ThreeCorners,

I agree that you can have a horse that excels above what their conformation says they should. I wouldn't say that would necessarily be the norm, though. I also think that if a horse is conformationally correct it will tend to be pretty. Perhaps that is just my eye looking past certain things that a layperson would not. It also could be that my opinion of pretty just happens to be a conformationally correct horse.

I can say, though, that regardless of performance history, I am unlikely to pick a stallion that is not conformationally superior. I also would not consider them to necessarily be a phenotypically outstanding horse. A great performer with a lot of heart, yes. Do I want to chance breeding whatever conformation faults he has into my own horses, even if he has a good reputation as a sire? No. But that's just me.