• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Homestead on the Range

Abundant Living in Flyover Country

  • The Lifestyle
  • The Farm
  • The Garden
  • The Skills
  • The Business
  • The Sunflower State

Conformation (Free Download)

January 29, 2015 by hsotr

ConformationConformation is a frequently misunderstood topic.  All too often, when people (even livestock breeders) think of conformation, they think of the cosmetic aspect, the eye appeal, of an animal.

The American Quarter Horse Association published a free PDF download on this topic from a different perspective: Conformation: The Relationship of Form to Function by Marvin Beeman, DVM.

As you would expect from a veterinarian, Dr. Beeman’s emphasis is on the way a horse’s physical build and appearance affects the way it moves and performs.

In part one, after a handy explanation of what conformation should mean, he goes on to break down the individual components of conformation and their significance:

  • Balance.
  • Head shape.
  • Ears.
  • Shoulder angles.
  • Legs and hooves.
  • Back length.

This part of the download is more hypothetical, using line drawings to illustrate the point.

In part two, Beeman reveals the proof of what he explained in the first part.  This section of the PDF is liberally illustrated with photos and X-rays of real horses, exhibiting both good and bad conformation.

If you want to understand conformation, this download is an outstanding presentation.  And it’s free!

Keep Reading...

Filed Under: The Farm Tagged With: Animal Health, Books, Breeding, Horses

Avatar for hsotr

About hsotr

Motivated by her experience growing up on a small farm near Wichita, Kansas, Michelle Lindsey started Homestead on the Range to supply Kansas country living enthusiasts with the innovative resources that they need to succeed and has now been keeping families informed and inspired for over five years. Michelle is the author of three country living books. She is also a serious student of history, specializing in Kansas, agriculture, and the American West. When not pursuing hobbies ranging from music to cooking to birdwatching, she can usually be found researching, writing, or living out the country dream.

Before Footer

Footer

Stay Posted

Enter your email address to receive new posts via email.

Topics

Animal Health Birdwatching Books Breeding Cattle Dairy Dogs Draft Animals Enterprises Faith Family Field Crops Food Fruit Goats Health & Fitness History Horses Insect Pests Links Livestock Marketing Music Native Americans Nature Nutrition Ornamental Plants Outdoors Pastures Pets Planning Plant Health Poultry Quotes Scripture Passages Sheep Small-Scale Farming Soil Stewardship Supplies The West Travel Vegetables Water Weather

More Resources

  • Our Books
  • Our Guides
  • Our Newsletters
  • Quick Start Pages
  • The Gallery
  • The Homestead Bookshelf
  • Your Path to Abundant Living in Flyover Country

Affiliate Disclosure

Throughout this site you will find affiliate links to items that we have read or used and highly recommend. If you decide to use the links to make a purchase, please be aware that we will receive a small compensation. For more information, please read our affiliate disclosure. Thank you!

  • About
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Updates

Copyright © 2013–2021 All rights reserved. No content on this site may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. By using this site you are agreeing to our terms of use.