THE DIFFERENCES IN ARABIAN HORSE BODY MEASUREMENTS USED IN DIFFERENT HORSE SPORTS (RACING AND JEREED)

Numerous sports disciplines employ Arabian horses. The use of Arabian horses bred in Turkey for flat racing and javelin (jereed) sport was examined in this study, as well as the effects of aging. 13 different physical sections of Arabian male horses were measured, 43 of which competed in races at the racetracks in Ankara, Adana, Bursa, and Şanlıurfa, and 58 of which took part in javelin competitions in the heart of Erzurum. When the body measurements of male Arabian horses used for javelin and racing were compared, it was found that there were differences in the croup length (p < 0.01), back length (p < 0.001), chest depth (p < 0.05), chest circumference (p < 0.001), pectoral chest width (p < 0.01), neck circumference (p < 0.001), and hock circumference (p < 0.001). The changes in the withers height, croup length, and chest circumference of male Arabian horses at different ages were found to be significant (p < 0.05), but not in the other body measurements (p > 0.05). The pectoral chest breadth and hock circumference were shown to be significant in the usage area of horses (JAVELIN-RACING) x age interaction (p < 0.05). The choice of Arabian racing horses for the javelin or training purposes was thought to have altered the anatomical structure, which could account for the differences in various body measurements between racing and javelin horses.