Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

One goal of the association of Swedish Warmblood horses (SWB) is to be internationally competitive in both dressage and show jumping. Since performances at a high level are achieved late in life, selection is often based on information from young horse tests. Earlier studies have shown that there are strong genetic correlations between traits assessed at young horse tests and future competitions results. There are, however, no studies on which detailed jumping traits that are most important for a successful show jumping career for SWB horses. In 2013, SWB introduced a linear description at young horse test where the horses are described for 50 different traits on a linear scale between two extremes (A to I). The aim of this study was to investigate correlations between linearly described jumping traits at three years of age and show jumping competition results later in life. The question at issue was which linear show jumping traits are most important for the young horse to succeed in its future competition career.

The data used in this study consisted of data for 1889 SWB horses that participated in young horse test for 3-year-olds in 2013 and 2014 and their show jumping performance until six and seven years of age, respectively. In 2013 there were eleven different linear jumping traits assessed at young horse test and in 2014 there were fourteen traits. The scale A to I was translated into a numeric scale from one to nine. The studied horses were first divided into subgroups based on age (six or seven years) and if they had competed in show jumping or not. The horses that had competed were divided based on if they had the highest ranking in easy class (L) or intermediate class (M). T-test were used to test if differences between the different groups were significant.

The average for the linear traits was around the middle of the linear scale for all traits and all groups of horses: 4 - 6 (D - F). The result showed that horses with higher performance results at competitions generally had a more extreme trait description at three years test towards the left end of the scale (1/A). The most noticeable traits connected with performance were a scope (much- little), take off (powerful- weak), take off: direction (upwards- forwards) and back technique (rounded- hollow). There was also a high correlation between the mentioned linear traits and the describing showjumping scores at three-year tests. All traits differed significantly between horses that had competed and horses that had not competed. For the seven-year-old horses there were no significant differences for the traits haunches technique (open – tight) and carefulness (too careful – not careful) between horses with the highest placement in L class and horses with placement in M class. For the six-year-olds, there was no significant difference between the traits of foreleg technique (bent – hanging) and attitude (focused – not focused) between horses with the highest placement in L class and placement in M class. Remaining traits showed significant differences for both age groups between horses with the highest placement in L class and those with placement in M class.
Based on the result, a big scope is the most important jumping trait for a future show jumping horse. A more rounded back technique, a more powerful, more upward take-off also proved to be important based on the linear description at young horse test for 3-year-old SWB horses tested in the years 2013 and 2014.

Sedan tidigare vet vi att hästar med höga hoppoäng på treårstest har större chans att nå framgång på tävlingsbanan. Men vilka är de underliggande egenskaperna som utmärker en bra hopphäst? År 2013 infördes den linjära beskrivningen som komplement till poängbedömningen vid treårstest i Sverige. På det protokollet beskrivs idag 14 olika hoppegenskaper, alltifrån avsprångets riktning till hästens inställning till hoppning, mellan två extremer. De första årgångarna av hästar som beskrevs linjärt har nu hunnit starta sin tävlingskarriär vilket möjliggjorde studier av vilka linjära hoppegenskaper som är viktigast för en lovande tävlingshäst. Resultatet skulle kunna användas för att tidigt förutspå en hästs tävlingskarriär och kapacitet.

Studien grundades på data från 1889 svenska varmblodiga hästar som gjorde sitt treårstest år 2013 och år 2014. Inom varje årskull jämfördes linjära egenskaper hos hästar som tävlat hoppning med hästar som inte tävlat hoppning. Av de som tävlat hoppning jämfördes linjära egenskaper hos de hästar som placerat sig i högst lätt klass med de hästars om placerat sig i medelsvår klass.

Resultatet visade att hästarna som inte tävlat skiljde sig från hästar som har tävlat i beskrivningen för samtliga egenskaper. Ett större scope, kraftfullare avstamp, ett språng riktat mer uppåt än framåt och mer rundad ryggteknik var de egenskaper som utmärkte sig extra mycket hos de treåriga hästar som senare i karriären placerat sig i medelsvår hoppning. De linjära egenskaperna på treårstest hade medelstarka till starka samband med poängen för hoppteknik och förmåga samt poängen för temperament i hoppning. Något som tidigare visats ha höga samband med tävlingsprestation.

Studien skulle kunna ligga till grund för avel samt vid köp av unga hästar om syftet är hopptävling på högre nivå. För att nå ett säkrare resultat i studien måste hästarna fortsätta följas i deras framtida tävlingskarriärer. Vid senare uppföljning kan det bli möjligt att studera vilka egenskaper som är viktigast för en hållbar tävlingshäst i hoppning.