AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE RELATION BETWEEN HUCUL HORSES CONFORMATION ASSESSMENT, MOVEMENT AND COURAGE TEST RESULTS PART I. STALLIONS LINE

The aim of the studies was an attempt to define dependences between the scores for horses exterior assessment and indicators of movement in walk and trot as well as results for courage test. Exterior assessment is an obligatory test component for Hucul breeds. The assessment covers type, body conformation, movement in walk and trot as well as overall impression and preparedness for exhibition. 116 horses were entered for the 2010 Hucul’s championships in Hawlowice and Rudawka for which 348 judges’ grades were awarded. The highest grade awarded was for overall impression and preparedness for exhibition while the lowest was for trot movement. Analysis of the various components of conformation showed significant variation between the lines. The tests for courage involved measuring length of steps, their frequency and rate in walk and trot. The length for steps in walk was 15.91m, for frequency was 15.86 steps in 15 seconds, with a rate of 25.08m while for trot it was 22.91m, 24.50 steps and 55.60m respectively. A positive correlation between the scores for components of conformation and length of steps in walk was observed. This tendency was distinctively noticeable in the group of individuals representing the Pietrosu and Hroby stallion lines. Among the group of individuals representing Polan stallion line, however, significant positive correlation was observed between scores for type and rate in trot (0.975; p = 0.025) as well as between scores for conformation and rate in walk (0.993; p = 0.007).