EJPAU 2006. Kaproń M. , Janczarek I. , Marchel I. INTRODUCTORY STUDIES ON LINKS BETWEEN BIOMETRIC RATES OF GROWING TROTTERS AND PARAMETERS OF THEIR TRAINING ADVANCE ON INITIAL TRAINING STAGE

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2006
Volume 9
Issue 3

Topic:

Animal Husbandry

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Kaproń M. , Janczarek I. , Marchel I. 2006. INTRODUCTORY STUDIES ON LINKS BETWEEN BIOMETRIC RATES OF GROWING TROTTERS AND PARAMETERS OF THEIR TRAINING ADVANCE ON INITIAL TRAINING STAGE, EJPAU 9(3), #20.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue3/art-20.html

INTRODUCTORY STUDIES ON LINKS BETWEEN BIOMETRIC RATES OF GROWING TROTTERS AND PARAMETERS OF THEIR TRAINING ADVANCE ON INITIAL TRAINING STAGE

Marian Kaproń, Iwona Janczarek, Iwona Marchel
Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Agricultural University of Lublin, Poland

ABSTRACT

Material for the study, commencing a cycle of national research on trottters (including links between their body conformation traits and training advance rate), was provided by 60 young trotters of Danish and German breeding. During the research, which took place in automn 2004, the horses were on the initial stage of the training preparing them for the races. Twenty-three biometric measurements were taken of the trotters, based on which 15 indices of their body conformation were calculated. Additionally, the level of their training advance was established (WRW, WRW2, WDT, WTT), based on heart work parameters and pace, registered by means of telemetric devices. The evaluation was done during 3 repetitions of trot, from the slowest to the fastest, on a specially marked distance of the course. The results of the studies lead to the following conclusions:

the boniness index of the tested trotters shows the highest level of correlations with training advance (with negative WRW,WRW2, WTT and positive WDT), and their character is different from those obtained for shoulder length, hind limb and croup size (with mostly positive WRW2 and WTT and negative WDT),

the number of statistically significant correlations between body conformation indices and training advance rates is much higher than the one established earlier with regard to absolute biometric measurements of the tested trotters. This shows that proportions of conformation play a significant role in evaluating performance predispositions of young trotters,

the research is introductory but the range of the revealed tendencies clearly points out the need to continue it not only for young trotters but also grown-up racing horses.

Key words: biometric measurements, horses, training advance rates, trotters.

INTRODUCTION

The growing interest in trotter breeding of a foreign origin in Poland was mentioned in the first paper of the series concerning the links between the level of biometric rates, registered in their initial training stage, and their movement capacity [2, 11]. In order to carry on complex studies, it is envisaged to proceed on finding possible correlations between the biometric rates and other parameters of their performance utility.

With regard to the above factors, this study has attempted to discover possible relations between biometric parameters of growing trotters of foreign breeds and own rates of training advance. The discussed rates have been used on a large scale to carry out studies on sports horses [8, 9, 13], racing horses [1] and half-blood stallions trained in Polish training centres [5, 6, 7, 10] and showed evident ability to be used in the evaluation of both racing and breeding horses.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Research included 60 young growing trotters of a foreign origin, mostly Danish or German, between 11 and 30 months of age prepared in automn 2004 for trot races. The results were analysed altogether due to the fact that none of the tested trotters participated in races on the track and their training advance was similar.

The tested trotters had their zoometrc measures taken and 23 biometric measures were obtained. These included height at withers, back, cropper and tail point, askew body length, lengths of leg, shoulder, forearm, foreshank, hindshank and croup as well as shoulder and croup. This set of measurements was completed with selected body points of horses in the following arrangements:hip point-hip joint, hip joint- knee joint, hip joint- point of buttock, hip joint- hock joint, and knee joint- hock joint . The method used during the measurements has been described in the previous study [4]).

Apart from the irrelative values of individual parts of the body of the tested trotters, the studies also included proportions of their bodies depending on the application of the so-called body conformation indices. Most of them, suchas restructuring, chest depth, boniness, croup width, croup length, shoulder length and eurysomy have been used in equestrian studies [12]. The analysed indices of body conformation were enlarged by own index formulae, such as shoulder part length, selected parts of fore limb, croup size (esablished by means of formula 1 and 2), joint croup length, croup triangle and hind limb length. The formulae of the indices were given and used in the previuos study [4].

As stated before, own training advance evaluation rates have been utilised in previuos studies and their formulae frequently given [3]. Nevertheless, it seems necessary to give their full form in order to make this study more communicative. These comprise:

1. Effort reaction rate:

where:

HRw-average effort pulse (heartbeat per minute),
HRs- average pulse at rest (heartbeat per minute).

2. Effort reaction rate 2:

3. “Distance-pulse” rate:

where:

D-distance covered by horse (m)
HR- sum of heartbeat during the distance

4. “Pace- pulse” rate:

Formulae of such advance training rates as WRW, WRW2, WDT and WTT are based on heartbeat rates of each of the tested horses, which were registered with the use of electronic telemetric registers called Polar Precision Performance attached to each horse for the training time. The basis for establishing training advance rates were heart work parameters of the tested trotters and their movement capacity, registered on a 30-metre distance of a flat sandy coursetrack. The first ride was defined as “slow”, the next – “medium” and third- “fast”. The arithmetic mean was also calculated from 3 rides and referred to as “average trot”.

The correlation between the above biometric measures and indices of body conformation of young growing trotters of a foreign origin and their training advance was established using the method of estimating simple correlations and simple statistical characteristics for the analysed parameters.

RESULTS

Due to the fact that the tested trotters were described in an earlier study [11] it seems fully justified to give their statistical characteristics, biometric measures and body conformation indices. They are also present in this study (Tables 1 and 2).

Table 1. Statistic characteristics of biometric measures of tested trotters

Body measurements	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
n	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
x	153.74	146.3	155.15	142.98	146.82	69.66	172.78	38.53	54.08	27.13	44.61	31.17	19.63	90.83	39.34	51.62	48.87	37.33	38.5	22.43	47.67	73.67	54.02
Min	143	138	147	135	136	62	156	33	40	23	38	22	17.5	84	32	46	42	30	29	16	40	61	46
Max	174	156	170	154	163.5	48.5	195	48	60	33	50	35	23	94	48	56	56	46	43	29	57	86	64
S	5.33	4.26	4.61	4.83	5.68	3.52	6.92	2.69	3.32	2.36	2.09	2.51	1.19	3.08	3.18	2.37	2.96	3.96	2.66	2.76	3.39	6.14	3.68
V	3.47	2.91	2.97	3.38	3.87	5.06	4	6.99	6.13	8.7	4.69	8.06	6.08	3.39	8.08	4.59	6.06	10.61	6.91	12.32	7.11	8.34	6.81

1 – height at withers,
2 – height at back,
3 – height at croup
4 – height at tail base,
5 – trunk oblique length,
6 – chest depth,

7 – chest circumference,
8 – shoulder width,
9 – shoulder length,
10 – arm length,
11 – forearm length,
12 – frontshank length,

13 – shank circumference,
14 – leg length,
15 – hindshank length,
16 – croup length,
17 – croup width,
Distances: 18 – 23,

18 – point of hip – joint of hip,
19 – joint of hip – point of stifle,
20 – joint of hip – point buttock,
21 – point of hip – point of stifle,
22 – joint of hip – hock joint,
23 – point of stifle – joint of hip.

Table 2. Statistic characteristics of body conformation indices of tested trotters

Indeks of body conformation	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
n	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
x	100.94	45.31	112.39	12.77	31.78	33.58	25.06	118.34	111.93	94.3	65.37	96.37	38.84	80.33	73.69
Min	97.07	41.45	105.75	11.06	27.27	29.63	21.82	108	103.15	85.53	59.74	90.48	33.78	60.7	63.75
Max	104.08	48.46	120.37	14.29	35.06	35.48	27.81	129.93	116.99	98.05	70.32	100	44.30	88.6	82.35
S	1.51	1.65	2.86	0.66	1.56	1.27	1.58	4.32	3.07	2.7	2.38	2.26	2.66	4.18	4.08
V	1.5	3.64	2.55	5.19	4.91	3.79	6.3	3.65	2.74	2.87	3.63	2.34	6.86	5.2	5.53

1 – restucturing,
2 – chest depth,
3 – chest girth,
4 – bonines,
5 – croup width,

6 – croup length,
7 – shoulder width,
8 – eurysomia,
9 – shoulder part length,
10 – selected parts of fore limb.

13 – croup size,
11 – croup size 2,
12 – combined croup length,
14 – croup triangle,
15 – hind limb length.

Statistical characteristics of training advance rates of the tested trotters of a foreign origin are placed in Table 3. The data contained there indicate unambiguously that the average level of such rates as WRW, WRW2 and WDT inreases dramatically depending on movement pace in trot of the tested trotters and the average rates for the WTT rate decrease.

Table 3. Statistic characteristic of movement capacity parameters of tested trotters

Training advarce rates	WRW				WRW2				WDT				WTT
Training advarce rates	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	tror average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average
n	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
x	639.94	786.29	905.94	777.39	111.77	119.44	127.04	119.31	2.74	3.18	3.43	2.88	7.15	7.02	6.89	7.02
Min	275.63	393.82	413.44	395.74	46.37	57.78	48.34	66.23	0.86	1.33	1.14	0.52	4.37	4.72	3.93	4.63
Max	1526.53	1748.03	1745.69	1605.13	365.77	245.98	273.85	254.28	4.39	5.44	6.29	4.69	19.54	12.45	14.14	15.09
S	259.54	284.17	283.22	243.21	53.29	42.86	48.74	41.77	0.85	0.98	1.12	1.01	2.23	1.65	1.89	1,73
V	40.56	36.14	31.26	31.29	47.68	35.89	38.37	35.01	31.13	30.85	32.72	35.13	31.21	23.49	27.51	24.63

WRW – effort reaction rate,
WRW2 – effort reaction rate 2,

WDT – “distance-pulse” rate,
WTT – “pace- pulse” rate.

Table 4 contains data on correlation values between biometric measures of the tested trotters and their training advance rates. The table indicates that this correlation is best revealed for WDT parameters – 30 cases for 92 possibilities, which gives 32.61% of statistically significant positive or negative values. Fewer statistcally significant relations were found for the remaining training advance rates since WTT was correlated with biometric features in 19 cases (16.3%), WRW2 in 17.39 and WRW- 13.04% of all cases.

Table 4. Cafficients of simple correlations between biometric measurements of trotters and selected rates of their training advance

Body measurements n	Training advance rates
	WRW				WRW2				WDT				WTT
	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average
	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
Height at withers	0.158	0.199	0.209	0.21	-0.187	-0.056	-0.039	-0.1	0.087	0.107	0.071	0.064	0.042	-0.188	-0.022	-0.043
Height at back	0.01	0.025	0.086	0.045	* -0.252	-0.192	-0.133	-0.207	0.14	0.057	0.081	0.095	0.095	* -0.255	-0.169	-0.144
Height at croup	0.117	0.179	0.189	0.18	-0.194	-0.028	-0.045	-0.093	0.015	-0.049	-0.061	-0.042	0.122	-0.185	0.017	-0.052
Height at tail base	-0.009	0.099	0.142	0.088	* -0.254	-0.045	-0.109	-0.151	0.064	0.042	0.023	0.051	0.086	* -0.278	-0.032	-0.159
Chest depth	0.062	0.156	0.158	0.14	0.001	0.204	0.155	0.132	-0.065	-0.167	-0.063	-0.146	-0.006	0.043	* 0.258	0.165
Trunk oblique length	0.087	-0.032	0.097	0.054	0.014	-0.059	0.067	0.008	0.031	* 0.245	-0.065	0.191	-0.044	0.03	* 0.258	0.165
Shoulder length	0.238	0.196	** 0.336	* 0.284	0.111	* 0.254	** 0.368	* 0.276	* -0.26	-0.122	** -0.334	** -0.374	-0.025	0.086	0.241	0.135
Arm length	-0.031	-0.012	0.142	0.038	-0.038	0.104	0.174	0.085	0.103	0.172	0.044	0.126	-0.018	-0.019	0.181	0.178
Croup length	0.103	0.201	* 0.304	0.227	-0.026	0.144	0.219	0.128	-0.06	-0.077	-0.149	-0.175	0.068	-0.014	0.165	0.112
Cvroup width	0.164	0.232	0.166	0.209	0.046	0.244	0.172	0.168	-0.106	-0.185	-0.095	-0.146	-0.177	0.052	* 0.265	0.184
Shoulder width	* 0.286	** 0.394	** 0.336	** 0.377	0.165	** 0.344	* 0.307	** 0.303	-0.215	* -0.322	* -0.258	** 0.337	* 0.3	0.218	** 0.346	* 0.29
Leg length	0.098	-0.017	-0.067	0.002	-0.026	-0.061	-0.126	-0.082	0.015	0.082	0.051	0.061	0.062	-0.037	-0.004	-0.074
Forearm length	0.085	0.127	0.013	0.083	-0.106	-0.108	-0.158	-0.132	0.078	-0.161	0.086	-0.091	0.019	-0.081	0.03	-0.035
Fronthshank length	-0.008	0.007	-0.041	-0.016	-0.068	0.063	-0.03	-0.011	-0.169	** -0.406	-0.151	* -0.275	0.133	-0.004	0.135	0.128
Hindshank length	-0.042	-0.087	-0.046	-0.065	-0.075	-0.017	-0.021	-0.041	-0.06	0.059	0.004	0.073	0.084	-0.054	0.03	0.026
Shank circumference	* -0.29	* -0.303	-0.133	* -0.267	** -0.385	** -0.347	-0.229	** -0.353	** 0.399	** 0.529	** 0.339	** 0.429	-0.184	** -0.382	* -0.279	-0.22
Chest circumference	0.037	0.011	0.068	0.043	-0.047	-0.029	0.069	0.001	0.008	0.098	-0.079	-0.067	0.033	0.016	0.073	0.158
Point of hip – of hipjoint	-0.185	-0.163	-0.054	-0.147	-0.245	-0.227	-0.12	-0.217	** 0.38	** 0.382	* 0.241	** 0.327	-0.054	-0.202	-0.112	-0.125
Joint of hip – point of stifle	0.057	0.138	0.169	0.136	0.038	0.238	0.222	0.182	-0.012	* 0.273	0.102	0.146	-0.218	0.071	-0.097	0.163
Joint of hip – point buttock	0.063	0.133	0.198	0.147	-0.137	0.001	0.07	-0.019	-0.178	** -0.48	* -0.252	** -0.327	* 0.29	-0.007	0.179	0.135
Point of hip – point of stifle	-0.19	-0.222	-0.132	-0.201	* -0.261	* -0.323	-0.195	* -0.284	** 0.316	** 0.388	* 0.33	** 0.356	-0.053	* -0.269	* -0.306	-0.182
Joint of hip – hock joint	0.229	* 0.273	0.184	* 0.253	0.192	* 0.289	0.221	* 0.26	** -0.327	** -0.503	** -0.359	** -0.481	0.186	0.233	** 0.344	* 0.29
Point of stifle – joint of hip	0.104	0.128	0.032	0.097	0.04	0.099	0.013	0.054	-0.135	* -0.299	-0.107	-0.199	0.192	0.027	0.119	0.046

* significant at P ≤ 0.05.
** significant at P ≤ 0.01.

The detailed analysis of statistically significant correlations should emphasize that in the case of WDT more than half of them (16%) refers to the distances established for croup and hind limb of the tested trotters. Within positive correlations the WDT rate was strongly linked with the disance “hip point – knee joint” with correlations between 0.316** and 0.388**, significant at P<0.01. Negative relations appeared in the bond between with the distance “hip joint – hock joint” with correlatins between –0.327** and –0.503**. Statistically significant were also found within croup conformation traits and hind limb. They were related to the link between WDT and the distance “hip joint – hip point” (r_xy: 0.241*–0.382**) and hip joint – hock joint (r_xy:–0.252* to –0.48**). The WDT rate also showed a significantly positive relation to the cannon circumference–rxy: from 0.339** to 0.529** and negative (excluding slow trot) with the shoulder width from 0.258* to 0.337** and shoulder length (exluding second trot) rxy from –0.260* to 0.344**. There have also been individual cases of significant relations between WDT and akew body length (only in second trot r_xy= 0.245*), and between WDT and the distance “knee joint – hock joint” r_xy= –0.299*.

The above tendencies seem to have a great significance since they indicate a considerable influence of croup conformation traits and hind limb (also other parts of body) on the process of training trotters with regard to their anatomic and physiological traits (complying with the WDT formula informing about the distance covered in one heartbeat). Nevertheless, the introductory character of the research does not allow us to draw far-fetched conclusions in this respect but points to the need to carry out similar studies considering both the growth and development process and physiological parameters of training advance of the analysed horse breed group.

Regarding the WTT rate, the number of statistcally significant relations between the analysed traits was considerable but they did not appear as regularly as in the case of the previous parameter. They occurred in a scattered arrangement and mainly referred to 2 types of trot. Three significant and positive correlation rates were found for shoulder width and WTT: trot 3 r_xy= 0.346**, trot 1 r_xy=0.3*, average trot r_xy=0.29*.

The analysis of the relation between body conformation indices and training advance rates of young trotters (Table 5) indicated that the highest figures were related to WTT (50% of all cases), WDT (48.33%), WRW2 (40%) and WRW (10% of all cases).

Table 5. Cafficients of simple correlations between biometric measurements of trotters and indices of body conformation of trotters

Indeks of body conformation n	Training advance rates
	WRW				WRW2				WDT				WTT
	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average	trot 1	trot 2	trot 3	trot average
	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
Restucturing	-0.118	-0.094	-0.104	-0.116	0.025	0.06	-0.006	0.031	-0.172	** -0.33	* -0.276	* -0.275	0.052	0.072	-0.009	0.042
Chest depth	-0.058	0.034	0.024	0.002	0.156	** 0.331	0.249	* 0.267	-0.179	** -0.342	-0.159	* -0.265	0.215	** 0.375	* 0.266	* 0.305
Chest girth	-0.139	-0.236	-0.165	-0.201	0.156	0.025	0.161	0.127	-0.12	-0.001	-0.23	-0.169	* 0.259	0.147	* 0.312	* 0.267
Boniness	** -0.431	** -0.469	* -0.286	** -0.437	** -0.37	** -0.4	* -0.266	** -0.383	** 0.388	** 0.522	** 0.344	** 0.461	** -0.374	** -0.345	* -0.257	** -0.36
Croup width	0.092	0.146	0.059	0.11	0.167	* 0.321	0.229	* 0.26	-0.201	* -0.322	-0.183	* -0.298	0.175	** 0.324	0.243	* 0.263
Croup length	-0.011	0.068	0.182	0.091	0.116	0.215	* 0.294	0.231	-0.181	-0.223	* -0.281	* -0.307	0.131	0.214	* 0.288	0.225
Shoulder width	0.218	* 0.314	0.249	* 0.289	0.255	** 0.373	** 0.328	** 0.353	* -0.289	** -0.419	** -0.335	** -0.37	* 0.307	** 0.352	* 0.308	** 0.352
Eurysomia	-0.052	0.066	0.001	0.007	-0.066	0.035	0.023	0.001	0.059	-0.018	0.066	0.011	-0.027	0.026	0.038	0.01
Shoulder part length	0.021	-0.117	0.019	-0.03	0.245	* 0.253	* 0.323	* 0.299	-0.224	-0.079	* -0.251	-0.187	0.239	** 0.331	** 0.345	** 0.329
Selected parts of fore limb	0.088	-0.077	-0.022	-0.007	* 0.271	0.22	0.245	* 0.269	* -0.297	-0.168	* -0.297	* -0.267	0.242	0.245	* 0.259	* 0.272
Croup size	0.054	0.133	0.137	0.121	0.172	** 0.328	* 0.307	* 0.295	-0.222	** -0.33	* -0.264	** -0.349	0.185	** 0.327	* 0.313	* 0.293
Croup size 2	-0.195	-0.162	-0.079	-0.159	0.001	0.054	0.156	0.075	0.031	-0.009	0.022	-0.029	0.006	0.055	0.177	0.082
Combined croup length	-0.194	0.114	0.113	0.019	-0.187	0.022	-0.052	-0.076	-0.069	** -0.394	-0.143	-0.188	-0.106	0.026	-0.056	-0.056
Croup triangle	0.126	-0.121	-0.111	-0.044	0.161	-0.198	0.014	0.004	-0.113	0.182	0.111	0.069	0.131	* -0.263	0.049	-0.011
Hind limb length	0.133	0.115	0.054	0.11	* 0.274	* 0.319	* 0.259	* 0.315	** -0.434	** -0.529	** -0.399	** -0.489	* 0.297	** 0.363	* 0.319	** 0.355

* significant at P ≤ 0.05.
** significant at P ≤ 0.01.

The range of the analysed interdependencies has both a positive and negative character. Studies on the connections between individual indices of body conformation with the above mentioned training advance rates showed the highest correlation rates related to boniness index (100% of all analysed cases), where it was highly positively correlated with WDT (r_xy:from 0.344** to 0.522**) and negatively with the remaining training advance rates (r_xy: from –0.257* in the case of WTT to –0.469** in relation to WRW). This tendency points to the fact that bonier horses have lower parameters of heart rates evaluated with the help of the rates including pulse.

The second statistically significant correlation (14 cases for 16 possible) is the shoulder width index which had negatively affected the WDT value (r_xy: from –0.289* to –0.419**) and significantly increased training advance parameters based on heart work (rxy from 0.289 to 0.373**). This shows that the incresing chest width of young trotters had a negative influence on their movement capacity (in one cycle of heart work) and positive influence on pulse-based rates.

A similar correlation was found for the hind limb index where a significant range of negative influence was noted of its value on movement capacity (r_xy: from –0.399** to –0.529**) and positive in the case of two rates connected with movement pace of the tested trotters (WRW and WTT rates from 0.259* to 0.363**).

Similar tendencies were observed for the croup size and 9 cases were defined out of 16 possible which equals 56.25%, including significant negative correlations with WDT from –0.264* to –0.349** as well as positive for WRW2 from 0.295* to 0.328** and for WTT from 0.293* to 0.327**).

With referrence to 3 indices (chest depth, shoulder part length and selected parts of fore limb), 7 significant correlation rates were found within the croup width index 6 correlation rates whose values also tend to be negative related to WDT and positive in the case of WRW2 and WTT. As far as other indices are concerned, the number of statistically significant interdependencies of the values with the level of training advance rates is much smaller or non-existent (indices eurysomy and croup size) and therefore they will not be characterised. The above conclusions clearly indicate that the values of a number of body conformation indices should be taken into consideration in the prformance evaluation of young trotters which ought to be done as early as possible.

CONCLUSIONS

The tests and studies lead to the following conclusions:

the greatest number of correlations with training advance rates is shown by the boniness index of tested trotters and their character is different (negative correlations with WRW, WRW2, WTT rates and positive with WDT) from those established for shoulder width index, hind limb length and croup size (where there are positive correlations with WRW2 and WTT and negative with WDT),
the number of statistcally significant correlations with body conformation indices and training advance rates is definitely higher than the one stated earlier in relation to absolute biometric measurements of tested trlotters. This indicates that body proportions play a particularly important role in the evaluation of performance predispositions of young trotters,
this study is only introductory but the range of revealed tendencies clearly indicates the necessity to continue it not only in the case of young growing trotters before starting the racing career but also racing horses given to tests in this respect.

REFERENCES

Janczarek I., 2003. Parametry oceny zaawansowania treningowego koni wyscigowych [Training advancement evaluation parameters of race horses]. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech., Supl. 18, 205-210 [in Polish].

Janczarek I., Marchel I., 2005. Próba opracowania wskaznika oceny stopnia wytrenowania kłusaków [Training level comparative evaluation index in growing trotters – test study]. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech., (w druku) 2005 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., 1999. Metody doskonalenia koni [Methods hors introvment]. Wydaw. AR Lublin [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Grochowski W., Suska A., Marchel I., 2004. Próba opracowania nowych formuł indeksów służacych do oceny ruchowej wydolnosci ogierów półkrwi [Attempt aimed at developing new index formulas to evaluate movement capacity of half-bred stallions]. Zesz. Nauk. Prz. Hod. 72 (5), 107-118 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Marchel I., Grochowski W., Suska A., 2004. Analiza wybranych wskazników pracy serca i wydolnosci ruchowej ogierów półkrwi w skokach swobodnych oraz pod jezdzcem [Analysis of selected rates of heart work and movement capacity of half-bred stallions in free jumps and with a rider]. Zesz. Nauk. Prz. Hod. 72 (5), 119-128 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Pluta M., Bocian K., Suska A., 2001. Współzależnosc pomiędzy wybranymi wskaznikami zaawansowania treningowego ogierów półkrwi w ramach testu 100 dni oraz końcowymi wynikami prób dzielnosci [Relationship between selected indicators of training progress rate of half-bred stallions as part of 100-day test and final results of racing performance]. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech., Supl. 14, 109-118 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Pluta M., Bocian K., Suska A., 2001. Wybrane wskazniki zaawansowania treningowego ogierów półkrwi w ramach testu 100 dni [Selected indicators of training progress of half-bred stallions as part of the 100-day test]. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech., Supl. 14, 95-108 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Strzelec K., 1997. Zmiennosc wskazników zaawansowania treningowego u koni przygotowywanych do WKKW [Variability of training advance rates in horses prepared for comprehensive contests]. Zesz. Nauk. AR Szczec., Zootech. 177, 187-202 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Suska A., 2001. Wpływ wybranych czynników na zmiennosc tętna i parametry skoku koni przygotowywanych do skoków przez przeszkody [Effect of selected factors on pulse variation and jump parameters of horses trained for jumping competitions]. Rocz. Nauk. Zootech., Supl. 14, 127-132 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Suska A., Grochowski W., Marchel I., 2004. Zmiennosc fizjologiczna parametrów zaawansowania treningowego ogierów półkrwi [Variability of advanced training physiological parameters of half-bred stallions]. Zesz. Nauk. Prz. Hod. 72 (5), 129-135 [in Polish].

Kaproń M., Janczarek I., Suska A., Marchel I., 2006. Introductory research on relation between biometric rates of growing trotters and parameters of their movement capacity in initial training stage. EJPAU, http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue1/ art.-28.html.

Sasimowski E. 1959. Technika pomiarów biometrycznych koni [Technique of biometric measurements of horses]. Med. Weter. 15 (8), 530-534 [in Polish].

Strzelec K., 2000. Ocena poziomu wybranych wskazników fizjologicznych w trakcie treningu i prób wyczynowych koni uczestniczacych w rajdach długodystansowych [Evaluation of selected physiological rates during training and attempts of horses participating in long-distance races]. AR Lublin (manuscript) [in Polish].

Accepted for print: 21.09.2006

Marian Kaproń
Department of Horse Breeding and Use,
Agricultural University of Lublin, Poland
Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
email: marian.kapron@ar.lublin.pl

Iwona Janczarek
Department of Horse Breeding and Use,
Agricultural University of Lublin, Poland
Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Iwona Marchel
Department of Horse Breeding and Use,
Agricultural University of Lublin, Poland
Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.