WBFSH Webinar on Breeding Values

What are breeding values, how do we use them, and why can they be a useful tool in your breeding program?
More information on www.wbfsh.com

[@KareenH]

Thank you for sharing! I have a couple of questions and see some issues with the current practice of determining breed values. First of all how can we justify excluding roughly two thirds of all horses and between 80 and 90% of all riders from it? In my country (Germany) we've known for 20+ years (ever since the IPSOS study of 2001) that only 10% of riders compete at shows at all. Likewise approximately two thirds of all horses born never get to show at any recognized ("LPO"-sector) competitions. The remainder are horses owned and ridden by non-competing riders, horses who are not or can not be ridden at all and also all horses who don't even live long enough to reach working age. I don't think this can be justified in today's climate where animal welfare is subject to more and more critizism from the non-equestrian public. Within the sport there also is a growing sentiment that especially in dressage and the according young horse classes judging has become very detached if not counterdicting the principles laid out in the classical riding manuals. I find it highly questionable to rely on subjective scores to determine breed values. Lastly I still miss a health breeding value that reflects the criteria that (opposed to show results who only affect a marginal percentage of all riders and breeders) affects 100% of all riders and breeders which would be soundness, durability and any criteria/traits that often are career-limiting or even outright welfare issues e.g. selection efforts to counter hereditary defects. These problems would seem to suggest trying a different approach and include a) more riders and horses and b) soundness as well as all of the "soft" criteria affecting any equestrian (interior values, temperament, ability to handle stress etc.). I see a massive decrease in soundness qualities and soundness to me is not defined by a set of x-rays but much rather all soundness-related criteria beginning from fertility in both mares and stallions all the way to duration of working life and susceptibility to the various infectious and non-infectious diseases that are plagueing modern horses more than ever due to the increased frequency and length of transports, increased international movement of horses, increased frequency of starts in competition and structural changes in horse-husbandry (fewer and bigger yards, lesser availability of land). I do think it's time for some change and taking into consideration that the vast majority of equestrian sports happens outside of recognized competition and equestrian sport is more than just dressage and jumping. There's driving, vaulting, Parasport, there's tons of non-competive sport/leisure riding that still qualifies as sport and there's way too much that goes by unnoticed in terms of health issues but urgently needs addressing by our breeding authorities because otherwise pressure from non-equestrian groups e.g. PeTA and other organisations who are hostile towards human-animal interaction of any kind will grow. It has already become impossible for instance to place a stallion advert on ebay because breeding animals is considered unethical by the ebay shareholders. Other internet giants such as Facebook or instagram ban the sale of animals via their platforms or at least attempt to do so. These are imo open attacks on our livelihood as breeders and the equestrian/rural lifestyle altogther. Besides it should trigger more response from our leading organisations because such policies represent a general accusation we as responsible horsemen and breeders can not tolerate.