Polish sport horse

The Polish sport horse (Polish: Polski koń szlachetny półkrwi) is a studbook of sport horses, from Poland. This recent studbook, which does not constitute a breed, comes from selective breeding for equestrian sports. It is selected from Malopolski and Wielkopolski, both of which perform poorly on the international sporting scene, and from crosses with various sport horses. The animals are large, with muscular rumps and strong legs.

The target market is international dressage and show jumping competitions, but Polish sport horses can also be used as leisure horses. One of the best-known horses in this studbook is MJT Nevados S, the 2015 World Champion 7-year-old showjumper ridden by Belgian rider Grégory Wathelet. The Polish sport horse studbook remains strictly local, and is currently being set up.

Naming and classification
These horses do not constitute a breed per se, since they are selected by continuous crossbreeding, and will never be able to reproduce, according to their selection criteria. While "cheval de sport polonais" (Polish sport horse) is the French name chosen by the author of the Delachaux guide, the original name in the studbook is Polski koń szlachetny półkrwi, which translates as "Polish half-blood horse", as the experts at the French Institute of Horse and Riding (IFCE by its acronym in French) point out. Another name for it in Polish is Półkrewka and the local abbreviation is "sp".

The Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) database probably contains an error, since the Polski koń szlachetny półkrwi entry there refers to the Polish Trait breed. The Polish name Konie pogrubione, referenced by DAD-IS, actually refers to the draft horse. The author of the Delachaux Guide shows this DAD-IS error (in the 2014 and 2016 editions), referencing the entry "Polish Sport Horse" in correspondence with the English name Polish Coldblood, which refers to the Polish Trait.

History
The Polish sport horse originated after the end of World War II. It was bred exclusively to meet the demand for a horse that would perform well in equestrian sports competitions, as the historic Polish breeds Wielkopolski and Malopolski performed poorly in international dressage and show jumping competitions. The Polish sport horse originated from crosses between the Wielkopolski, Malopolski and Hanoverian, later influenced by various breeds from outside Poland, in particular the Selle Français and KWPN. At the end of the 1990s, it was mainly bred at Polish national stud farms, but the increasing liberalization of the market meant that a choice had to be made between using Polish genetic resources and those of stallions of foreign origin. Results in equestrian competitions have led to a growing structuring of this breeding sector. Between 1990 and 2003, according to the Polish Horse Breeders' Federation, the Polish half-blood was the fastest-growing studbook, with 169 mares and 82 stallions registered in 1990, and 3,342 mares and 703 stallions in 2003.

Description
This is a sport horse, whose model is quite variable depending on the crossbreeds used. Like many other European sport horses, it is difficult to characterize. Although their genetic origins are different, the Czech Warmblood and the Polish sport horse are morphologically very similar.

According to the selection objectives defined in 2005, the desired height is between 1.64 m and 1.75 m, without excluding smaller horses whose performance would be exceptional. The Delachaux guide, without citing its sources, indicates a range of 1.60 m to 1.70 m.

The head has a rectilinear profile. The shoulder is long and sloping. The back is straight, long and muscular. The rump is very muscular and powerful, and the legs are strong. Depending on the sporting discipline, the model may vary: show jumpers are sought after for size and solid legs, dressage horses for harmony and intelligence, and eventers for power and endurance.

Equine coat color
The coat can be bay, chestnut, gray, black or, more rarely, pinto.

Temperament and gaits
Horses are renowned for their calmness, energy and courage; and the attention comes along with cooperation with the rider, stamina and handling. The three gaits (walk, trot and gallop) are sought to be as efficient as possible.

Selection
The selection of Polish sport horses is mainly based on a method called BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction). The difficulty lies in reconciling the search for sporting performance, model and character adapted to the target market. The selection of breeding stock is particularly controlled, including a constant search for the best known European and world breeding stock, and screening for osteochondritis. A difficulty specific to the Polish cultural context is a tendency to "fetishize" foreign stallions on the basis of their origin. Polish tradition also places great importance on conformation, sometimes leading to the overestimation of horses perceived as particularly elegant.

The use of artificial insemination is crucial to this selection process. A parentage test is compulsory for inseminated mares. Foals are evaluated under dam, then at one and two years of age.

Horses from Polish half-bloods and studbooks registered with the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) can enter the Polish Sport Horse Studbook, as can those from Wielkopolski, Malopolski, Silesian, Thoroughbred, Arabian, Anglo-Arabian and foreign horses that meet the studbook's requirements. The breeders' aim is to obtain a high-performance, genetically consolidated horse without the need for continuous imports of genetic resources. As a result, particular attention is paid to the performance of horses already registered in the studbook. Thoroughbred and Arabian stallions are allowed to crossbreed for racing performance. The studbook regulations authorize extensive cross-breeding, with attention paid to the subsequent reproduction of the horses themselves registered.

The inbreeding rate of Polish sport horses is low, probably thanks to the introduction of numerous stallions of foreign breeds.

Usage
This horse is used for equestrian sports, especially show jumping and dressage, and to a lesser extent for eventing. The studbook is also represented in combined driving, but this type is rarer. Like all breeding aimed at top-level competition, that of the Polish sport horse involves a drastic selection process, which excludes a large number of horses, redirected towards amateur-level competition and mass equestrian leisure activities.

At the end of 2018, the Polish studbook ranked 18th in the world for show jumping. One of the breed's best representatives in this sport is the 2015 World Champion 7-year-old showjumper MJT Nevados S, born at Stanislaw Szurik's stud in Liszkowo in 2008, and ridden by Belgian rider Grégory Wathelet. In dressage, the Polish sport horse ranked 19th in the world at the end of 2018. In eventing, this studbook ranks 15th over the same period.

Breeding distribution
The Polish sport horse is unique to Poland, where breeding is both very active and growing, but it is little known outside the country. They are bred throughout Poland.