I’M JUDGING THESE APHA GELDINGS as a performance halter class, a division at stock breed shows that is open to horses that have qualified by earning points in performance divisions of their breed association. In performance halter, I’m looking for a horse with qualities that make a good performance horse—overall balance, correct structure, and sufficient muscling to get the job done.
A horse that does well in performance halter will look like an athlete, with all the structural components that enable agility and power, lightness of movement and length of stride. In my career, I have come across some good performance horses whose conformation would not indicate their athletic ability, but far more often, good conformation leads to better performance, as well as soundness and longevity.
In these three geldings,…