2009-01-29T05:44:00.000-09:00

By C. Anne Baker

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 a horse's conformation? By looking at your horse, would you be able to tell if it was acceptable for racing? The conformation is simply the shape of the horse?s body. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association says that you should consider a horse?s balance, intelligence, bone structure, and their athletic prowess. The group puts great importance on these four categories:

1. Balance - Is the horse well-proportioned? Does the frame suit its muscle?

2. Bone structure can be assessed by judging whether the horse is sturdy or lightweight.

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 athleticism of the horse will make itself known by the physically fit appearance of the horse.

Some examples of specific conformation flaws include:

* Back at the knee - the knee joint sits back to far, adds stress to the knees and can result in tendon and ligament tears as well as chipped bones.

* Toeing in front feet appear to slope inward, causes stride problems.

* 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 - long and weak in the back, causes problems properly saddling the horse and causes soreness.

Keep in mind that no horse is conformed perfectly. However, you must look for the best possible combination of the aforementioned attributes in order to get the best horse possible. For example:

* A horse with very little intelligence will be difficult to train and may not obey the jockey's commands.

* 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 comes from genetics. Study each horse and look for the best one possible. This will result in a horse with good breeding that has a real chance to win.

About the Author:

C. Anne Baker's life has involved thoroughbred horse racing and bloodstock for many years. She also contributes to horse racing charities. For a limited time, visitors to her website PartnersInThoroughbreds.com can receive her notable guide Becoming Involved A Horse Racing Partnership