The BLUP is a genetic index. It plays a role in the reproduction since the parents's BLUP influences the potential of a foal at its birth.It is calculated depending on
- the training level reached by the horse in its best three skills,
- the number of competitions won by the horse, the ideal being 20 victories
- and its age. The BLUP can only reach 100 after 10 years' old.
It is therefore interesting to select trained horses as reproducers and those that have excelled in competitions. Depending on these parameters, the BLUP will always be between - 100 and 100, - with -100 being the minimum BLUP and 100 the maximum BLUP that a horse can achieve.
If the parents's average BLUP is 0, i.e. neutral, it will not have an impact on calculating the foal's genetic potential. If it is less than 0, the foal will have more chance of seeing its potential lower than its parents's potential and vice versa if the average BLUP is more than 0.
To have the best reproducers and have every chance of having the best foals possible, it is preferable to select horse with a high, or at least a positive, BLUP, i.e. mainly well trained individuals.
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