Instructions
Look first and foremost at the body. The American quarter horse, especially those bred for "halter" showing, are incredibly muscled, resembling a human "body builder" physique. Every muscle group will display massive size and growth. Even in the performance-bred quarter horse, the chest, rear, neck and legs will all be heavily muscled.
Look at the hindquarters. They should be slightly higher than the withers, making an almost "downward" slope from the point of the hip to the base of the neck. The neck itself should be of sufficient length but set low in comparison to other breeds. It should come smoothly out of the withers and form a gentle arch down to the poll. The top line of the neck should be longer than the lower line. There should not be any hint of a "ewe" neck, despite the lower set.
Examine the head, which can vary greatly from one quarter horse to another. In general, the head will have a straight or slightly convex profile, but--in some rare individuals--the head can be slightly dished. The forehead should be broad, the eyes large and kind, and the ears small and well-formed. The jaws should be round, and the attachment to the neck clean, not thick or "meaty."
Get an overall impression of the quarter horse. It should be one of a well-made athlete, able to take on any riding activity asked of it. Halter horses will display more muscling and may not be appropriate for many athletic ventures, but the performance-bred quarter horse can take on any discipline from working cattle to hunter/jumper. Quarter horses excel at nearly every saddle discipline, and they should display this kind of riding ability in every inch of their bodies. Their dispositions should be easy and very tractable. In every sense of the word, the American quarter horse should be a "good citizen."
Observe the coloring. Until recently, only solid colors were allowed to be registered as quarter horses. Any horse displaying too much white would not be accepted. This has changed, with the Registry now allowing cremellos and perlinos, as well as sabinos, to be registered as American quarter horses.
How to Identify an American Quarter Horse
The American quarter horse is the most popular breed on the planet. With millions of registered quarter horses worldwide, finding one is far easier than finding many other breeds. These steps give you some common physical characteristics to look for when trying to identify an American quarter horse.