cheek.



The term “floating” refers to the removal of these sharp points by the use of hand floats or most often carbide or diamond coated power instruments. The points are ground off and a gentle curve or radius is applied to the edge of the teeth to prevent further trauma and remove as little of the chewing or occlussal surface as possible, as shown here.


The term balancing or equilibration refers to reducing uneven length of the teeth along the arcades. When the crown length of individual teeth are too short or too long it causes undue pressure in the mouth when food is chewed.


There are many causes of uneven crown height – but one of the most common is the "wave”. Waves are formed when two or more teeth in an arcade are longer than the adjacent teeth. The photo at the left shows a wave.



The horse that has been floated and equilibrated will chew with less effort and will be more comfortable when it takes in the hay and grain that keep the engines running. All horses need to be examined yearly and be floated and balanced to promote optimum health and performance.

Equine Conformation

Horse Conformation: Form to Function

Good conformation includes proper balance and mass, structural correctness, and desirable breed and sex characteristics.



When evaluating the conformation of a horse, you should consider the following areas: balance, muscle, structural correctness, and breed and sex characteristics. Fads at times have skewed the importance of one trait or another, but all are important whether you are looking at a prospective halter horse or performance horse.

Balance
Balance refers to the even, smooth blending of all parts and muscling (Figure 2). Balance is determined by the length of the neck, the back and the croup. Of utmost importance is that the angle of theshoulder should be adequate. Many breeders believe that the slope of the shoulder will determine a horse's agility, because the slope defines the length of the neck. If the slope of the shoulder is too steep, the neck will appear short and the back long. The angle of the shoulder will also be the angle of the pastern. If the shoulder is steep, the angle of the pastern will be steep, which results in a rough, short stride. A horse with a long, moderately sloping shoulder, will typically have a long neck, a short back and a smooth stride. The length of the neck determines the length of the stride as well as the horse'sflexibility. In a performance horse especially, the neck must be long to allow for proper flexing at the poll, which is required in any performance event.

The back should be short and strong with a long underline. The horse should have a long, moderately sloping croup. The length of the croup is important because it is essentially the "engine" that powers an equine athlete. A long croup more readily accommodates more muscle mass.

Balance also accounts for the evenness of muscling. All the parts of a horse's body should blend smoothly into each other and present a pleasing picture.

Long, sloping shoulders; short, strong back; long underline; and a long croup increase the probability that your horse can become a good "athlete."

Mass and internal body capacity
A horse's muscling should be long patterned and defined. Muscle mass can most easily be determined when viewed from directly in front of or behind the horse. As viewed from the front, the horse should show significant width from shoulder to shoulder, a large circumference to the forearm, and a prominent "v" in the front muscling. As viewed from the back, the horse should be wide from stifle to stifle, and the quarter should tie in deep to strong gaskins.

When viewed from the side, a horse should have strong forearms, a deep quarter, strong gaskins, and a long croup to accommodate a large amount of muscle mass through a prominent stifle. In addition, the horse should have a large-circumference heart girth.

For halter horses, the more muscle mass the better. For performance horses, muscle mass should be no more than adequate to perform the tasks at hand, because increased muscle bulk detracts from the fluidity of the horse's stride.

The internal body capacity of a horse determines the room available for lung and heart functions. The more lung capacity a horse has, the more air it can take in with each stride, making the horse capable of more powerful and efficient performance and greater stamina. Internal body capacity also determines the ability of a potential broodmare to carry a large foal.

Structural correctness
Correct leg set.

Forelegs, viewed from the front, should be centered under the points of the shoulders.

From the side, knees should be flat and pastern should slope at about 45 degrees.

Hind legs, viewed from the rear, should be centered under the points of the buttocks;

From the side, hock, cannon and fetlock should align with the back of the buttock.
Structural correctness affects the action and soundness of horses. When the front legs are viewed from the front, a line should bisect the forearm, knee, cannon, fetlock and the bulb of the heel. If the toes point outward, the horse is splay-footed; if the toes point inward, the horse is considered pigeon-toed. Typically pigeon-toed horses wing out and splay-footed horses wing in when walking. When the front legs are viewed from the side, the knees should be flat.

When a horse is viewed from behind, a line should bisect the gaskin, hock, cannon, fetlock, pastern and foot. If the horse's hocks turn inward, the horse is considered cow-hocked. When the legs are viewed from the side, a straight line drawn downward from the back of the buttock should touch the back of the hock, cannon and fetlock. If the horse has too much angle in the hocks, then it is considered to be sickle-hocked. If the leg is forward of this line and too straight, the horse is considered post-legged.

Pasterns should be of medium length, be strong but flexible, and have a medium slope. The hoof should have the same angle as the pastern and should be of moderate size but deep and wide at the heel, and free of rings. The slope of the shoulders and pasterns, combined with the expansion of the heel, provides shock absorption when the horse is in motion. Bones should be of adequate size and should show definition of joints and appear flat when viewed from the side.

Deviation from these points of structural correctness predisposes a horse to unsoundness and wasted motion. Bone spavins, bogs, thoroughpins and weakness are common among sickle-hocked horses. Jarring from short, straight pasterns and shoulders predisposes a horse to side bones, stiffness, bogs and lameness. White hoofs are softer and wear faster than black or red hooves.

Breed and sex characteristics

Breed and sex characteristics of a horse define its quality. A horse should exhibit the characteristics that progressive breeders look for -- in short, the breed's icon. Quality is indicated by refinement of head, bone, joints and hair coat. It is reflected in thin skin, prominent veins, and the absence of coarseness, especially in the legs. A quality horse has more attractiveness and eye appeal, including prominent sex characteristics. A stallion should appear more powerful and stately than a mare. A stallion's head should have a masculine jaw, whereas the mare should be a picture of refined femininity. The gelding falls between the two.

Summary

An outstanding horse will exhibit superior conformation whether it is a halter horse, pleasure horse or racehorse. Some horse judges support fads and are more forgiving of certain faults than others. However, a horse's form is related directly to function. In the long run, whenever you sacrifice certain qualities of conformation, a limitation in ability will occur. When evaluating horses, the ideal will always be in demand; there is no substitute for quality.

How to tie the rope halter knot