The Swedish Warmblood

Part 1 - Part 2.

The Swedes have always been far ahead when it comes to evaluating their breeding stock and they developed the BLUP index with tells you with high certainty what a horse will produce. Here are some of the different ways a SWB gets evaluated in Sweden. It is easy to get confused when buying an imported horse because the way horses are scored has changed in recent years and new ways of evaluation have been added. I am hoping this information will help you straighten things out. Please note, this is how Swedish Warmbloods are evaluated in Sweden. In the US it is slightly different, due mainly to the smaller numbers of horses and the great distances.

Foal Inspection/ Foal Championship (Fölbesiktning/ Fölchampionat)

This is not mandatory but is encouraged, foals are as of the last 3 years judged on the 60-point scale:

  • Type (for breed, gender and rideability)
  • Head, Neck and Body
  • Legs and correctness of movement
  • Walk
  • Trot
  • Canter

45 and over is class I, 42-44 is class II, and Class III is 41 points.

Previously a 30-point scale was used for foals and yearlings (This is also the scale used in the US):

  • Type
  • Conformation
  • Gaits and correctness of movement

23p and over is class I, 21-22p class II and 20p class III

Foals with 47points or over are invited to the Foal Championship Final/Foal of the Year at SwedeHorse, an event well worth watching.

Yearlings and 2-year-olds can be inspected and are scored as above. Colts can be shown for Pre-Breeding Evaluation. They don't get scored but can get recommended to be shown for approval.

Three-Year Test (Treårstest)

Three-year-old SWB's of any gender is encouraged to be shown at this new (started 1999) evaluation, takes place in the spring. The test consists of:

  • Vet-exam and measuring (not scored)

  • Gaits in freedom

  • Free jumping

  • Conformation and gaits in hand

  • Riding test - walk, trot and canter in both directions

The riding test is optional. It is only judged as approved/not approved but you need an approved test to get a diploma. There are jumping and dressage talent diplomas, each calculated differently of course but you need 47 points and no score under 7. The best-placed horses are qualified to participate in the Three-Year Championship at SwedeHorse.

Riding Horse Quality Test (Kvalitets Bedömning, Kvalitetstävlan)

This evaluation is for all 4-year-olds and is unique for the SWB. It is a very good tool for offspring evaluation and gives owners and breeders advice on how to continue their young horses’ training. It is very similar to the Three-Year Test but more is expected of the horse, the riding test is obligatory and a sixth part has been added in recent years; jumping under rider, which is voluntary but necessary to proceed to the national final, Rikskvalitetstävlan or “Riks” which is also held at SwedeHorse, where the winners from every local test compete against each other to be the best dressage or jumping prospect in the nation. The best 25% in each discipline receives a Performance Diploma (Prestationsdiplom).

Inspection (Premiering)

This yearly event was the main breeding evaluation for over 100 years. Mares with foals are presented for the Studbook and young horses are inspected. 3-year-old mares are graded on the 60-point scale but up until a couple of years ago, all mares were graded on the 50-point scale. Same judgment groups as the 60 point but without the canter.
38p and over is class I, 35-37p class II, 34 class III and if a mare scores lower than that she is rejected for breeding. A 3-year-old mare that scored 40p or over received a breeding diploma. Older mares, not shown shown as 3-year-olds, are still judged on the 50-point scale.

Diploma mare (Diplom sto)

When a SWB mare is shown at the age of 3 at the Three-Year-Test or Summer Inspection she will get a diploma if she gets 47p or over with no single score under 7. At the Summer Inspection, free jumping is optional but can replace another score if that would increase the total. This way a horse bred for jumping, that might be lacking in gaits (usually has a good walk and canter but less trot) but jumps very well, still can get a diploma. The winner at each inspection site qualifies to the national breed show at Elmia, a very prestigious event for Swedish breeders. This is where the term "Elmia mare" comes from and an "Elmia winner" was once the best 3y.o. mare in the country.

Back to Part 1