Scale of Points

SCALE OF POINTS for FRENCH CANADIAN HORSES

First Group: Head

2pts Shape & carriage: - Square, that is rather short and with straight lines everywhere; lean; carried rather high and slanting.
Ears.- Not too close, thin, active, rather short.
Forehead and Face: - Broad and flat.
Eyes.-Wide apart; flush with the head; large; moderately convex; bright; and kind.
Eyelids.-Thin, wide apart, clean and mobile.
1pt Nostrils.- Large and wide apart.
Lips.-Thin, mobile, covered with delicate skin.
Mouth.- Rather samll.
1pt Lower jaw.-Wide apart and rather broad at the angle.
Cavity between the jaws.-Wide spread, lean and well-hollowed out.
Cheeks.- Well-developed, firm, but not fat.

Total points for this group : 4

Second Group: Neck and Throat

1pt Throat.-Wide across; throatlatch slightly depressed.
4pts Neck.- Rather straight than arched; broad at lower and thin at upper edge; sides slightly rounded and firmly muscled; gracefully attached to the head and well fastened to the shoulders.

Total points for this group: 5

Third Group: Trunk

1pt Withers.- Lean, slightly raised and long.
4pts Back.- Strong, broad, straight, short.
4pts Loins.- Broad, short, strong, straight.
1pt Breast.- Broad, so that the horse’s legs are well apart; covered with well developed and projecting muscles.
7pts Chest.- Broad and deep, ribs long, broad, well apart and well arched.
3pts Belly.- Somewhat large but not pendulous; gradually rounding in with the curve of the ribs and flanks.

Total points for this group: 20

Fourth Group: Fore Quarters

5pts Shoulder.- Long, sloping and well muscled.
1pt Arm and elbow.- Long, thick, covered with hard and projecting muscles; Arm moderately inclined. Elbow long, parallel to the axis of the body and at the same time apart from it.
2pts Fore Arm.- Descending as low as possible, broad, thick, perpendicular.
5pts Knee.- Lean, long, broad, thick, clean, perpendicular, not turned either out or in.

Total points for this group: 13

Fifth Group: Hind Quarters

3pts Croup.- As long as possible, wide, slightly sloping; the point of hip should project but slightly.
1pt Tail.- Large at the root, thick, attached rather high, with an abundance of fine and rather long hair.
5pts Buttock, Thigh, Stifle, Leg.- Buttock descending as near the hock as possible, firm, thick, well muscled. Thigh broad and thick. Stifle clean, close to belly, turned slightly outward. Leg long, wide, the tendon well separated from the bone, large and hard.
5pts Hock.- Clean, lean, wide, thick, parallel to the inclined plane of the body, not turned either in or out.

Total points for this group: 14

Sixth Group: Lower Part of the Leg

Cannon.- Short, broad, thick, clean, lean, perpendicular. Tendons lean, clean, firm, large and well detached.
Fetlock.- Broad, thick, lean, clean, slightly slanting.
Pastern.- Broad, thick, average length, moderately slanting; free from long hair.
For fore leg: 5 points
For hind leg: 5 points

Total points for this group: 10

Seventh Group: Feet

10pts Front Foot.- Large, strong, as broad as long, resting squarely on the ground, face line slightly inclined; height of heels one half that of front face; heels widely spread, even, resting squarely on the ground; sole hollow, thick; frog strong and rather hard.
5pts Hind Foot.- Should possess all the qualities indicated for the fore-foot, except that it is more oval in shape and the heels are higher and more spread.

Total points for this group: 15

Eighth Group: Exterior

1pt Skin.- Soft, pliant, mellow, loose; hair smooth.
Colour.- Any colour is acceptable.
1pt Height.- 14 - 16 hands (reviewed in 1991).
1pt Weight.- 1000 to 1400 lbs.
7pts Action.- Lively, brisk, rather long than high; hock, knee, fetlock and pastern bending easily.

Total points for this group: 10

Temperament and Nervous System

4pts - The animal must be of a docile temperament but full of vigour and spirit without being nervous.

General Appearance

5pts - The animal must be graceful in carriage and demeanor as well as in symmetry of shape.

Grand total of points. 100