How the horse’s individual body parts align and fit with each other.
For example one horse may have a visibly longer neck while another horse has a shorter and thicker neck.
Some breeds may have specific conformation traits that developed by the need / want to have that horse perform a certain job. Throughbred race horses will have a conformation that emphasizes speed, while a heavy Percheron draft horse will have a conformation that emphasizes strength to drag logs out of the forest.
There are also universal conformation ‘faults’. Some that can interfere with a horse’s soundness or balance, like sickle hocks, pigeon toed, or post legged. Some conformation faults may cause a horse to look unappealing, or in a fashionable way, more appealing at a loss of function.
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