Training Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Anglo-Arabs

Each horse learns at its own pace, but are there breed-related differences in learning rate? A study conducted by researchers from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland was designed to investigate this question.

The objective of the study was to compare the responses of 72 horses of different breeds (equal numbers of Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Anglo-Arabs) to a sympathetic training method used during an initial training period before the horses started their first racing season. Each breed group contained 12 colts and 12 fillies. Training was conducted for three consecutive days with one session each day. Five tasks were taught, with each horse’s heart rate and time to complete a stage being recorded.

Results showed that Thoroughbreds and Arabians completed the training stages faster than Anglo-Arabs. Anglo-Arab horses also showed the strongest reaction to training, and more than half the horses in this group did not progress enough to be mounted at the end of the third day. In horses of Arabian and Anglo-Arab breeding, fillies showed a faster heart rate during training than colts. This is generally accepted as a sign of stress, and could indicate that fillies require particularly gentle treatment as they are being trained.