Brindabella Farms

The study of conformation is the study of the way the horse (or human) body is assembled. Studying a horse's conformation can give the rider a wealth of valuable information about how the horse moves, and why, how it feels to the rider under saddle, and even how the horse feels about being ridden. Human beings and horses appear entirely different to our eye; structurally however, they are surprisingly similar. In fact, the only bone the horse does not share with the human is the collarbone. The horse's muscles work and respond in the same way as a person's. Unfortunately, having four supporting limbs rather than two does not spare the horse from the same balance irregularities that we humans experience on a daily basis.

Much time has been spent on identifying and correcting postural issues in the rider. By doing so, we now greatly improve the horse's way of going. We may also find it advantageous to address some of the horse's individual balance issues. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses within the horse's body, we can choose appropriate exercises for the horse and monitor his/her progress. (These issues apply equally to female and male horses.)

Begin by examining the horse's conformation, in particular his alignment. Have an assistant at the horse's head; ask the assistant to stand the horse as straight and square as possible.

Quietly place a mounting step directly behind the horse's tail; standing on it, you need to be able to see down the entirety of the horse's back. Evaluate the symmetry of the horse's hips, shoulders, and back muscles. Is one side higher or lower than the other? Does his midline run straight from the top of his tail to a midpoint between his ears? Do his hips and shoulders line up or is he obviously crooked? Note any irregularities and imagine what kind of effect they may have on the horse's balance and carriage.

Next, evaluate the horse's movement by lunging him or working him in a round pen. Does he carry his head and neck (the top of his spine) straight out in front of his shoulders, or does he appear always to look to the outside or inside of the circle? Does his posture remain consistent when he changes direction? Likewise, examine the manner in which he carries his tail in both directions. The tail is the bottom end of the horse's spine and can equally reflect alignment abnormalities or disproportionate conditioning problems. Does he carry his tail loosely against his.body, allowing it to swing softly in rhythm with his stride? This would indicate his ability to use his back in an elastic, flexible manner. Horses will carry their tails consistently to one side or another or rigidly, straight out behind them when their backs are stiff, possibly due to unequal muscling or actual bony alignment issues. The horse's tail carriage often tells a story: can he work in a relaxed and happy fashion, or is he preoccupied with rigidity, tension and even pain?

The conformation of each individual horse can help explain his behavior and his suitability for various activities. The body and his use of it can tell us about potential problems and present problems. The more we understand about the horse's conformation, the more successful we can become at making decisions that will better suit him. We can become confident in choosing the appropriate activities for the horse, even matching the right horse with a suitable rider.

These are some of the skills that riders acquire at the SCRT� Workshops.