Comparison of Conformation and Movement Characteristics in Dressage and Jumping Sport Warmblood Mares Based on Point Evaluation and Linear Scoring System

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Conformation assessment is the basis for the selection of horses for a specific sport. Traditional 100-point judging systems, linear scoring and basic measurements are simultaneously used in Poland for evaluation of the same warmblood sport horses. This study aimed to compare traditional 100-point judging systems and linear profiling and to find characteristic traits of specific sport types by analyzing the differences between warmblood mares that are qualified as dressage vs. jumping. The research showed that warmblood mares classified as different types varied in a few linear conformation traits, most significantly in the position of the shoulder, line of the loins or shape of the croup. Analyses of linear movement traits showed that dressage warmblood mares moved better in walking and more balanced canter than jumping ones. These differences were not evident in the overall 100-point system. Both point-scaling systems were correlated only between the same named traits—type, movement and gaits. Finding detailed, measured, objective characteristics for various sport types is important for breeding and judging. ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of factors on the results of 100-point judging systems, linear scoring and basic measurements, as well as differences between systems for dressage and jumping warmblood mares. The research covered official data on 1547 warmblood mares. Analysis of variance and phenotypic correlations (Pearson and partial) were used. The analysis showed that sport type significantly influenced 1/3 of biometric measurements, 2/9 traits on the 100-point system and 7/37 of linear scored traits. The influence of horse type evaluation is more significant in linear scoring than in the 100-point evaluation, which provides an argument for using the first system in breeding. In the linear evaluation for warmblood mares grouped as jumping or dressage, the most significant differences (p < 0.001) were noted between the traits of shoulder position, line of the loins and shape of the croup. In the point-based evaluation, differences (p < 0.05) were found in forelimbs and walking, as well as chest circumference in basic measurements. None of the traits in the two evaluation systems is identical to any other (r > 0.8). The comparison of systems showed meaningful correlations only between general traits. The differences between sport types of warmblood mares were smaller than expected. More objective traits should be discovered to increase accuracy in discriminating between horse types.