Conditioning
 

Conditioning combines different methods that aim to artificially alter the physical appearance of a horse. This is a process that is found in certain breeds such as the Arabian Thoroughbred, the Tenessee Walker (where there is also a modification of the natural gait of the horse) and also the Miniature Horse.

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Some breeders practice these methods, whether in France or abroad, mainly in order to increase the quality of their show horses. Unfortunately, these practices tend to win over all miniature breeds in France. More and more horses are presented conditioned on competitions which are not, however, shows. The goal is of course to win the competitions.

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In the USA, the Stock type classes are developing, bringing together more and more participants. Horses entered in these classes are neither artificially conditioned nor made up and must be presented naturally : square, without neck extension.

 

It is a shame to see that in France we are regressing, while in the country of origin of many of our horses, the breed is in full evolution.

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Everyone must therefore ask themselves these questions :

• What I want to produce : horses that are naturally well built and will need adapted work to look their best or horses that are conditionable. 

• What is important for me : the well-being of my horses or their image in photos and in competitions

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These are important data to take into account when creating your breeding farm and in your future choices. It is of course pleasant to win in competitions, but at what cost ?

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The most common practices are as follows.

 

Sweating

Using pieces of neoprene fabric that are placed at the neckline and belly tie and which evacuate water from the muscles and refine the silhouette (neck wrap, belly wrap).  

 

Ration control

Often the raw fiber is removed to prevent swelling of the digestive system. The horses live in box or paddock and are followed by a nutritionist in order to calculate and adapt the ration to each individual.

 

Operations

In the USA, breeders do not hesitate to inject hormones to allow a young horse to gain muscle more quickly and thus appear more physically mature. These operations sometimes even go as far as fitting dental braces to correct a prognathic jaw or removing the parotids so that the neck attachment is thinner.

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At the show PHAC is also used the pose of hairpiece at the level of the tail. Unfortunately, the modification does not stop there for many show horses in the USA a tail is removed to be replaced by these hairpieces, or the tendon allowing the tail to remain in the low position is severed, the high port of the tail (like an Arabian horse) being appreciated by the judges. These are practices prohibited in many countries, but an imported horse may have been operated on before arriving in another territory.  

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Other practices are intended to modify visual perception without actually modifying the horse physically.

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Makeup & Clipping

Harmless when properly used, makeup and clipping can sometimes alter our perception of a horse. For example, shaving the head leaving more hair on the forehead and shaving the rest of the head very closely, gives the impression of a very Arabized head. Eye makeup allows them to be enlarged and made to stand out, with large expressive eyes being sought after in competition.

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Many drifts are observed in the practice of shearing, competition horses are shorn and mowed before each competition, some are mowed "clean". Miniature horses like other horses have a natural moult that spreads from spring to early summer, it is possible to shear to remove the remaining winter hair without affecting the natural moult of the horse before the competition period. It is important to note that the horse's summer dress is shiny and has a beautiful color and shine. The summer coat is fine and does not visually impact the morphology unlike the thick and dense winter coat, so a judge does not need a horse to be trimmed to appreciate it.

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Photo editing

The way a photo is taken can sometimes be misleading. A slightly long back horse that is photographed at an angle, a ground diagonally to give a better orientation of the neck, so many known methods. And of course photo editing software is not left out, it is easy to raise a stomach, improve the top of a rump so that it looks straight, dig a muzzle to have an arabized head, etc.

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It is also possible to skew by the age of the horse in the photo. You will regularly see photos where the horse is a foal or still young when it comes to adults or broodmares. The trick is simple to locate this type of photo : look at the tail of the horse, that of a foal is necessarily shorter or even curly baby hair, it will not have the same aspect as that of anyway an adult horse. The morphology for a trained eye will not deceive, an excess of finesse and lack of development for an adult horse must be keen.

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​Some breeders rely a lot on the physical work of their horses : show jumping (in hand), harnessing, work with the long reins, in lunge and in freedom, outdoor sports outings, etc., which is to their credit.

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Here again, certain practices can be questionable, in particular in the intensive use of walkers : in circles or treadmills. It happens that horses spend hours every day in these machines, or see foals as young as 6 months old in training.

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It is essential when buying your miniature horse to ask for natural photos and videos, to go there, to see the living conditions of the horses and the parents if possible. All these factors can give you an idea of their living conditions and an indication of the conditioning practices that are, or not, used.