Measuring Weight With the weight tape, encircle the horse's heart girth. Pull the tape up snugly and read the tape. If you don't have a specially calibrated weight tape, you can measure your horse's heart girth with an ordinary measuring tape and use the following table to get an estimate of your horse's weight. Back to top Conformation Conformation in the equine can be defined as the interest in the formation of the skeletal frame and its accompanying muscle structures, in terms of the symmetrical proportion of the individual parts to each other and the whole. In the well-made horse, no one feature disturbs the overall symmetry.
Conformation varies according to the purpose for which the horse is required.
At one extreme are the short, thick proportions and heavy musculature of the draft horse , which indicate strength and power. At the other extreme is the sleek Thoroughbred , based on a light frame and the length of proportions and muscles - conformation conducive to speed. Between, are horses that incline more or less to one than to the other. The key to assessing conformation is in the proportions. A most significant proportion to observe is the depth of the girth.