You are looking at a horse and wonder whether what appears to be a conformational problem is of any consequence. Will it cause a problem or not? Horse owners, breeders and professionals should know as much as possible about conformation in general and in particular how various aspects of conformation relate to their discipline. Each type and degree of conformation abnormality has different consequences to the horse. Whether or not a conformation abnormality limits a horse depends to a great extent on what the horse is being asked to do.

Your vet should be able to tell you whether a specific conformation abnormality is compatible with your chosen discipline and level. Generally there is no absolute answer. There are plenty of cases where horses overcame severe conformation faults to excel at their discipline. That tends to be the exception however. Conformation faults can limit a horse's ability to perform and predispose to lameness.