Duncan and Natasha Barry’s Riverton Stud are always striving to achieve their goal of breeding the ultimate equine athlete.
So what are the rules?
Every trainer/owner/bloodstock agent has their own view of what constitutes a good looking horse.
However, it is important when buying a horse to take time to get acquainted with basic terms of conformation.
Sarah Whitelaw writes that different types of thoroughbreds will be built in different ways, with a sprinter generally looking different from a stayer, and a precocious type, likely to win at two, differing in build from a potential classic horse.
Below is an illustration of the legendary late champion sire Captain Al who stood at Klawervlei Stud.
He was the perfect example of a beautifully proportioned, well balanced horse.
The conformation of a horse is its physical appearance due to its arrangement of muscle, bone and muscle tissue.
A horse with good conformation makes a good first impression, with the ideal thoroughbred sporting a fine, quality head with a bold eye.
The horse should have a long, well- proportioned neck which leads onto a sloping shoulder. A classic thoroughbred should be well proportioned and deep through the girth (stomach).
A horse’s hooves must be able to withstand a great deal of pressure. At full speed, a 500kg thoroughbred will place the equivalent of 100 times the force of gravity on each hoof with every stride, so it is essential that the foot be shaped properly to withstand this concussion.
Ideally, the horse in question would have short, strong cannon bones, and well balanced knees.
Ideally, the horse in question should walk well and stride out well, with many experts believing the walk is the best way to measure a young horse’s potential athletic ability.
Successful breeder, Duncan Barry of Riverton Stud, believes that the most important thing to look for in conformation is balance, as this dictates everything else.
It is also important to remember that no horse is perfect in terms of conformation and there are a number of minor defects which are unlikely to influence the animal’s potential as a future athlete.
Your personal budget will, along with expert guidance, perhaps dictate which minor conformation faults you can and cannot live with.
Our South African bred horses are amongst the best in the world! Renowned local and international trainer Mike De Kock, who cares deeply about the industry, had this to say:
“South African-breds have proven themselves over and over in Dubai and elsewhere. They are flying the flag. They are sound and make good value buys.”
Kindly brought to you by Riverton Stud – click on the image below to find out more
