Selection of Thoroughbred horses for racing and breeding is based primarily on equine performance, pedigree, and phenotype (physical characteristics). Although conformation plays a critical role in the evaluation of horses, current methods of analyzing equine conformation are largely subjective and vary according to personal opinion and individual experience.

To develop practical, objective methods of analyzing conformation in Thoroughbreds, researchers at Colorado State University’s (CSU) School of Veterinary Medicine designed a longitudinal study to identify the growth-related skeletal changes that occur in horses from weanling to age three. The findings were published in the November 2004 issue of Equine Veterinary Journal