Comparison of Head Morphometric Traits Within Five Selected Performance Types of Quarter Horses(Eguus Cabullus) Redacted for Privacy
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Elana Morgana Smith for the degree of Master of Science in Animal Science Presented on October 25, 2002 Title: Comparison of Head Morphometric Traits Within Five Selected Performance Types of Quarter Horses(Eguus cabullus) Redacted for privacy Abstract approved: Thomas F. Savage A study was conducted to investigate if morphometric facial measurements could be utilized to differentiate five categorical performance types of Quarter Horses. The five categories being Western, Halter, English, Reining, and Cutting. The measurements were collected from 323 registered Quarter Horses representing animals who ranged in age from one year to 30 years of age and one of three gender (Stallion, Gelding, and Mare) categories. Eight facial measurements were obtained from two geographic areas, Florida and Oregon. A correlation was performed and resulted in a reduction of the data from eight to five facial measurements, due to the presence of facial symmetry. The reduced data was subsequently analyzed by Multivariate Analysis, using the Wilks Lambda Analysis of Variance. The Main effects, age, gender, and categorical performance type were all significant (p<0.0001 to 0.00 1). Of the two-way interactions only age:gender was not significant (p>0.05) and the three- way interaction age:gender:type was also not significant (p>O.O5) Based upon the not significant (J)>O.O5) Based upon the results, the five original performance categories could be reduced to four (English, Halter, Cutting, and Western/Reining). This indicates that there are a number of similarities in facial measurements between the Western and Reining horses.
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