Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Van Veterinary Journal, cilt.37, sa.1, ss.92-97, 2026 (TRDizin)
This study aimed to morphometrically characterize Gemlik horses and their crossbreds, which originated from Holsteiner and KWPN lineages and have been bred since the early 2000s under the Turkish Ministry of National Defense. A total of 111 horses including pure Gemlik, Gemlik crossbred, and parental lines-were evaluated for various body measurements such as withers height, croup height, body length, chest depth, heart girth, neck length, and ear dimensions. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test followed by Bonferroni-corrected post hoc comparisons due to the non-normal distribution of the data. Results revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among breeds for body length, heart girth, and interocular distance. Gemlik horses exhibited measurements generally aligned with their paternal Holsteiner and maternal KWPN lines, particularly in withers height (~166 cm) and live weight (~514 kg). Gender-based comparisons showed mares were significantly larger than stallions in several traits, including live weight, hind leg length, and chest width. Age also significantly influenced skeletal and muscular development, with older horses demonstrating greater withers height, body length, and heart girth. The findings suggest that Gemlik horses possess morphometric traits suitable for sport horse purposes, especially show jumping. The formal recognition of the Gemlik breed as a Turkish sport horse could support the development of national equestrian activities, accelerate its international competitiveness, and increase the recognition of equestrian sports among a wider audience.