Condition

The 'condition' of a horse is governed by several factors; what type of work he is doing, what he is fed, his state of health, and how well he is being looked after.

A horse that is eventing fit, in good health, and eating the correct amount of food, will have good solid muscle development, and could be described as being in 'good, hard' condition.

Similarly, a well-fed, healthy horse that is not working hard, and, therefore, does not have well-developed muscles, could be described as being in 'good, but soft' condition.

To the untrained eye, it is easy to mistake a horse lacking in muscle development as having poor conformation; similarly, an overweight horse with an excess of fatty tissue around the quarters and on the crest can be mistaken for being of good conformation.

It is important to remember that 'conformation' and 'condition are two very different things.