Topic:Horse Breeds
Horse breeds represent the diverse genetic and phenotypic variations found within the species Equus ferus caballus. These breeds are categorized based on characteristics such as size, conformation, coat color, and temperament, which have been selectively bred over centuries to fulfill specific roles and functions. Common classifications of horse breeds include light horses, draft horses, and ponies, each serving different purposes ranging from riding and racing to work and companionship. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the genetics, history, and functional attributes of various horse breeds, as well as their impact on equine management and breeding practices.
Temperature of the artificial vagina and its effect on seminal quality and behavioral characteristics of stallions. Stallion semen was collected, using artificial vaginas at 44 to 46, 48 to 50, and 52 to 54 C, to study the effects of temperature on seminal quality and sexual behavior. The temperature of the artificial vagina had no significant effect on motility, gel volume, gel-free seminal volume, total seminal volume, pH, number of mounts per ejaculate, total time to ejaculation, or seminal temperature. Spermatozoa were collected, then exposed to water-bath temperatures of 38, 45, 49, or 53 C for 1 minute. Mean motility was similar after exposure to temperatures of 38 or 45 C, but exposure to temperature...
Sequence of the low activity equine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase and delineation of the amino acid substitutions in various polymorphic forms. the sequence of the low activity form of equine erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase has been determined. The most common electrophoretic form, designated D, has been found to have five substitutions. Amino acid exchanges in the electrophoretic variants known as A1, A2, B, and T have been found at six other positions. The data do not permit calculation of the number of polymorphic forms of this enzyme. The equine D isozyme and the analogous human enzyme are quite homologous, 211 of their 260 residues, or 81%, being identical.
Comparison of muscle fiber types from 2-year-old fillies of the Belgian, Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Quarter horse and Welsh breeds. The percentages of three muscle fiber types in the biceps femoris and triceps brachii were determined in five breeds of horses: Belgians, Standardbreds, Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses and Welsh ponies. Biopsies were taken from the two muscles from each of four 2-year-old untrained fillies of each breed. Percentages of red, white and intermediate fiber types were determined from tissues stained for succinic dehydrogenase activity. Intermediate fibers were the most numerous for all breeds. The difference between red and white fibers varied significantly with breed. Thoroughbreds had the highest p...
Collection of semen from stallions at stud. Semen was collected from 222 stallions of 13 breed or colour types in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. A total of 648 collection attempts were made, using an artificial vagina, during 4 consecutive breeding seasons (1974/5 to 1977/8). Modifications were made to the techniques used by previous workers because collections were made at commercial studs using minimal animal restraint. Of all collection attempts, 621 (96%) were successful, while at least one semen sample was collected from each of 216 stallions (97%). There were no significant relationships between stallion collect...
Maturation of equine epididymal spermatozoa. Spermatozoa from four regions of the epididymis and from ejaculated semen were evaluated for their resistance to cold shock, progressive motility, and structural stability. Spermatozoa were incubated at 38 C and their percentage of eosinophilia was compared with that of spermatozoa cooled to 0 C in 2 minutes, 10 C in 12 minutes, or 4 C in 22 minutes. Spermatozoa motility was estimated visually under phase-contrast microscopy and was recorded by cinematography. Structural stability of spermatozoa incubated in 0.05 M sodium borate buffer, 0.035 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 0.002 M dithiothrei...
[The effect of the age of stallions and mares on their fertility]. The study was based on the documentation of the Napajedla Stud Farm of the English Thoroughbred horse for 1888-1972. Evaluating the effect of the age of stallions on their fertility (leaving aside the variability of the age of their mothers), such an effect was found to be significant only in four out of the 26 studs evaluated. In 65% of the selected stallions, the correlation coefficients were found to be negative, but without statistical significance. However, the objective of the study was to evaluate stallions and mares parallelly as to their age variability and fertility. The relationship...
Plasma biochemistry in the horse during 3-day event competition. Blood samples were collected from 16 Thoroughbred horses before, during and after the second day of a 3-day event. Plasma osmolality, concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, creatinine, glucose, bilirubin, iron, total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, calcium, inorganic phosphate, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids were measured. Significant differences from pre-event values were found in all parameters with the greatest changes being found after the cross-country phase. ...
[The effect of inbreeding on the manifestations of some physiological traits in the Kladrub Black Horse strain]. Inbreeding was used in the regeneration process in the breeding of the Kladrub Black Horse. Inbreeding rate is realized in practice, as related to the manifestation of the selected characteristics of this unique horse population. The evaluation of the effect of inbreeding on conception rate and fertility did not demonstrate any differences between the group of inbred mares and non-inbred mares. The study was conducted in mares used for breeding for 10 years. The results provide evidence that inbreeding causes no depression in this characteristics in the Kladrub Black Horse which would otherwis...
Discrimination learning in horses: effects of breed, age and social dominance. The discrimination learning ability of Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds was compared by means of visual cues in a three-choice test with food as a reward. Quarter Horses learned significantly faster than Thoroughbreds, and learning progressed more rapidly for both breeds in a second discrimination task. Significant negative correlations were observed between age and rate of learning. Quarter Horses tended to be less reactive than Thoroughbreds, but individual emotional reactivity ratings and learning scores were not correlated. No correlation was found between social dominance and learning sco...
[Estimation of the heritability coefficient of stud fertility]. The breeding documentation of the English Thoroughbred horse breeding farm at Napajedla was analyzed to study some effects acting upon the fertility of studs and mares and the length of gravidity. The heritability of fertility is the subject of this report. The normality of the distribution of fertility was tested by processing 300 data on fertility at the given significance level sup / Fn(xi) - F(xi) / less than or equal to Dn(a). The value of the supreme D(300) = 0.108 is lower than the critical level for alpha 0.05. The estimation of fertility heritability coefficient indicates that h2 = 0....
An examination of chromosomes in the stallion (Equus caballus) during meiosis. Meiotic preparations were made from testicular material obtained after surgical castration of eight stallions (Equus caballus) with normal spermatogenesis. The material was examined after conventional Giemsa staining and C-banding. C-banding demonstrated that the Y chromosome at diakinesis associated with the short arm of the X chromosome. In 315 cells at diplotene or diakinesis, 56 (17.7%) had univalents and 51 (16.1%) of these involved the sex chromosomes. The overall mean chiasma number was 54.4 +/- 1.8 SD, and the mean calculated nondisjunction (ND) frequency was 3.4%. These results are di...
Equine marker genes. Polymorphism for transferrin alleles, TfF1 and TfF2, in Thoroughbreds. The equine transferrin F variant is distinguishable into two types, F1 and F2, on alkaline polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Gene frequencies in 63 related Thoroughbreds are 0.39 and 0.19 for TfF1 and TfF2, respectively. In contrast the frequencies for these two alleles in 375 related Standardbreds is 0.00 and 0.59.
Simultaneous preparation of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leucocytes from horse blood on Ficoll-Hypaque medium. Results presented show that highly purified populations of mononuclear (MN) and polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes can be obtained from horse blood by a procedure similar to that previously described for the separation of these leucocytes from human blood. This involved centrifugation of horse blood on a Ficoll-Hypaque medium with a density of 1.095 g/ml. The procedure required approximately 1 h for completion and resulted in the simultaneous preparation of MN (greater than 98% purity) and PMN (greater than 96% purity) leucocytes. Cell viability exceeded 95% and cells retained immunological fu...
[Purposeful (blood-)horse breeding (author’s transl)]. Horse-breeding in the Netherlands is briefly reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the number of foals of various breeds. Some effects of inbreeding in Friesian horses are discussed. As regards methods selection, attention is mainly paid to saddle horses. The role of veterinarians (from the point of view of selection for soundness) is described. Selection is based on the results of studies in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Utrecht. A number of these results are reviewed.
A survey of early pregnancy losses in West German thoroughbred mares. Embryonic resorption is reported as the main reason for early pregnancy losses in the West German Thoroughbred mare. An analysis of breeding records for the last 11 years showed a resorption rat of 8.4 per cent. Evidence was obtained that these early embryonic losses were associated with too early conception after foaling and with the state of lactation.