Some people like ’em thic. Others prefer long and lean..

Maybe our preference for body type is subconsciously based more in a preference for temperament type than build. More than we realize at least.

Studies in cattle have long since shown that the size of bone directly correlates to temperament. The smaller the bone the higher strung the cattle. Thicker bone shows quieter cattle.

That same thing can be see when we look at horses. An easy comparison is draft horse to Arabian. Big slow easy going draft horses, small energetic, high strung Arabs.

But! We all say, we’ve known quiet trustworthy Arabs and crazy high strung draft horses!

Whorls, dished faces, and all sorts of other clues come into play and can influence the effects of thick or thin bone. The best place to judge horses by their thickness is between two that are otherwise equal. If two horses have a high whorl but we want to tell the difference between them. That is where looking at thickness is best used.

The measurement of the leg bone is one easy place to judge. We can also look at the head. A long narrow head is the equivalent of thin leg bones. It will show a sensitive refined horse with delicate sensibilities. Narrow ears show far more sensitivity than wide ears. Even narrow set ears show more energy than wide set ears.

The clarity that thick vs thin can provide us reaches as far as the horse’s hair.

A full thick mane, with lush forelock growth that covers the eyes and most of the head shows a quieter, steadier horse than thin hair. Thin, fine hair growth accompanies a more energetic, sensitive temperament.

All of this is relative and in comparison to a horse who has the same basic features and whorl. With that kept in mind, thick vs thin can be an eyeopening comparison to make!