Genetical analyses of riding test and their connections with traits of stallion performance and breeding mare tests

Competition results of sport horses from 1995 until 2001 and information from performance tests of mares and stallions from 1986 until 2001 were available for the analysis of variance components. The considered traits were transformed rank for competition results of sport horses and recorded scores for competitions of young horses as well as for mare and stallion performance tests. Obtained heritabilities were very low for competition results of sport horses (jumping: h2 = 0.03; dressage: h2 = 0.06), whereas heritabilities for competitions of young horses were slightly higher (jumping: h2 = 0.11; dressage: h2 = 0.12). The genetic correlations between the corresponding traits were high with rg = 0.89 and rg = 0.96 for jumping and dressage, respectively. In contrast, the correlations between jumping and dressage traits were only in the slightly positive range. Walk, trot, canter and especially the rideability were closely related to dressage. While walk and trot showed only marginal relationships to jumping, for canter and rideability low to moderate correlations were obtained. Genetic correlation between free jumping and jumping competition was only moderate, whereas jumping under rider was closely related to jumping competition results. The obtained low heritabilities for competition results of sport horses and the high genetic correlations between the corresponding traits in the performance tests show the necessity to use all available traits for breeding value estimation as it is done in Germany using integrated breeding value estimation.

Vollversion deutsch