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Information
on the Arabian Breed
Arabians
are a highly intelligent, spirited breed dating back throughout history.
The oldest pure breed, Arabians were originally desert horse bred
by nomads who thought so much of their prize horses they shared their
own living quarters with them. If you're looking for a horse with
a personality and essence, a horse that can go from field to saddle,
buggy to home, a horse that can capture your heart and ignite your
soul, then the Arabian is for you.
Conformation
Conformation is the horse's body structure, determined by the length,
angle, density, and size of each bone. Bones both support and move
the body. Early horsemen realized that conformation affected both
soundness and performing ability. By comparing the conformation
of horses that performed well and remained sound with that of horses
that lacked athletic ability or became unsound, they learned which
kinds of conformation were desirable and which were faulty. See also this graphic which points out the various parts
of the body and bone structure of a horse for reference.
To evaluate
a horse's conformation, it must be studied from the side, front,
and rear views. Balance and overall conformation are best determined
from the side view.
Body -- Side
View:
Neck -- The neck should be long, arched, and attached
at the top part of the chest. It should be long for good flexibility
and balance, and taper so that it is thinnest at the throatlatch.
Shoulder -- The shoulder should be long and slope back toward the
withers at an approximate 45-degree angle. This allows good extension
of forelegs, resulting in a long stride, and helps the shoulder
absorb concussion well. The shoulder's slope depends upon the length
and angle of the scapula (shoulder blade), which starts below the
withers and slants downward and toward the chest. The true angle
may be difficult to judge because the bone is covered with muscle
and fat. The angle of the shoulder is not always the same
as that from the point of the withers to the point of the shoulder.
Withers -- The withers should be wide and well-muscled, and at least
as high as the horse's croup. Prominent (high) withers help hold
a saddle in place and allow free shoulder action.
Back -- The back should be short for strength and weight-carrying
ability.
Loin -- The loin connects the back and the croup. It should be broad,
muscular, short, and blend smoothly into the rest of the topline.
Croup -- A long, broad, muscular croup increases length of stride
and ability to carry weight. The croup should be relatively level
and no higher than the withers.
Hip -- The "hip" is judged from the point of the hip to the point
of the buttock. Technically, the hip is part of the pelvis, but
the term "hip" is commonly understood to mean this angle. The hip
should be long to provide a long stride in the hind legs.
Topline -- The topline is the top outline of the horse's back, loin,
and croup. These should blend smoothly and be fairly level, with
the back slightly lower than the croup.
Underline -- The underline is the lower outline of the body. The
horse should be "deep through the heart" (behind the withers, where
the saddle girth fits) and fairly deep through the flank. The underline
should be longer than the back and loin portions of the topline.
Forelegs -- Side View:
More of the horse's body weight is supported by the forelegs than
the hind legs, with the forelegs carrying about 65 percent of the
total weight. This added weight increases the chance of unsoundness
in the front legs, especially if their conformation is faulty.
Forearm -- The forearm should be long and well-muscled, for endurance
and a long stride.
Cannon Bone -- The cannons should look short, flat, and dry (the
tendon at the back should be sharply defined).
Pasterns -- The pasterns should be long and well-sloped to absorb
concussion, but not so long and sloping that they are weak (soft).
Their size should be proportionate to the rest of the leg and the
horse's body. They should be in harmony with the shoulder angle.
Proper Placement of the Forelegs -- If the front leg is attached
to the body at the proper place, an imaginary vertical line drawn
from the point of the shoulder will evenly divide the leg into too
halves and meet the ground at the back of the hoof. Proper placement
of the forelegs under the horse's body allows the horse's weight
to be distributed in an even line down through the column of leg
bones.
Forelegs -- Front View:
Seen from the front, the forearm, knee, and cannon bone should form
a straight column. The cannon bones should look narrow, and the
knees, wide and well-defined. The pasterns should be straight and
the hoofs should point straight ahead.
Hind Legs-- Side View:
The hind legs are the propelling force of the horse's of the horse's
body. How well the horse can raise and extend the hind legs depends
upon their placement and alignment. A long distance should separate
the hock and the point of the hip. The stifle should be large-jointed
for free action. The gaskin (thigh) should be long and well-muscled
but not so muscular as that of a Quarter Horse. The Arabian's longer
muscles promote endurance and flexion of the hind leg. The cannon
bone of the hind legs should look flat, and short in comparison
to the upper part of the hind legs. The hind cannon bones always
are longer than those of the forelegs. The hocks should be large,
clean, and smooth looking. From the side view, the hocks of the
Arabian should have more angle than those of the Thoroughbred. This
increased angle increases the Arabian's weight-carrying ability
and endurance, while the Thoroughbred's upright hocks indicate speed.
Hind Legs -- Rear View:
The cannon bones of the hind legs should be parallel to each other,
and perpendicular to the ground. From the rear view, they should
appear thin.
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