Horse conformation

Many characteristics can be faults or desired depending on the breed, for example for a light racing breed an upright shoulder would be a fault (shortening the stride), whereas for many heavy draught horse breeds it would be desired as more befitting for pulling with a horse collar. Some faults are universal, such as faults in the legs.

Overall shape and condition

Body condition

• 
  Very fat
• 
  Fat
• 
  Good condition
• 
  Very thin (and pregnant)
• 
  Extremely thin

Frame of body

• 
  Very short
• 
  Short
• 
  Average
• 
  Long
• 
  Very long

Heaviness

• 
  Very light
• 
  Light
• 
  Midweight
• 
  Heavy
• 
  Very heavy

Neck

• 
  Swan neck (weak top line and bulging under line)
• 
  Another swan neck, especially weak top line
• 
  Very heavy neck
• 
  Knife neck (shapeless, straight lines)
• 
  Very large crest of neck
• 
  Short neck
• 
  Short neck
• 
  Long, thin and arching neck that is today the mode for Arabian horses

Topline

• 
  Deeply swayed back
• 
  "Regular" back
• 
  Almost straight, "shapeless" back
• 
  Shapely back of a muscular heavy horse