ATA Mare Inspection Results Summary
1998 – 2005

Starting in 1998, the ATA adopted mandatory inspections for all horses wishing to be entered into the Official Stud Book, the Preliminary Stud Book and all Pilot Program Thoroughbred and Arabian divisions of the Preliminary Stud Book. The results of these mandatory inspections involving mares during the eight years of the Pilot Program are shown below and have interpretive comments.

Figure 1: Mares Inspected in ATA 1998 – 2005

A total of 952 mares have been inspected by the ATA inspectors since 1998 and of the total, 898 or 94.3% of these mares were approved for the various divisions of the ATA stud book. Ninety nine of every hundred Trakehner mares were approved. Nine out of every ten Thoroughbred mares were approved and three out of every four Arabian mares were approved.

The following approval rate by the various mare groups are as follows:

Figure 2: Average Inspection Scores for All Approved Mares

It is interesting to compare the average approval scores for Trakehner mares vs. Thoroughbred and Arabian mares for each year of the program in Figure 2. Trakehner mares scored significantly higher than did Thoroughbred or Arabian mares for each year except 2003 when four Arabian mares scored an average of 50 points; a half point higher than the Trakehner mare average of that year. Over all the years, the average scores for each of these categories are:

Average Approval Score

• Trakehner Mares 49.2
• Thoroughbred Mares 46.8
• Arabian Mares 46.8

It appears that during this time period the ATA approved and took in relatively lower quality Thoroughbreds and Arabians on average vs. Trakehner mares. The intention of infusing Thoroughbred and Arabian genetics is to improve the breed, especially in athleticism and refinement. Having this sub-population below the average of the Trakehner population is to be noted.

In addition, there is a relatively large proportion of Thoroughbred and Arabian mares as well as Anglo-Trakehners that were approved relative to Trakehner mares approved during the time period which is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 3: OSB Mares Approval Scores
Since Required Mandatory Inspection
1998 through 2005

The total number of Trakehner mares receiving a total score is depicted Figure 3. There are 70 points possible for a mare to score at an inspection. It shows there is a classic bell curve in scoring the population of 449 approved Trakehner mares during the time period. There were 25 model mares approved. The above chart shows that the ranges of extreme scores of the population appear to be in line with the midrange mass of the population. It also shows the range of approval scores from a high of 61 points to a low of 39 points. Notes: minimum approval scores were not established until the year 2000. Currently the minimum score of 42 points is required to approve a Trakehner mare. Some mares were approved with injuries that did not allow a mark for certain gaits; their scores were not counted.

Figure 4: PSB Thoroughbred Mares
Approval Scores Since Requiring Mandatory Inspection
1998 through 2005

Figure 4 shows the distribution of Thoroughbred mares approved during the PSB xx Pilot Program. Note the distribution of approved scores tend to cluster toward the lower end of the range of scores and the there are a minimal number of horses above 50 points. Note: the minimum approval score was raised to 44 points in 2001. Some mares were approved with injuries that did not allow a mark for certain gaits and their scores were not counted.

Figure 5: PSB Arabian Mares Approval Scores
Since Requiring Mandatory Inspection
1998 through 2005

Figure 5 shows the distribution of approved Arabian mares in the PSB ox Pilot Program also tends to cluster at the lower end of the range of scores with a large majority of mares below 48 points and relatively few above 50 points.

Figure 6, the pie chart shows the total approved population during the time period and the proportional impact. As previously discussed the rather large impact of Thoroughbred and Arabian genetics is to be observed relative to the OSB Trakehner mare population. Only half the mare populations approved during the time period were Trakehner mares. The other half had a large proportion of blood which is being added rather quickly to the mare gene pool. This approved group is probably the most active segment of the breeding population as the mares are between 3 and 11 years of age.

Results and Recommendations to the Board of Trustees

The ATA Board of Trustees reviewed the data presented and concurred with the Inspection Committee's recommendation to raise the minimum scores on all horses for the 2006 inspection season except Trakehner mares. The summary changes are as follows as well as the rationale presented to the Board of Trustees:

Rationale for changes:

• Brings Trakehner stallion minimum approval scores closer to German Verband minimums in consideration of the Verband acceptance program of ATA approved stallions from 2005 onward (approval requires 58 pts. for ATA vs. 60 pts. for Germany), and expects Thoroughbred and Arabian stallions to be better than the minimum Trakehner stallion approval score.

• There is no change in the minimum score for OSB Trakehner mares

• The number of Thoroughbred, Arabian and halfblood (Anglo-Trakehner and Arab-Trakehner) mares approved during the eight years of mandatory inspections for the Preliminary Stud Book/Pilot Program equaled the number of full Trakehner mares approved for the Official Stud Book resulting in a significant impact on the genetics of the breeding population.

• Average approval scores during the period for PSB xx and ox mares were significantly lower than the average approval score for OSB Trakehner mares. The average approval score for PSB xx and ox mares was 46.8 vs. 49.2 for OSB Trakehner mares.

• Approved Thoroughbred and Arabian horses going forward are intended to be improvers to the quality of the breed and therefore should be above the current breed average score for Trakehner mares. Therefore; minimum approval scores for Thoroughbred and Arabian mares are now at least equal to the breed average of OSB mare approval scores (see charts) so as to increase the probability of improving the breed in the future.