Konik and Hucul horses: A comparative study of exterior measurements

Abstract

An exterior comparison was made between 2 primitive horse breeds: the Konik and the Hucul breeds. Each animal was characterized using 25 measurements and 24 indices. Statistical methods employed in this study were principal components analysis and the Student's t-test. It was found that in spite of both breeds being included in the group of horses with a primitive exterior, the Konik and the Hucul possess completely different metric properties of their body conformations. Although the mean height for the Hucul breed slightly exceeds that of the Konik, the latter has longer scapulae and metacarpi. The hind limb also features different proportions among its segments in the 2 breeds. The observed differences seem to be connected with different habitats for these breeds. In particular, mountainous conditions may have had an effect on the specific body conformation of the Hucul breed.

An Attempt to Determine the Relation Between Hucul Horses Conformation Assessment, Movement and Courage Test Results Part I. Stallions Line

“…Kolstrung and Pierzchała (2008) underscore the fact that it would be purposeful to employ computer image analysis of a horses' movement as an additional means for accurate assessment of the propriety of movement and length of steps. Komosa and Purzyc (2009) have drawn attention to the characteristic movement, primitive mountain breed with relatively short trunk, short scapula and metatarsus in Hucul horses. These authors demonstrate that Polish Konik horses, when compared with Hucul's, are characterized by being shorter at the withers, but longer scapula.…”

“…This has been the outcome of intensive promotional activities for the breed that incorporates testing for courage and utility which is obligatory for individuals covered by the Genetic Resources Protection Programme and reproductive stallions [Tomczyk-Wrona, 2008;Breeding Programme,… 2007]. One of the primary aims in Hucul horse breeding is, apart from monitoring its utility values, the meticulous preservation of its specific, primitive breed traits [Mihok, 1996;Purzyc, 2007;Komosa and Purzyc, 2009]. The fact that increasing individuals are being reared in lowlands can become a threat to the exterior qualities of a typical mountain horse.…”

“…This constitutes a danger for traits loss that have been established the centuries by severe living conditions. The Genetic Resources Preservation Programme presumes improvements on recreational utility related traits (i.e., movement) without any major changes to type, hence the search for links between exterior traits and utility value has become very important [Brzeski et el, 1995;Komosa and Purzyc, 2009;Tomczyk-Wrona, 2010].…”

Crypto-tobiano horses in Hucul breed

“…The primitive Hucul horse breed derives from the East Carpathian Mountains. It is believed that Hucul ancestors originated early on from many types of horses, and from the extinct Tarpans (Hackl 1938;Komosa and Purzyc 2009). The Huculs are bred in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, the Ukraine, and Austria, and more than one-half of the entire Hucul population is bred in Poland.…”

Recurrent respiratory disorders in Polish Konik horses - clinical and laboratory findings

“…is a horse of primitive breed, descending directly from the wild tarpans (Equus ferus ferus), which, in its original form, irretrievably extincted in the late 18 th century (8). Individual tarpans, which were captured and adapted to work in the field gave rise to new breed of horses.…”