The head will portray character. It should be elegant with a wide forehead large cars and eyes.

Balance in the key to good conformation. If the horse walks well and moves easily. It is likely to be well coordinated. The neck is one of the main points of balance as the horse extends it to match his strides. It must not be too short, but in direct proportion to the body length. A sprinter will be more substantially built than a stayer and will look more stocky than this example – Hyperion.

One of the main hinges for locomotion, the shoulder acts as a pendulum for the front legs and must be correctly angled. Too straight and the horse cannot gallop properly downhill.

From head-on, the center of the knee must be over the center of the hoof. If the leg is back at the knee there will be too much pressure on the tendons down the back of the leg, causing the horse to break down. Probably the worst fault of all and the most likely to occur.

Length and shape of the pastern; it should be at approximately 45o to the ground. Too straight, the horse will be jarred, too angled and the fetlock will touch the ground, causing extra strain.

Fetlock

There must be body-depth to give good heart-room and lung capacity.                                                        

The angle and length of the line between hip and hock indicates the horse’s motor power.

Leg must be strong enough to propel the horse, and the hock strong and straight.  

Higher stride frequency and great stride length caused by more powerful and frequent contractions of the major propulsive muscles-eg. The middle gluteals . These contain a higher proportion of ‘fast twitch’ muscles. ( The proportion of ‘fast twitch’ to ‘slow twitch’ muscles determines whether a horse will be a sprinter, middle-or long-distance runner.)

Higher stride frequency and a more efficient gait in terms of energy consumption, produced by the center of gravity being nearer the major pivoting points(hips and shoulder joints.) The greater the muscle-bone mass in the upper limbs, as opposed to the lower, the more this characteristic is evident.

More rapid response to circulating adrenaline, produced by the adrenal gland, which initiates physiological and metabolic reactions during exercise.

Larger heart weight to body weight ratio.

A larger than usual reserve of red blood cells stored in the spleen – increased with training – ensures good oxygen supply to heart muscles during work such as racing.

‘Finer’ bones which incorporate strength with relative lightness. A high degree of flexion and extension contributes to the length of stride.

The men who created the English thoroughbred developed a breed with very distinct characteristics, whose physique makes it ideally suited to racing and adaptable to all types of contest. A simple comparison of a racehorse – often called warmblooded because of its Arab blood – with a shire horse – a coldblooded variety having no Arab blood – highlights the features which make a racehorse a fast and efficient machine. These differences are evident in bone structure, musculature, heart, lungs and glands.  

    When a buyer sees a yearling he has two factors from which to make an assessment : pedigree and conformation. While a punter will judge from the form book, the buyer will use the stud book to provide historic facts on which he may base educated guesses at an unpredictable future. The pedigree tells him what he may expect to find; the animal’s conformation – the actual expression of those genetic influences – suggests whether or not those expectations are to be realized in that generation.

            The essence of breeding good racehorses is to achieve inherent ability – speed – combined with the temperament to cope with the discipline of training and the stress of the racecourse. Some horses are prepotent and ‘stamp’ their stock ; most of St Simon’s, for example, had some of his looks and much of his ‘electricity’. But there is no golden key to the genetic lottery that will guarantee a champion; even the great prepotent stallions breed a lot of bad horses. The old maxim ‘put the best to the best and hope for the best’ is still the most the breeder can do, if he can afford it.

            But even when a horse has shown on a racecourse that he is good, the reason is uncertain. The rate of stimulus and response from the brain, to nerve and muscle is certainly a crucial element. Temperament and courage, and good conformation – a well balanced whole made up of adequate components, is to be desired. A blend of all these, each difficult to achieve, in the same individual can create that rare phenomenon – a champion.

The ideal back should be short and strong

Too hollow : it will lack strength and flexibility. Perhaps a sign of age.

Too straight : movement will be restricted and power lacking.

The croup must be angled correctly.

Too slopping : the hind quarters will be weak.

Under itself; less stability.

‘Camped’; danger of tendon strain.

Hollow kneed; extra strain on the ligaments.

Knee-spring; can lead to stumbling.

Good conformation.

‘Camped’ behind; possibility of back-sway

Under itself behind; can lead to forging.

Back at the knee; strains the fetlock tendons.

Straight hocks; can give speed but limit movement.