08/24/2025
Gods rule of perfect thirds....also draw a line thru knee to hock and across at ground level. You will have perfect squares.
Have you ever heard of the Trapezoid Theory in judging horses?
To find a truly balanced horse, use the Trapezoid Theory. Divide the side view of the horse into thirds.
The first measurement is from the point of the shoulder to the girth. The next is from the girth to the flank, and then the last is from the flank to the point of the buttocks. These lines should divide the horse into three equal parts. Next, draw a line from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks. This is your bottom line. Next, draw a line from the buttocks to the top of the croup. Then draw a line from the croup to the withers and finally from the withers to the point of the shoulder. A true trapezoid will be balanced in measurement. The parallel lines of the shoulder and hip should be identical in measurement and angle with a short back and a long underline.
Next, consider the neck. The horse balances itself with the neck. The neck should be the same measurement from the poll to the withers as the measurement from the withers as the measurement from the withers to the croup and from the croup to the point of the hip and from the withers to the point of the shoulder.
Next, consider the shoulder and hip angles for speed and power. The length of the horse's stride will be found in the angle of the shoulder, and the power and stopping ability will be in the angle of the hip.
Finally, the height of the withers is the balance point of the horse. If the withers are lower than the croup, the horse will feel like it's running downhill all the time, thus the horse will not be able to move his front end as well. Lower withers will also affect the size of the heart girth, which is where the horse's lung capacity is.
