Australian Arabian Breed Standard Illustration Analysis

The following is an analysis of the Australia Arabian Breed Standard image, an artist's representation. This image is not a real Arabian Horse, it is an artistic view of an ideal Arabian Horse. 

The analysis is using the Arabian Horse's phenotype with respect to skeletal structure. This exercise takes the reader step by step through an analytical judgement of the Arabian Horse with a view to judging, breeding, riding and driving. 

It is also wise to consider that the desertbred horse was created and bred for eons on the principle that their horse who would save their lives in tribal warfare. Through cultural diversity, the desertbred horse has variety.

Note well: this artistic impression is static, joint movements are not portrayed.

Artist:  Sheila Stump

All italicized text  are words and phrases from Dr Deb Bennett's works: Principles of Conformation Analysis Volumes 1 - 3

For a detailed anaylsis, seek out Dr Bennett's "Conformation Insights" series as presented in EQUUS magazine - October 2009 - November 2011 and/or later updates. 

The spine should give an indication of how the rest of the individual's bones are located, how they will attach, and perhaps function.

The spine is one continuous process, starting from the back of the skull to the very tip of the last tail bone.

Forehand -

•     shoulder lies
•     point of shoulder
•     shoulder / arm joint
•     arm bone
•     arm / forearm joint
•     forearm
•     knee (forearm / cannon joint)
•     cannon
•     fetlock (cannon / pastern joint)
•     coronet band
•     hoof

Hindquarter -

• the lumbo-sacral joint (marked by oblong)
• the pelvis
• illiac / femur joint
• stifle joint (femur / gaskin)
• hock (gaskin / cannon joint)
• fetlock (cannon / pastern joint)
• coronet band
• hoof

Governances:

Where the loin meets the croup is the beginning of the lumbo-sacral joint. Lumbo-sacral joint is where the spine travels through the pelvis. This area tends to be approx 6" (size of your palm) and is the key to the hindquarter's ability. This is the top most joint and it determines the power associated with the movement. All thrust goes through the lumbo-sacral joint and then transferred to the body via the loins. Poor or weak structure in the back or lumbo-sacral joint tends to sap the energy generated by the hindquarter.

Freespan of the individual's back trades off against strength - the longer the distance between withers and coupling (lumbo-sacral joint), the weaker the individual's back

High waist (flank) as well as narrowness from nearside to offside indicates weakness, structure strain / breakdown (lumpiness).

Low stifles - the hamstring muscle ties in low which gives medium to short gaskins and low hocks.

Quadricep muscle actively bring the hindlimb forward

Long femur and short gaskin confers over-stride

• lumbo-sacral joint should be placed as far forward as possible - preferably inline with the point of hips
• croup length governs the attachment possibilities for the working muscles of the hindquarter, also acts as a fulcrum for the hindquarter muscles - conferring leverage
• all major propulsive muscles attached to the pelvis therefore the larger the pelvis, the greater the depth in pelvis provides space for the ball shaped gluteus medius muscle which initiates hind leg thrust
• femur length to iliac pelvic length determines stride length, playing a critical role in hind limb functionality
• length in the femur when compared to the gaskin equals the ability to have slow rhythm capabilities.
• always assess the hindquarter from both the side and the rear
• post-legged individuals have wide open stifles
• Since the five (5) bones that comprise the total hind limb length do not change, their total length indicates both the angulation (or not) of the hind limb and its performance ability. ...shorter and straighter (true post legged) the individual is more efficient in delivery of thrust - good for racing, draft work, jumping etc. Has low total hind limb length, wide open stifle and hock angles, tends to be flat hoofed (coon footed) - too horizontal hind pastern when weight bearing, short femur, gaskin long (compared to femur).  -/- down side > stifle lock   Longer, angulated hind limb easier to bring hock and hooves forward - good for dressage, reining etc. With the exception of the above short/straight hind limb - gaskin and femur should be of equal lengths -/- down side > curbs and spavins
• before assessing if an individual is post-leg or angulated, review how the individual is built at moment of thrust ie croup should be no higher than withers.
• correct angles on pasterns can negate length deficiencies
• stoutness of legs, fair length of the femur and short gaskin aids in good collection/engagement ability.
• length in leg from hip socket indicates overstride ability
• short gaskins, strong hocks has ability to 'sit'
• forward facing narrow back teamed with a set back coupling leads to stepping trot and 4-beat canter.
• well moving individual has hind joints which fold and flex elastically.
• cannons should be vertical
• ideally, stifles span a greater distance than hip sockets particularly if short coupled and round barrelled. Should display stifles that point out, hocks which point in and hooves which point out to same/similar degrees.
• closeness of hocks, cannons makes little difference as long as hocks never touch (in rest or motion), distance between hocks is relative to hip sockets
• head of femur sits obliquely in hip socket to allows stifle to point out
• look for width between stifles
• long gaskins tend to be a weakness and are indicative of cow hocks or bow legs and creates an over angulated leg (sickle hock/camped out)
• long femur and long hind cannons equates to a short gaskin (high hocks) and are indicative of a poppy action, lots of effort needed to balance movement, tends to go downhill, has trouble getting hocks underneath themselves.
• hamstring muscles should tie in low
• if the muscle cuts-in too soon, the buttocks show marked indentation.
• overdeveloped hamstring muscles hamstring muscles are doing too much work
• gluteal muscles help with thrust.

When the individual is relaxed and stood square (hoof is weight bearing and cannon is vertical to the ground ie not on an angle), run a visual or imaginary plumbline down to see if the hind cannon is running true to the line and whether the cannon is parallel to the line.

Pelvis: 31.7% of body length

Iliac pelvis is 72.5% of the pelvis and has an angulation of 103° to the femur.

Femur: 82.5% of the pelvis length, indicates the femur is shorter than could be expected.

Gaskin's angulation to the femur is 120°

Gaskin is longer than femur by 9% which indicates that the initial stride capability of the hindleg will be short steppening, won't overstep front hooves.

Gaskin to hind cannon is 48°

Pastern angle is indeterminable due to the set of the hindlegs

Total hindlimb length is 24% higher than the croup which makes the hindlimb well angulated ie not post legged, and also suggests that the hindlimb will force the hindquarter up when thrusting during movement.

View both legs and check if cannons run parallel to each other.

Assess whether the individual is base-narrow or base-wide ie where the hooves are placed relative to the width of the pelvis

Non-parallel cannons can present idiosyncrasies such as:

• vase shaped - base narrow - bow legged in movement, hoof comes in brushing cannon, carries weight on the outer edges of hooves, hocks usually bow outward
• cow hocks - stifles and hoof toe orientation don't match, bears weight on inner edges of hooves.

Start with the chest box, locate the point of shoulder - remember these locations or place a dot point on the individual. Locate the point of shoulder, locate (as illustrated right) the point of elbow and transfer that location to the front of the chest. Connect these four points by drawing a box (illustrated middle). The box with indicate

    depth of the chest

    balance of the chest

    how the legs will 'fall' from the chest (body) of the horse

The set of the humerus at the point of the shoulder determines the orientation of the elbow and of the lower part of the front limb. Impact:

Elbows which sit narrower than the point of shoulder lead to hooves toeing out (splayed toes). Toeing out compensates for high knees.

Elbows which sit wider than the point of shoulder lead to hooves toeing in (pigeon toed)

Toes pointing out or in are not the cause but rather the result of the structure and alignment of all the other forelimb bones.

Shield shaped knees compensate slight offset cannons.

Is the croup height relative to the wither height?

Too high in the croup - horse is down-hill or forward facing

Too low in the croup - horse is up-hill.

The croup height of this individual is relative to the wither height. Expresses a natural curve of the back.