EQS 370 Equine Evaluation and Selection Lecture 3

8/8/2019 EQS 370 Equine Evaluation and Selection Lecture 3

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Chest and Back

Lesson 3



Objectives Define and discuss conformational ideals

and faults of the chest and back



Thorax/Body Function

Houses vital organs of the body

Spine on dorsal (top)

Ribs on lateral (sides)

Cartilage and breastbone on ventral

(bottom)

Need abundance of room for lungs



Thorax/Body

A horse that is 14.2 hh tall should have a

girth of 72 inches

An increase of one inch, increases ability

of horse to intake air (more lung space for

expansion)



Thorax/Body

To appraise visually:

Look at floor of body at the girth to the ground

Look at the floor of the body to the top of thewithers

These two distances should be the same

From the front look for ³spring of rib´

Look at chest width and depth





Anatomy Review Ribs are attached at back to the vertebrae

Attached to sternum²creates floor of

chest cavity

Chest = breast

Oval



Anatomy Review Ribs = 17 to 19

Sternal ribs attach to breast bone

Floating ribs²last one or two pairs



Chest Shape Varies

Wide, Narrow, Deep, Shallow

Ideally: from front²wider on bottom than

top



Ideal ³Spring to ribs´ Front view and side view

Largest part of barrel just caudal to girth

Favorable characteristic

Promote breathing/air intake





Slab-sided Side and front view

Lack of spring to the rib

Flat across entire barrel

Ribs are adequate in length

Common fault Less room for lungs to expand





Objectives Define and discuss conformational ideals

and faults of the chest and back



Function of Chest Shape Related to lung function

Shape = angle of rib + degree of curve +

point at which curve is most pronounced

Two shapes = efficiency for breathing

Affects stamina



Barrel Chest Efficient conformation

Round

Symmetrical from both sides



Deep Chest Should be symmetrical

Deep top to bottom

Flatter on sides but NOT lacking in spring

of rib!



Narrow Chest²fault Narrow in front

Lacks shoulder development

Difficult to carry rider weight

Evaluate at the breast!

Harder to condition Other faults



Too-wide chest²fault

³Bulldog look´

Restricted at elbow and scapula

Different from well-sprung rib

Decreased speed/agility



Chest muscling Inverted ³V´

Slight bulge

Breed specific

Hard to view w/o front limbs



Back Conformation



Back Conformation Withstands stress

Driven or ridden

Support +25% of own body weight

Relatively inflexible from withers to tail(dorsally to ventrally)

Fusions common result of stress in lumbar region







Back Conformation²ideal Medium in length

Relatively flat

Well muscled

Wide enough for saddle fit



Withers Thoracic vertebrae

Point of attachment

Should be visible, well-muscled and blend

into the back and neck

Several faults are due to muscling or bone

structure





Prominent or High Withers Withers (8th to 12th thoracic vertebrate) are

excessively long and angle backward

Bones slant toward rear/high

Mostly TB, SB and some warmblood

Often accompanies a sloping shoulder

Not a fault if balanced, and well-muscled





Mutton Withers

Flat and wide withers created by shortspine processes of vertebrate

Appearance of no withers Common

Horse is less able to lift the back and

withers Difficult to hold a saddle





Hollow behind withers

³Shelf ́ or hollow caudal to the withers

Common fault

Often causes saddle-related soreness



Back Conformation

Measured from the peak of withers to the

peak of the croup

Should be ~1/3 of overall body





Depth of Back

Evaluated from the lowest point of the

horse¶s back to the abdomen

Can vary along with musculature

Don¶t confuse with obesity!



Long Back

Exceeds 1/3 of total body length

Common fault

Often gaited horses and TB

Flexible, but difficult to elevate

Loins are often weak and sight of soreness



Short Back

Less than 1/3 of total body length

Common fault

More common in QH, Arabian, Warmblood

Can lack flexibility, but is often more agile





Tucked up, lady waisted, herring

gutted, wasp-waisted Side view

Waist (beneath flanks)

Angular, narrow, tucked up

Limited contraction of abdominals (both

training and conformational fault)



Sway backed, hollow backed,

Down in the back Back dips noticeably lower in the center of

the back

Generally results in high head carriage,neck stiffness

Develops because of :

Age Poor musculature/riding

Genetics

Breeding/Broodmares



Documents

EQS 370 Equine Evaluation and Selection Lecture 3