Brooks Equine Genetics Lab
Measurement Instructions
Horse Safety:
When measuring your horse;
- Make sure your horse is properly held by an assistant or comfortably tied before attempting to measure.
- Introduce your horse to the measuring tape slowly, in case he is frightened by the new object.
- Always be careful when working near the legs to avoid getting kicked.
- Be cautious walking behind your horse. Use your voice or a hand on the rump to let him know you are there.
- Never put your head above their head when it is down, in case they were to bring it up quickly.
Always be mindful of where their hooves are to prevent getting stepped on. - When pulling hair for DNA;
- Make sure you are calm and relaxed.
- Be sure your horse is properly restrained when pulling hair.
- Try to pull the hair quickly without sacrificing the safety of you or your horse.
- Some horses are more tolerant of pulling hair from the tail than from the mane. If the hair is difficult to pull, try several smaller sections rather than one large one.
Parts of the Horse You Should Know
Conformational Traits
Body Condition
- Rate the body condition of your horse based on the Henneke Body Conditioning Scale, where 1 is extremely underweight, 5 is ideal and 9 is extremely overweight.
Skull Shape
- Rate your horse’s head shape where 1 is deeply dish-faced, 3 is a straight profile and 5 is strongly Roman-nosed.
Feathering
- Rate the amount of feathering your horse has on his legs where 1 is absolutely no feathering and 5 is extensive feathering.
Bite Conformation
- Rate the bite where 1 is an extreme overbite and 5 is an extreme under-bite.
Bone Thickness
- Rate the bone thickness without consideration of the horse’s size, where 1 is a light, thin-boned skeleton and 5 is a heavy, thick-boned skeleton.
Measurement Traits
Please be sure to measure as close to an 1/8 inch as possible.
Head:
1. Eye to Eye Width: Measure across the forehead between the inside corners of the eyes. Keep the tape taut and straight.
2. Jaw Width: Across the underside of the head, measure straight across from the outsides of the cheekbones. Keep the tape taut and straight.
3. Head Length: Starting between the top corners of the two nostrils, measure straight to the front of the poll.
4. Muzzle Circumference: Take the circumference of the muzzle where the nose piece of the halter goes, settling the tape directly in front of the cheekbones.
5. Left Eye to Mouth Length: Measure from the left corner of the mouth to the back corner of the left eye.
6. Left Eye to Jaw Length: Measure from the back corner of the left eye to the deepest point of the cheek curve.
7. Left Ear Length: On the back of the left ear, measure from base of ear to the tip of ear.
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Neck
8. Length, Head Level with Withers: Measure from the center of the poll to the center of the withers, with your horse’s head level with the withers.
9. Length, Head Down to the Ground: Measure as in 8., but with your horse‘s head stretched as close to the ground as possible.
A treat or novel item, like your clipboard, may encourage your horse to lower its head.
Be careful while measuring that your horse does not raise its head and hit you.
Table here
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10. Circumference, at Throat Latch: Settle the tape where the throat latch of the bridle goes. Pull it snugly but not uncomfortably for your horse.
11. Circumference, at Base: Settle the tape just in front of the withers. Let it rest on the chest and curve comfortably around the base of the neck.
Be careful when wrapping the tape around the horse’s body
12. Height, at Withers: Measure from the ground to the highest point of the withers. Keep the tape taut and straight and perpendicular to the ground.
13. Height, at Croup: Measure from the ground straight up to the highest point of the croup.
14. Height, at Dock: Measure from the ground straight up to the base of the tail.
15. Tail Length: Start at the end of the bony portion of the tail and measure back to the dock.
16. Withers to Croup, Straight: Measure across the back from the withers to the point of the croup creating a straight line with the tape, so it will not touch the back except at the withers and croup.
17. Withers to Croup, Contour: Measure the back from the withers to the croup; allowing the tape to relax and touch the entire length of the spine, it may be easier to have a friend hold the tape down.
18. Length, Croup to Dock: Measure from the point of the croup to the base of the tail.
19. Chest Width: Feel for the points of the shoulder (humeral bones) that project forward out of the chest and measure the distance between the outside edges. Keep the tape taut and straight.
20. Barrel Girth, at Heart: Settle the measuring tape where the girth of the saddle fits, directly behind the forelegs. Pull snugly but not uncomfortably for your horse.
21. Barrel Girth, Maximum: Measure around the barrel at greatest circumference. Pull snugly but not uncomfortably for your horse.
Fore Limb:
22. Left Forearm Length: Measure from the point of the elbow to the back of the knee.
23. Left Fore Cannon Length: Measure from the point at the back of the knee to the ergot (bottom of the fetlock).
24. Left Fore Cannon Midpoint Circumference: Measure around the cannon bone halfway between the knee and the ergot.
25. Left Fore Pastern Length: Measure from the bottom of the fetlock joint to the top of the coronet.
26. Left Fore Pastern Circumference: Measure around the center of the pastern.
27. Left Fore Coronet Circumference: Measure around the hoof along the coronet.
28. Left Fore Hoof Length: Measure from the center of the coronet to the bottom of the front of the hoof.
22. Left Forearm Length: Measure from the point of the elbow to the back of the knee.
23. Left Fore Cannon Length: Measure from the point at the back of the knee to the ergot (bottom of the fetlock).
24. Left Fore Cannon Midpoint Circumference: Measure around the cannon bone halfway between the knee and the ergot.
25. Left Fore Pastern Length: Measure from the bottom of the fetlock joint to the top of the coronet.
26. Left Fore Pastern Circumference: Measure around the center of the pastern.
27. Left Fore Coronet Circumference: Measure around the hoof along the coronet.
28. Left Fore Hoof Length: Measure from the center of the coronet to the bottom of the front of the hoof.
Hind Limb:
29. Left Gaskin Length: Measure from the middle of the stifle joint to the point of the hock. Keep the tape taut and straight.
30. Left Hind Cannon Length: Measure from the point of the hock to the ergot (bottom of the fetlock).
31. Left Hind Cannon Midpoint Circumference: Measure around the cannon bone halfway between the knee and the ergot.
32. Left Hind Pastern Length: Measure from the bottom of the fetlock joint to the top of the coronet.
33. Left Hind Pastern Circumference: Measure around the center of the pastern.
34. Left Hind Coronet Circumference: Measure around the hoof along the coronet.
35. Left Hind Hoof Length: Measure from the center of the coronet to the bottom of the hoof
Body
- Video