The stability of conformation and movement traits evaluation tested in cold-blooded horses of different endangerment status

Abstract

Proper assessment of the horse conformation is fundamental for the proper breeding and progress in the breeds undergoing improvement and/or maintaining the right level of traits in conservation breeds, as it is the main and the first-achieved element of selection. The objective of the study was to analyse the stability of traits assessment at the show of cold-blooded horses by individual judges by analysing the factors that influenced the results. The analysis of variance was conducted on scores of 93 horses of different endangerment status, judged at the same horse show by 6 judges. The fixed effects of sex, breed of the sire and dam, type of breeder (state, national) and age class were taken into account. The Pearson correlations were calculated between scores for individual judges and the mean score. The obtained results showed significant effects of the breed of parents and type of breeder on the scores of individual judges. The trait ‘body condition’ was the most difficult trait to evaluate and the ‘trot’ the easiest one. The ‘trot’ was the trait most dependent on genetic endangerment status of the horse pedigree. New definitions for these traits should be established for the needs of conservational programmes.