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Acta fytotechn zootechn, 24, 2021(Monothematic Issue: Problems and Risks in Animal Production): 105–108
http://www.acta.fapz.uniag.sk
© Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources
1 Introduction
Systematic selection based on the gene pool and exterior of bred horses ensures and increase in the performance
level of sport horses. The main goal of breeding is to obtain individuals that can achieve best sport results under
certain environmental conditions (Krattenmacher el a., 2014) There are many factors that afect horse´s performance.
According to model compiled by Stewart et al. (2010), the permanent environment of horses represents phenotypic
variance of 11.5%. This represents the impact of housing, rearing, training, nutrition, infuence of mother, etc. To sport
placements in sports is infuenced by many factors and heredity. Inheritance of placement in dressage and jumping
competitions is relatively low (h2 = 0.05–0.10) Ricard et al. (2000). Schröder et al. (2012) and Luehrs-Behnke et al.
(2002) estimate similar genetic correlations (0.78 and 0.80) between jumping with a rider during performance trials
and competitions. Van Veldhuizen (1997) estimated the genetic correlation between the results of Dutch stallion
performance test and competitions at 0.90. In the production of quality sport horses, data from jumping competitions
are important as they serve as basis for genetic evaluation. In Germany, Belgium and Ireland, all horses in the
competition are included, not only the horses fnishing in the frst places (Schubertová et al., 2014).
2 Material and methods
In our study, we analysed to determine the efect of indirect factors, such as year of start, sex, breed, number of starts,
age and proportion of genes of Slovak Warmblood horses based on performance parameters in sports testing. The
monitored specimen were warm-blood horses that participated in performance tests of warm-blood horses in the
population of Slovak Warmblood horses and results from sports testing in show jumping category 4, 5 and 6 years old
young horses. The basis for the elaboration was data obtained from a recognized breeding organization – Association
Infuence of indirect factors and its efect analysis on performance level
of Slovak warmblood horse breed
Marko Halo
1
*, Eva Mlyneková
1
, Martin Massányi
1
, Dušan Solár
1
, Marko Halo jr.
2
, Nina Moravčíková
3
1
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Department of Animal Husbandry, Slovakia
2
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Department of Animal Physiology, Slovakia
3
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding Biology, Slovakia
Article Details: Received: 2020-10-21 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31
https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.105-108
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
During their career, horses are afected by a large number of direct and indirect factors. The aim of our study was to determine the
efect of indirect factors, such as year of start, sex, breed, number of starts, age and proportion of genes of Slovak Warmblood horse
breed. For determination of indirect factors on performance level, results from test efciency and fnal placement in showjumping
category 4, 5 and 6 years old young horses were used. 540 horses of Slovak Warmblood breed were analysed between 2015–2019 and
1,155 data samples were collected. Based on the results of the linear model, parameters – the efect of gender and the infuence
of the gene proportion of Slovak Warmblood horse had statistically signifcant infuence (p <0.05). High signifcant efect (p <0.001)
on performance of Slovak Warmblood horse was observed in parameters – year of start, age during start and breed.
Keywords: horse, indirect factors, performance
*Corresponding Author: Marko Halo, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food
Resources, Department of Animal Husbandry, Tr. Andreja Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia; e-mail:
marko.halo@uniag.sk. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4299-1781
Original Paper