FOAL ASSESSMENT - Looking at your young foals' conformation and the way they react to new things can give you great indication into their future body shape and trainability.
Written by SHNZ

If you haven't bred a foal before, or had much to do with young un-developed horses, it can be somewhat difficult to envisage what this gangly bundle of legs and angular proportions in front of you is going to turn out like when it has grown into a fully matured animal.

New foals can at first glance appear to just be all legs and very angular shapes, but taking a closer look can reveal quite alot of what you can expect from them in the conformation and temperament departments when they have fully matured.

The horse goes through quite a few major changes as it grows. You may be familiar with the idea of looking at a horse side on and imagining 2 straight verticle lines cutting the horse into 3 seperate portions, these being (approximately):
- the head and neck to the wither down through the shoulder
- the shoulder to the start of the flank
- the hindquarters, being from flank to tail.
(Note - some people prefer to visually split the horse into 4 portions, giving the head a seperate section from the neck.)
Another aspect to look at when considering the overall balance of the horses' body is the length of leg in relation to the size of the body.
Balanced conformation is important because it provides the horse with the mechanics to move more efficiently, and with less stress.
Generally, a fully grown horse that is evenly proportioned throughout these sections gives an overall impression of balance and is very "easy on the eye".

From the moment a foal is first standing up, using this technique, you can get a relatively good idea of the basic balance of its body, including if it looks tall (leggy) or short. Bone size can be assessed by looking at the canon bones and knees to see strong to light bone (you may need to have other foals alongside to best compare this if you havent bred before).
I also believe you can quite quickly assess the basic temperament, or first instincts towards something new. There are indeed foals who are quite aggressive and fiesty towards their surroundings from the moment they hit the ground, others may be very shy and timid, while other foals are extremely curious, talkative and playful as soon as they are born. Even how quickly your foal learns can be observed as they stumble around in their first attempts to find a drink of milk! Obviously your mare will play an important part in showing the foal how to behave and treat humans, so bear in mind that if, for example, she is very anxious about your presence near her new baby, then it isnt fair to judge her foals' temperament on this incident alone!

After the initial time spent testing out their legs and learning how to move without falling over, you can take a look at the foals leg conformation. If your foal is still having alot of trouble standing up on its own, it could be due to some form of limb deviation. Many foals, especially tall, long legged foals, are born with some slight form of crooked limb deviation from the knees, being either slightly knock-kneed (carpal valgus) or knees slightly bent out (carpal varus). Usually the knock-kneed foals also appear to point their toes outwards rather than straight ahead. These relatively minor deviations are usually quite normal, and said to be caused by the slightly uneven growth of the inner and outer bones of the legs, perhaps due to being so constricted in the womb, and usually right themselves fairly quickly once the foal gains strength walking on its legs and begins to grow.

A Thoroughbred colt just born and making his first effort to stand. Notice the very loose tendons and toe-out appearance at his front pasterns which is quite within the normal range for such a newborn. This foal is quite well developed and muscley, he also exhibits quite big bone for a Thoroughbred. Even at this early moment you can see he has quite a good length of rein and long legs in relation to his body. Notice how close his knees are in height to those of his dam, emphasising how much bodily growth a young horse makes during maturity and therefore the importance of limb conformity, steady growth and limited strain - whether through exercise or over-feeding - during the early years to assist in long-term soundness.

Another very common problem with foal legs can appear in either of two ways - contracted or loose tendons. With contracted tendons the foal looks as if it is walking right up on its tiptoes and may initally have trouble standing easily until the tendons begin to relax. The opposite can also occur when the tendons are too loose, and the foal may not even be able to put its hooves on the ground properly and appear to stand right back on its heels, possibly also resting the back of the pasterns and fetlock on the ground. Loose or contracted tendons can vary in degree of severity and may require a bandage or splint for support. The best remedy for either tendon problem is simply standing and walking (but not too much running or galloping - restriction from too much movement such as in a stable or very small paddock, while standing and weight bearing will help remedy leg problems much quicker). Usually the more minor cases will resolve themselves within a matter of days once the foal gains strength and mobility. If the foal is having trouble standing on its own, by helping the foal up and then holding them as they stand on their feet will help them gain strength so that they will probably soon be able to do it on their own - depending on the severity.
However for any limb problems or deviations, even if it looks minor, consult your vet who will advise if treatment will be required, as best results will occur the sooner you begin while the body is growing so rapidy.

So, your new foal has arrived, it is now about 3 weeks old and most probably enthusiastically skipping around the paddock and causing Mum a few annoyances! By this stage any initial tendon problems have usually righted themselves, and the foal has gained strength, filled out and lost sign of any minor foaling trauma (eg some foals heads can be a little swollen after birth etc). This age is a great time to take bit more of a look at the conformation including the slope on the shoulder, the head, the neck and the expected maturity height.

A well formed shoulder will have both good length and slope. It is said that the more slope or angle there is on the horses' shoulder (the angle being approximately from the wither to the front point of the shoulder), then the more free the movement will be, as a more sloped angle allows easier extension and lift which is required for both dressage and jumping type disciplines. An upright or "blocked" shoulder is described as one where this line runs more straight up and down and usually offers less ability to easily extend and lift. In a good shoulder the angle from the top of the withers down to the front point of the shoulder to the point of the elbow must be greater than 90°.

The same Thoroughbred colt as shown in the previous photo, now one month old, strong on his legs and growing rapidly. Overall he is looking very happy and healthy. The dark line visable along his spine at his hindquarters and the shading around his eyes and muzzle indicate he will be a very dark brown when his foal coat disappears.

You can also take a look at the neck and assess the length of rein to judge whether it looks in balance to the rest of the body. However, possibly of more importance than the length of the neck, is the way the neck is actually set on to the shoulder. For a horse to be able to naturally offer a high head carriage and find roundness and collection much easier (especially required for higher level dressage and a good jumping bascule), the ideal is for the neck to be situated quite well up on the shoulder to form an upstanding front end and neckset appearance.

Bear in mind that different breeds that have been bred for different purposes will all have their own special features with regards to conformation. For example, a Quarter horse is often lower set in the neck as they are not required to carry themselves in the same way as a dressage horse and the breed focus regarding conformation has been largely based on the hindquarters to provide strength and power for working cattle etc. A Clydesdale usually has quite a strong and more upright shoulder as this attribute assists towards their working strength to pull heavy machinery and carts. A Warmblood horse (eg Holsteiner, Hanoverian, Trakehner etc) usually has quite an upstanding front end due to their high set on necks and good length of rein, both properties which have been purposefully selected and bred for in the modern breeding programmes to produce a performance sporthorse who finds the competitive demands easier.

Also bear in mind that foals are in rapid growth mode and most of the time will appear higher in the hindquarters than the front end or wither area, so dont worry if your foal looks a bit "downhill" - this is completely normal and very necessary!!

The Thoroughbred colt, now approx 3 1/2 months old and looking more like a horse with his nicely filled out frame. Notice the good balance to his overall conformation with each third of his body in good proportion with the others. His hindquarters are currently higher than his withers as you would expect in a young foal in rapid growth mode. He has a lovely face shape and alert expression. Although a little hard to judge in this photo due to his stance and chopped off hooves (!), this colt is very correct in both front leg and hind leg conformation. His foal coat is gradually dissapearing in patches to reveal a dark brown coat underneath.

Another conformation point you will be able to assess from early on is the prettiness of the head! Some of the prettiest mature horse heads seem to often be born with quite a 'dish' and refined shape to their head when they are a foal. Large alert eyes with a broad forehead and refined muzzle usually make for an attractively shaped head.
Interestingly, from research undertaken overseas, the head shape has been found to actually be the number one most inheritable feature in horse breeding. So if you wish to breed a foal with an attractive head, make sure both parents have one!!

Expected maturity height (EMH) is something many breeders are keen to discover early on and unfortunately there seem to be many different theories around about how best to measure this! One common practise is to measure from the point of the shoulder blade down to the fetlock, then invert the measuring tape to reveal how many more inches above the withers the horse can be expected grow.
Another popular theory is to measure from the middle of the knee to the top of the coronet band, this measurement in inches is said to relate to the expected size in hands. For example, if the measurement is 13 inches, then the horse can be expected to mature around 13hh.
(NOTE: We would love to hear from readers who have put these or other expected maturity height theories to the test!!)

Your foal will grow rapidly over the next few months. Do not be afraid if one day the hind end seems to be way up in the air compared to the front end, or that the back seems to sudenly look a little long, then before you know it the wither has shot up and taken the lead! The proportions you saw at just a few weeks old will more than likely keep re-appearing in between growth spurts and are what your foal will end up with when mature.

Chances are you have developed a friendly relationship and trust with your foal out in the paddock to the point where you can now go out and give him or her a good scratch! If you decide to handle your foal more than this before it is weaned, which is a good idea, you will be given another great indication into their basic temperament. With fair handling, you will find some foals accept things quite readily and are quick to learn what is right and wrong to do, while others may try to protect themselves or seem to blindly run and attempt escape from your terrifying ideas of ropes and halter!

At just a year old now, the Thoroughbred colt has grown alot and is maturing into an attractive yearling with a handsome face and kind, gentle expression.

At approx. 1 and a 1/2 years old, the colt is displaying an obvious growth spurt with very high hindquarters causing an almost sway backed appearance which is quite normal for his age and breed.

Most foals will attempt at least some initial resistance to something such as picking up their feet for the first time (quite understandable when you are asking them to give up their number one instinctual ability to flee). However it is in how quickly they learn and accept what you are asking of them, providing you are always asking in a calm, fair and consistent manner, that you will discover the beginnings of their temperament and future trainability.

The process of selecting a sire and dam who complement each other to breed a foal is one thing, but the post-birth handling, feeding and general care are also obviously of great importance in shaping its future.
If you have taken all of these things into account and provided your young horse with a safe, healthy and consistent learning environment, chances are the new foal in your paddock will be a very good example of its breed and type, all set to now develop into a wonderful friend and performer in the years to come.

The Thoroughbred colt is shown here at over 2 years old and has matured into a beautifully put together young horse, a fine example of his breed and sex type.

(Note: Please dont hesitate to consult your vet for futher information on foal limb deviations, growth rates and health care if you have any queries.)
Our thanks to Astek Stud, Christchurch, for the photographs used in this article.

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