The most important aspect of structural consideration is the horse's foreleg. Why? Because 65% of the total weight of the horse is carried by the front legs. Also, 95% of the leg lameness is found in the horse's front end. In this article, we're taking a look at foreleg structure when selecting a horse for performance, regardless of breed or discipline

The horse in this picture is considered over at the knee (also called knee sprung or buck kneed). A horse with this condition has a week look about him, and in stressful times, this horse will often become so weak that its legs will shake. However, this horse is still usable, and often this condition can be caused by excessive trauma and is not heritable.

This horse is termed back at the knee (also called calf kneed). This condition is far worse than over at the knee as it is a hyperextension of the knee joint, and is more likely to cause a permanent unsoundness.

"Toes in" (pigeon toed) is a rather common condition that causes the horse to "paddle" this is a rather unsightly structural incorrectness that causes a great deal of stress on the outer portion of the horse's cannon bone. Usually, this will not lead to permanent unsoundness.

"A horse that toes out will often move in a "winging" motion. This causes the horse to have a greater possibility of hitting one foreleg with the other. Additional stress and trauma is also placed on the inside of the cannon bone which can cause unsightly splints. Depending on the severity of the condition, this has the likelyhood of resulting in permanent unsoundness.