Gmel said a horse that has a naturally wider head and neck angle will have more difficulty workng in a closed frame. Being aware of that can help avoid the welfare consequences of forced positions, she added. | Photo: iStock

Recent study results highlight the importance of specific angles in a horse’s conformation that can affect not only his looks but also his performance, health, and welfare.

“We need to be viewing these angles, in part, as insight into a horse’s physical limitations and respect those, because they’re just part of his genetics and can’t be modified through training,” said Annik Gmel, PhD, of the Agroscrope national agricultural research center and Swiss National Stud, in Avenches, Switzerland.

Gmel and her fellow researchers identified two conformation angles that link to a specific gene, affecting the size of the angle. One was the natural angle of the head and neck (at the poll), and the other was the natural angle of the elbow