ABSTRACT
Most performance events are judged by subjective standards depending upon what each judge visualizes as the ideal for each particular event. Selection for conformation is a must if performance horses are to lead long, sound, useful lives. Joe Thomas of Windfields Farm has formulated his own scale for selecting yearling thoroughbreds for conformation, as conformation relates to performance in the race horse. His scale represents five areas of conformation and functions that must influence selections made by yearling buyers. If the heritability values of these performance traits are very low, it proves that cutting, reining, and roping horse breeders have been proper in their heavy reliance on pedigree in selecting their breeding stocks. Heritability value estimates are simply indicators of what we can expect. Because our genetic knowledge is based on, and revolves around, average values, it is logical to expect some sires and dams to perform well above average while a like number will perform below average.
