YOU BE THE JUDGE
Mare B goes to the top of the
class for her femininity, type and
structural correctness. Both
mares in the top two have fine necks that set high on their
shoulders. After that, there are trade-offs. Mare B has a
more desirable slope to her shoulder with a little bit more
length. Mare C has more depth of heartgirth with a little
more spring of rib. Mare C is shorter and stronger in her
back and loin. Mare B has a more rectangular hindquarter
with more length of croup and hip and more width across
the gaskin. Mare C is rounder in her hindquarter with shorter
muscling and is shorter and more sloping in the croup.
B, the grey, is more structurally correct in her feet and legs,
as she is much wider in her tendon and ligament
attachments and has a more desirable slope to her
pasterns. Mare C stands underneath herself in front and is
tied-in below the knees. It’s possible that mare C has calf
knees (back at the knees), but one would have to see her
move to confirm. Mare C is also light in her tendons and
ligaments behind. Both mares have similarly-shaped
heads, but the grey mare, B, has a much larger eye and a
more prominent dish. Mare C appears to have a bit of a
slip-jibbah (dropped forehead) between her eyes and is
slightly elk-nosed (rounded) in her profile to her mouth.
One could have a similar
conversation about mares A and
D. Mare A is much cleaner in the
neck and throatlatch. The chestnut, D, is almost ewe-necked
with an underslung arc to the bottom length of neck. Mare
D does have a better slope of shoulder than does the grey
mare, A. However, mare A is shorter over her topline. She
also lacks length and depth of both hip and croup and has
quite a steep slope to the croup. Mare D certainly has more
length in both croup and hip with a flatter croup and
higher-set tail. Mare D also has shorter cannons with wider
tendon and ligament attachments. Mare A is more feminine
and refined in the head, and is more readily distinguishable
as an Arabian. However, I would like to see mare A have
more angulation to her hocks.
C
D
A

1 &

2

3 &

4

B
R
A
C
ZK
O
W
S
KA
P
H
O
TO
R
A
C
ZK
O
W
SK
A
P
H
O
TO
VA
N
L
EN
T^
P
H
O
TO
V
A
N
L
E
N
T^
P
H
O
TO
//
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AHW > 92 < 0 8.19