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The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses

Dissertation (MSc Agric (Animal Science: Production Animal Physiology and Product Quality))--University of Pretoria, 2024.

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Other Authors: Webb, Edward Cottington
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Webb, Edward Cottington
author_browse Webb, Edward Cottington
author_facet Webb, Edward Cottington
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc Agric (Animal Science: Production Animal Physiology and Product Quality))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:42.843Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/101141 The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses Webb, Edward Cottington ashsouthern99@gmail.com Southern, Ashlyn Erin UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Warmblood Horse (Equus caballus) Show jumping Free jumping Under saddle Dissertation (MSc Agric (Animal Science: Production Animal Physiology and Product Quality))--University of Pretoria, 2024. Warmblood horses are crossbreds of cold- and hot-blooded horses, and they are bred specifically for their participation as sport horses, which currently dominate the equine sporting industry. This study evaluated horses at four years of age to determine if anthropometric measurements can be used to predict their jumping performance. The objective was to determine which stationary measurements have the best predictive value of jumping performance. This study also evaluated whether there was a difference in performance over the different heights of jumps as well as whether free-jumping versus under-saddle give more accurate results. Stationary and jumping measurements of twenty horses of four years of age were taken by means of pictures and videos with a camera and using the Kinovea Software Program to calibrate and determine measurements. These horses had only been given the basics of training in the show jumping discipline. The stationary measurements included linear traits such as head length, neck length, wither height and chest girth among others as well as angular traits such as the shoulder angle and angles taken from X-rays of the horses’ legs. The jumping section was divided into two parts – under-saddle and free-jumping. The measurements for the jumping included linear traits such as stride length prior to jump, take-off distance and height of limbs above the jump among others as well as angular measurements such as the jump angle and the femorotibial angle among others. These jumping measurements were taken in an indoor sand arena over three different jump heights. Statistical analysis of stationary and jumping measurements was done by means of Linearized Mixed model analysis in SAS, and differences between means were tested at P<0.05. A significant difference (P<0.05) was found between the stride length of horses being ridden under-saddle compared to free-jumping, which means that the rider has a big influence on the stride length of the horse. For several other measurements there was no significant difference obtained from free-jumping compared to under-saddle, which indicates that the horses studied did not adjust those measurements despite having a rider on its back. The take-off distance can be used to predict successful jumps however not many stationary measurements could be used to predict this jumping measurement. The forelimb angle of geldings jumping at 80cm was influenced (P<0.05) by all of the X-ray stationary measurements that were recorded however this same angle of mares jumping at 80cm was not influenced by the X-ray angles at all. At 120cm free-jumping, there were only two equations (P ≤ 0.05) that could be used to predict the star rating of a horse. For geldings, the take-off distance of the hindlimb jumping measurement and for mares the time that the mare was airborne could be used as predictors. This time airborne equation for mares had a high significance with P < 0.0001. The results confirm that equine stud farms can determine the jumping performance of horses based on certain stationary measurements. This study also identified the most important jumping traits that are influenced more by a rider, which may improve our understanding of predicting equestrian sport performance. Animal and Wildlife Sciences MSc Agric (Animal Science: Production Animal Physiology and Product Quality) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production SDG-15: Life on land 2025-02-21T11:23:27Z 2025-02-21T11:23:27Z 2025-04 2024-10 Dissertation * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/101141 https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.28344356 en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Warmblood
Horse (Equus caballus)
Show jumping
Free jumping
Under saddle
The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title_full The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title_fullStr The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title_full_unstemmed The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title_short The use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm-blood horses
title_sort use of anthropometric measurements to model the performance of warm blood horses
topic UCTD
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Warmblood
Horse (Equus caballus)
Show jumping
Free jumping
Under saddle
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/101141
https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.28344356