SOME FACTORS OF THE TIME OF BREAKING AND TRAINING AFFECTING RACING PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG TROTTERS

An inquiry study was carried out to query the main reasons for non-sta rting and poor racing results, as well as to estimate the effect of so me factors of the time of breaking and training on racing performance. The numbers of acceptable responses were 796 for Standardbred trotter s and 857 for Finnhorses. About 72 % of the Standardbred trotters race d before the end of the five-year season, and about 42 % of the Finnho rse trotters raced before the end of their six-year season. The main r easons for non-starting and poor racing results were injuries and ailm ents, bad character, lack of talent and poor training. In general, you ng age at the beginning of breaking and training was favorably associa ted with racing performance. For instance, three-year-old Standardbred trotters broken at the age of 1 or 1 1/2 years were 2.1 seconds faste r (p < 0.01) and had a larger number of starts (p < 0.05) than their r acemates broken at 2 or 3 years of age. The influence of class of pers ons responsible for breaking and training was minor. However, trotters broken and trained by professional trainers seemed to have better rac ing results than trotters broken and trained by breeders and owners.