FIFTH SCHEDULE.   THE JUDGING OF MORGAN HORSES IN NEW ZEALAND.

1                    IN-HAND SECTION.  

Reprinted from "The Morgan Horse Judging Standards" with the permission of the American Morgan Horse Association (Inc.)

MORGAN HORSE IN-HAND JUDGING STANDARDS.

1.         Type is the ideal standard of perfection for the breed.   A Morgan is distinctive for its stamina and vigour,  personality and eagerness and strong natural way of moving.

2.         Conformation is the degree of perfection of the component parts and their relationship to each other.

2.1       The head should be expressive and with broad forehead,  large prominent eyes,  straight or slightly dished short face,  firm,  fine lips,  large nostrils,  and well rounded jowls.   The ears should be short and shapely,  set rather wide apart and carried alertly.   Mares may have a slightly longer ear.

2.2       The throat latch is slightly deeper than other breeds and should be refined sufficiently to allow proper flexion at the poll and normal respiration.

2.3       The neck should come out of the top of and extremely well angulated shoulder with depth from the top of the withers to point of shoulder.   It should be relatively fine in relation to sex.   It should be slightly arched and should blend with the withers and back.   Ideally the neck should have sufficient length and be set high enough to allow the individual to set his head in a proper position while still  maintaining his entire head and nose above the line of his withers.   Judges must be cautious however,  not to reward length of neck over proper placement of the neck and must keep in mind the balance and symmetry necessary to maintain the "Morgan look" which is predicted by the way the neck grows out of the back.   The top line of the neck should be considerably longer than the bottom line.   The stallion should have more crest than the mare or gelding.   An animal gelded late in life may resemble a stallion more closely.

2.4       The withers should be well defined and extend into the back in proportion to the angulation of the shoulder.

2.5       The body should be compact with a short back,  close coupling,  broad loins,  deep flank,  well sprung ribs,  croup long and well muscled,  with tail attached high,  carried gracefully and straight.   Weak,  low or long back is a severe fault.   The Morgan horse should not be higher at the rump than at the wither.

2.6       The stifle should be placed well forward and low in the flank area.   It is imperative that weak or loose stifles be severely faulted.

2.7       The legs should be straight and sound with short cannons,  flat bone,  and an appearance of overall substance with refinement.   The forearm should be relatively long in proportion to the cannon.   The pasterns should have sufficient length and angulation to provide a light,  springy step.

2.8       The structure of the rear legs is of extreme importance to the selection of a long lasting equine athlete.   Judges must take special care to severely fault individuals displaying weakness in this area.   Any sign of poor angulation of the hocks,  sickle hocks or cow hocks must be considered a severe fault.   Lack of proper flexion of the hock is cause for very close examination of the entire structure of the rear legs and should not be tolerated in breeding stock or show ring winners.

2.9       The feet should be in proportion to the size of the horse,  round,  open at the heel,  with concave sole and hoof of dense structure.

2.10     Viewed from the front,  the chest should be well developed.   The front legs should be perpendicular to the ground and closely attached to the body.

2.11     Viewed from the side,  the top line represents a gentle curve from the poll to the back,  giving the impression of the neck sitting on top of the withers rather than in front of them,  continuing to a short,  straight back with a relatively level croup rounding to a well muscled thigh.   The tail should be attached high and carried well arched.   At maturity the croup should not be higher than the withers.   The under line should be long and the body deep through the heart and flanks.   The extreme angulation of the shoulder results in the arm being a little more vertical than in other breeds,  placing the front legs slightly farther forward on the body.   The front legs should be straight and perpendicular to the ground.   The rear cannons should be perpendicular to the ground when points of hocks and buttocks are in the same vertical lines.

2.12     Viewed from the rear,  the croup should be well rounded,  thighs and gaskins well muscled.   Legs should be straight.   The gaskin should be relatively long in relation to the cannon.   The Morgan should portray good spring of rib and well rounded buttocks.   Slab sided individuals should be faulted.

2.13     The height ranges between 14.1 to 15.2,  with some individuals under or over.

2.14     Horses must be serviceably sound - i.e. must not show evidence of lameness,  broken wind or complete loss of sight in either eye.

2.15     Stallions two years old and over must have all the fully developed physical characteristics of a stallion.   Mature stallions must be masculine in appearance,  and both testicles must be dropped and appear normal.   Mares must be feminine in appearance.

3                    Other distinctive attributes of the Morgan horse are his presence and personality.   These include:-

3.1              Animation.

3.2              Stamina

3.3              Vigour

3.4              Alertness.

3.5              Adaptability.

3.6              Attitude.

3.7              Tractability.

4.         Some Conformation Faults.

4.1       Faults and unsoundness of the head:-

4.1.1    Course or plain head.

4.1.2    Long and course ears.

4.1.3    Lop ears.

4.1.4    Ears set too far forward.

4.1.5    Pig eyes.

4.1.6    Any impairment of vision.

4.1.7    Parrot mouth.

4.1.8    Course muzzle.

4.1.9    Narrow,  long head.

4.1.10  Roman nose.

4.1.11  Small nostrils.

4.1.12  Broken wind - respiratory distress.

4.1.13  Stallions lacking masculinity.

4.1.14  Mares lacking femininity.

The typical Morgan head is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of the breed.   Any of the above mentioned faults seriously detracts from it and should be penalized accordingly.

4.2       Faults of the neck.

4.2.1    Ewe necked.

4.2.2    Crest fallen.

4.2.3    Course throat latch.

4.2.4    Short neck.

4.2.5    Neck bowed on the bottom.

4.2.6    Lacking arch.

These faults seriously interfere with the flexion at the poll and detract from the beauty and efficiency of the horse.

4.3       Faults of the withers.

4.3.1    Mutton withers.

4.3.2    Lowness of withers.

4.3.3    Dip in front of the withers.

4.3.4    Coarseness on the sides of the withers.

Good withers are very important.   Deficiency of the withers should be penalized according to its severity.

4.4       Faults of the shoulders.

4.4.1    Too short.

4.4.2    Too straight.

4.4.3    Too loosely attached to the body.

4.5       Faults of the body.

4.5.1    Low backed.

4.5.2    Flat ribbed.

4.5.3    Roach backed.

4.5.4    Long backed.

4.5.5    Weak coupling.

4.5.6    Shallow bodied.

4.5.7    Hollow chested.

4.5.8    Lack of depth through the heart and flank.

Any of these faults seriously detracts from good Morgan type and efficiency and should be penalized.

4.6       Faults of the Croup.

4.6.1    High croup.

4.6.2    Short croup.

4.6.3    Insufficient muscling.

4.6.4    Steep croup.

4.6.5    Low set tail.

4.6.6    Overly long croup.

A croup higher than the withers is usually associated with a low back.   A short croup interferes with the length of the stride behind.   Insufficient muscling inhibits propulsion.   A steep croup and low tail set detract from the overall balance of the individual horse.   These faults should be penalized according to their severity.

4.7       Faults,  blemishes,  and unsoundness of the legs and feet.

4.7.1    Evidence of severe founder.

4.7.2    Bone spavin.

4.7.3    Ring bone.

4.7.4    String halt.

4.7.5    Off set knees.

4.7.6    Calf Knees.

4.7.7    Over at the knees.

4.7.8    Bow legs front or rear.

4.7.9    Tied in below the knees.

4.7.10  Long cannons.

4.7.11  Round bones.

4.7.12  Straight pasterns.

4.7.13  Splay footed or pigeon toed.

4.7.14  Contracted heels.

4.7.15  Side bone.

4.7.16  Stands wide base or narrow base.

4.7.17  Sickle hocked.   (Curby conformation.)

4.7.18  Cow hocked.

4.7.19  Course hocks.

4.7.20  Bog spavin - Through pin.

4.7.21  Curb.

4.7.22  Capped hocks.

4.7.23  Shoe boil.

4.7.24  Wind puff.

4.7.25  Dish foot.

4.7.26  Splint.

Each of the above faults,  blemishes and symptoms of unsoundness interferes with the normal function and /or appearance of a horse.   The degree of severity should be considered and penalized accordingly by judge.

4.8       Additional faults.

4.8.1    Rat tail.

4.8.2    Mane or tail rubbed out.

4.8.3    Rough coat.

A full,  natural mane and tail and a smooth glossy coat enhance the appearance of the animal.

5.         Correct way of going for In-Hand classes.

It is imperative that height of action should not take precedence over correct way of going.

Emphasis shall be on type and conformation with consideration given to the horse's ability to move correctly on the lead.

5.1       The walk shall be rapid,  flat footed,  with a four beat cadence,  and elastic, with the accent on flexion in the pastern.

5.2       The trot should be two beat,  diagonal gait,  animated,  elastic,  square,  and collected.   The rear action should be in balance with the front.

5.3       Emphasis should be on the horse's ability to perform as described in 1 and 2 above,  regardless of the type of shoeing or the type of training the horse has received.

5.4       All horses should exhibit good manners in the ring.   The way of going and presence are equally as distinctive as the type itself.

5.5       Stress should be on a quiet,  orderly presentation of the horse.   He should move straight and true on the line,  without a tendency to break gait or resist the handler.   Individuals who constantly break,  jump or buck when being shown on the line should be suspect of structural faults and often lack a balanced way of going.   At the judges discretion they may be asked to "go again",  however,  judges should avoid placing horses unable to perform a trot on the line without repeated breaking,  bucking or lounging.

6.         Suggested procedures of Judging In-Hand Classes.

6.1       Horses enter the ring and line up at the discretion of the judge.

6.2       Horses are to be judged individually standing,  then at a walk and trot on the line along the rail.

6.3       Horses must stand squarely on all four feet.   They are not to be stretched.   One hind cannon bone may be placed slightly behind a cannon bone which is perpendicular to the ground.   (M.H.A.N.Z.)

6.4       Suggested procedures for the elimination in large classes.

6.4.1    At the discretion of the judge,  the horses,  after being worked on the rail,  may be placed in two groups,  one group to remain under consideration and the second group to be excused.   Before being excused,  the second group is again reviewed to insure that a qualifying horse is not overlooked.   This group may then be excused.

6.4.2    The judge may take numbers of superior animals as they are being worked on the rail.   When all horses have been worked,  superior horses are separated and others are re-evaluated and excused.

6.5       The final placing of the horses may be made evident to the spectators by placing them in their proper order.

6.6       The Champion and Reserve Champion shall be selected from horses that have placed first or second in their qualifying class.   All qualified horses are considered to be equal at the start of the championship class.

II.        RESTRICTIONS TO SHOWING.

All horses in Morgan classes will be Recorded / Registered with The Morgan Horse Association of New Zealand Inc. with the exception of foals at foot.