Trapezoid Conformation

Understanding your horse's performance with a little basic math

by Patrick Hooks

Hey folks, this go 'round, I would like to share some ideas about conformation and how it can directly affect your horse's performance. First, I need to give credit to the fellows I picked up this bit of knowledge from, Doug Milholland and Bob Loomis. Years ago I had the pleasure of riding with Doug. He drilled the idea of riding in time with the horse into my head. As I continued to search and learn about riding a reining horse, I picked up on the knowledge of another successful reiner: Bob Loomis. These fellows' abilities and their horses' performances amazed me as a young man.

The Trapezoid Theory

At the all-knowing old age of twentyish, I found myself in a trap. I knew I had the timing and the mechanics of the horse down pat, so to speak, but I couldn’t always get that set of elevens I was looking for in my stop, no matter how hard I tried. Believe me when I say that I punished a few horses before I figured this out. I finally had to accept the fact that some horses were simply bred and conformed to do certain events better than others. However, I learned that there was one common denominator in all horses that performed well in their events. It is called a trapezoid. Yes, a mathematical figure to be found on the horse if you know where to look. 

I have learned to look for this trapezoid figure in race, barrel, cow, and ranch horse versatility horses, so the theory isn’t discriminating in any way. As a matter of fact, I used to do extremely well at the track using this theory until what made Milwaukee famous changed my mind about betting one more daily double or trifecta. Oh, the pain of growing up!

The whole idea of the trapezoid theory is to find a truly balanced horse. When artist Jim Reno made the bronze of Secretariat, he used a trapezoid figure for the base of his sculpture. The angles of Secretariat’s shoulders and hips were heaven-sent for power and speed. Don Burt passed this theory on to the performance and show world, and I give credit to Bob Loomis for sharing it in his book Reining: The Art of Performance In Horses.

How it Works

First, divide the side of the horse into thirds, as in drawing A. The first measurement is from the point of the shoulder to the girth (1). The next is from the girth to the flank (2), and then from the flank to the point of the buttocks (3). These lines should divide the horse into three equal parts. 

Next, connect the dots and lines. Imagine, measure, or draw a line from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks. This is your bottom line. Next measure or draw a line from the buttocks to the top of the croup. Then measure or draw 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 (see figure B). The parallel lines of the shoulder and hip should be identical in measurement and angle. To put it in cowboy terms, a short back and long bottom line with chest and butt angles to match. 

Now consider the neck. The horse balances itself with its neck. The neck should be the same measurement from the poll to the wither as the measurement from the wither to the croup, or from the croup to the point of the hip, or from the withers to the point of the shoulder.

Next, consider your shoulder and hip angles for speed and power. The length of the horse's stride will be found in the angle of the shoulder; the power and stopping ability will fall in the angle of the hip.

Don’t forget the height of the withers--that is the balance point. For example, if the withers are lower than the croup, the horse will feel as though it's running downhill all the time. This horse won’t move his front end as well. Lower withers will also affect the size of your hearth girth, which is where the horse's lung capacity is.

As you discover the math of this trapezoid figure, you will be able to measure the ideal length of all the horse's limbs. I highly suggest referring to Reining: the Art of the Performance Horse for further research and understanding of this theory.

Always remember, “There’s one bit that works on all horses: a bit of knowledge.” 

God bless, 

Pat