How do you know if a foal has good conformation?

Here are some things we do know with certainty:

1. LS joint placement is set.
2. Shoulder angle is set.
3. Shoulder slope is set.
4. Neck set is set.
5. Depth of neck is set.
6. The location, shape and set of the eyes and ears are set.
7. If the neck, back or loin are long in the youngster, they will end up long in the adult.

What should a yearling do?

Round pen time with a weanling can include training on moving, turning, and training in response to verbal, hand, or body cues. Though horses should not be ridden until at least 2 years old, young horses- like this yearling- can benefit from being exposed to the feeling of a saddle, bridle, and girth.

How do you train yearling horses?

Training Yearlings

1. Schedule a Gelding Appointment. Obviously, this only applies if your yearling is male.
2. Teach Leading Skills.
3. Take Long Walks Together.
4. Let Him Tag Along on Trail Rides.
5. Practice Grooming Rituals.
6. Trailer Up and Hit the Road.
7. Teach Him to Longe.
8. Tackle In-Hand Trail Obstacles.

How does conformation work on a yearling horse?

That same afternoon, the panelists, with Bandoroff attending, discussed the individual yearlings as well as answered questions about conformation. They had conformation photographs of each yearling to refer to when discussing them. It is important to note many young horses change significantly from month to month.

How do you judge a long yearling horse?

Evaluate the conformation of these reining-bred long yearlings and place them in your order of preference. Then see how your choices compare with our expert judge’s. Balance is important, regardless of the horse’s intended use–whether the horse is a performance horse or a halter horse.

What should a yearling look like during growth spurt?

You can expect a yearling to look gangly and high in his hind end during growth spurts, but don’t expect that he’ll “grow out of” a short neck or straight shoulder. See how I placed these yearlings in the January ’09 issue of Practical Horseman.

How to enter your horse in conformation clinic?

Enter Your Horse in Conformation Clinic! If you’d like to enter your horse in Conformation Clinic send Horse & Rider a left-side view photo of him (make sure he’s well groomed, looking straight ahead and standing on level ground–and try to avoid distracting backgrounds).