Course Description
Evaluation of horses relating to riding qualities and anatomical structure. Prerequisite for competing in collegiate horse judging contests.
Athena Title
Light Horse Eval and Sel
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
- Course will teach the fundamental principles of selecting horses based on conformation, movement, and suitability for different disciplines.
- Course is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of how conformation affects both performance and soundness and what traits are desired for different riding disciplines.
- Course is designed to allow students to correlate form to function and also to be an introductory class to the UGA Horse Judging Team.
- Students are required to use critical thinking and problem solving skills in order to rank horses based on their value.
- Students are required to justify their rankings through oral communication (i.e., reasons).
- Students will learn to utilize industry-appropriate terminology to explain the decision-making process they used in judging horses.
- Students are encouraged to enroll in Advanced Horse Evaluation and Selection for further information in horse evaluation and an opportunity to compete on the UGA Intercollegiate Horse Judging Team.
Topical Outline
- Introduction; Overview of class and syllabus; General anatomy
- Finish anatomy; Heads/necks/vision as related to training
- Topline—angles and balance
- Legs—structure, common blemishes
- Differences in breed characteristics
- Evaluating conformation
- Developing written and oral reasons
- Practice written and oral reasons
- Practice judging conformation—stock type and hunter horses
- Practice judging conformation of other breeds
- Movement—different breeds and disciplines
- Hunters: Under saddle; different divisions
- Hunter hack and hunter over fences
- Hunt seat equitation (flat and fences)
- Jumping classes
- Practice judging different hunt seat classes
- Dressage
- Western pleasure
- Horsemanship
- Western riding
- Reining
- Trail
- Practice judging Western classes
- Cutting
- Working cow horse
- Gaited horses
- Speed events
- Approvals and inspections
