You may be buying a thoroughbred racehorse or you may be buying a share of a horse in a horse racing partnership or syndicate. Whichever you choose, you need to know exactly what your investment is getting you. This means learning about more than just the policies of your partnership, the cost of your initial share and the monthly fees. You must understand how to get the best investment horse.
Do you understand what the horse?s conformation is? Would you be able to decide whether it was unacceptable for racing? If you don?t already know, conformation is the body shape. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association recommends studying a horse's intelligence, balance, athletic abilities, and bone structure. Here are the four categories of attributes you should be looking at:
1. Balance - Is the horse well-proportioned? Does the frame suit its muscle?
2. Bone - Does it appear to be substantial - not too light?
3. The intelligence of the horse will be apparent in how well he keeps in control, how alert he is and how aware he seems of his own surroundings.
4. The horse?s athleticism will be apparent in how physically fit it appears.
Some examples of specific conformation flaws include:
* Back at the knee means that the horse has knee joints that sit too far back, adding stress and risk to the knees. The horse may suffer from torn tendons or ligaments or from chipped bones with this condition.
* Toeing in is when stride is affected by the front feet sloping inward.
* Toeing out is when the horses feet are sloping outward. This can be a serious problem that can cause falls and injuries. With this condition, the horse's legs may hit each other when he runs.
* Pig eyes - horses eyes are small and set close together which can impair their field of vision.
* Sway back is a weak, long back that makes saddling properly a difficult task and will cause soreness.
No horses are perfectly conformed. But, finding a horse with the best conformation possible will mean finding the best investment horse possible. Watch for conformation problems such as:
* Horses with no intelligence will not be easy to train and may never obey the jockey.
* A horse with bad physical fitness or with health issues will not be acceptable for racing and is not likely to win.
* A horse with a dense bone structure will have a higher chance of becoming injured
* If the proportion is wrong, the balance and speed of the horse can be negatively affected.
Conformation simply put is a result of genetics. Look for the best and hope for the best, a well-bred sound horse you can invest in that will win. - 16887
Do you understand what the horse?s conformation is? Would you be able to decide whether it was unacceptable for racing? If you don?t already know, conformation is the body shape. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association recommends studying a horse's intelligence, balance, athletic abilities, and bone structure. Here are the four categories of attributes you should be looking at:
1. Balance - Is the horse well-proportioned? Does the frame suit its muscle?
2. Bone - Does it appear to be substantial - not too light?
3. The intelligence of the horse will be apparent in how well he keeps in control, how alert he is and how aware he seems of his own surroundings.
4. The horse?s athleticism will be apparent in how physically fit it appears.
Some examples of specific conformation flaws include:
* Back at the knee means that the horse has knee joints that sit too far back, adding stress and risk to the knees. The horse may suffer from torn tendons or ligaments or from chipped bones with this condition.
* Toeing in is when stride is affected by the front feet sloping inward.
* Toeing out is when the horses feet are sloping outward. This can be a serious problem that can cause falls and injuries. With this condition, the horse's legs may hit each other when he runs.
* Pig eyes - horses eyes are small and set close together which can impair their field of vision.
* Sway back is a weak, long back that makes saddling properly a difficult task and will cause soreness.
No horses are perfectly conformed. But, finding a horse with the best conformation possible will mean finding the best investment horse possible. Watch for conformation problems such as:
* Horses with no intelligence will not be easy to train and may never obey the jockey.
* A horse with bad physical fitness or with health issues will not be acceptable for racing and is not likely to win.
* A horse with a dense bone structure will have a higher chance of becoming injured
* If the proportion is wrong, the balance and speed of the horse can be negatively affected.
Conformation simply put is a result of genetics. Look for the best and hope for the best, a well-bred sound horse you can invest in that will win. - 16887
About the Author:
C. Anne Baker's life has involved thoroughbred horse racing and bloodstock for countless years. She also contributes to horse racing charities. For a short time, visitors to her website PartnersInThoroughbreds.com can download her notable guide Becoming Involved A Horse Racing Partnership
No comments:
Post a Comment