It pays to look beyond an individual’s structural conformation and also consider the horse’s work ethic, disposition, skills, training, and fitness, as well as the conditions of the day you assess him. | Photo: Kevin Thompson/The Horse

No horse is perfect, and many with conformational flaws go on to compete successfully. What can you live with and how?

Horse people put a lot of stock in a horse’s conformation, as far as predicting his athletic potential. After all, it’s common knowledge that certain conformational characteristics have the potential to be career-limiting.  

But have you ever come across the horse that never “read the book,” doesn’t know he’s not perfect, and continues to perform soundly and successfully despite his flaws? Or, maybe you’re familiar with the pristinely conformed horse that’s a less-than-stellar performer.  

So many factors determine whether an equine athlete becomes successful that it’s sometimes hard to predict which horse will go far in the competitive world. It pays to look beyond an individual’s structural conformation and also consider the horse’s work ethic, disposition, skills, training, and fitness, as well as the conditions of the day you assess him