The random factor is simply a randomly generated value of to simulate the complexity of life and how “environment” can affect physical traits. What is the “environment”? Think climate, a horse living in Florida versus Alaska. Think feed and forage access, a horse with a pasture in Arizona has different forage than a horse in Tennessee. Things like these make up a horse’s environment and can influence a horse’s physical abilities.
Yes, this is true. Let me give an example. For strength, in real life, 9hh mini won’t be stronger than a 15hh Quarter Horse, and the Quarter Horse won’t out-pull a 20hh Shire. We have tried to simulate this in Legacy. Draft and cob-type horses have the most muscling, and thus will be stronger horses. Taller horses have more muscle mass than shorter horses. But yet, a 16 hh horse can be stronger than, say, a 17 hh horse if they have better conformation and genetics. 😀 Life is complicated.
This is difficult to answer for most traits due to Legacy’s complexity. Individual conformation traits affect a large part of each performance ability, and many abilities are affected by the same conformation trait. But, what is best for one performance ability, may not be best for another ability. So, attempting to max one stat versus another changes the other maxes your herd can achieve. The formulas in this game are so complicated that I’m afraid even we don’t have any idea what is possible, but, we don’t in real life either so. 🤷
The ability of the horse to pull something. More strength means the horse can pull more weight.
Trot Racing and Pulling
NO. Would you expect a 14 hh Arabian to be able to out pull a 18 hh Shire in real life? No. We tried to simulate that in Legacy. Body type and height strongly affect strength. Keep that in mind when reading this wiki. Also, keep in mind that strength in Legacy is a measure of how much weight a horse can pull. This ability is useless in most shows.
5% Random Factor + 65% Conformation + 23% Genes + 7% Gender
84
Stallions will have increased muscle mass due to testosterone, so, stallions will have noticeably more strength than mares or geldings.
Keep in mind that 23% of Strength is from genes that cannot be seen, and 5% is a Random Factor, which you can't breed for. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Strength.
10 Conformation traits affect Strength. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
A lower set neck is best for increasing strength.
A shorter back is stronger.
Being sway- or roach-backed decreases strength.
A wider ribcage will increase strength.
A steeper hip increases strength.
A longer hip increases strength.
Big feet will allow your horse to steady themselves better for pulling heavy loads.
Thicker bone structure will be able to handle more weight when pulling.
More muscle more strength!
A taller horse is a bigger horse, and a bigger horse will have more muscle than a smaller horse.
Cross Country, Endurance, Flat Racing, Trot Racing
No. Why? In real life, there are different types of muscle fibers. Some are better for short bursts of use, others are better for long periods. Some breeds have more of one type than the other, making them either better fit for endurance, or a sprint. To simulate this in the game, we have made it so that certain body types are better for endurance than others.
NO. So don’t drive yourself crazy trying. See the question and answer before this. The reasoning is the same.
10% Random Factor + 50% Conformation + 40% Genes
51
Keep in mind that 40% of Stamina is from genes that cannot be seen, and 10% is a Random Factor, which you can't breed for. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Stamina.
6 Conformation traits affect Stamina. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Any curve to the head profile disrupts air intake, and will decrease stamina
Bigger nostrils increases air intake and will increase stamina
Being narrow or wide-chested will decrease stamina
Having a larger ribcage increases lung capacity, and increases stamina
Being lighter increases stamina, so being fine-boned is best
Bulkier muscles aren't great for stamina. You'll want a lean build.
Flat Racing, Trot Racing, Barrel Racing, Cutting, Gaited Pleasure, Cross Country, Show Jumping, Reining, Endurance
No. Why? In real life, speed is affected by things like height and muscle composition (slow vs. fast-twitch). We did our best to simulate this here, and, as a result, certain body types will be better suited for speed than others.
NO. So don’t drive yourself crazy trying. See the question and answer before this.
5% Random + 65% Conformation + 30% Genes
98
Keep in mind that 30% of Speed is from genes that cannot be seen, and 5% is a Random Factor, which you can't breed for. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Speed.
12 Conformation traits affect Stamina. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Bigger nostrils increases air intake and will increase speed
A longer hip will increase speed
Lighter bone density will increase speed
Some muscling is needed to run fast, but not too much!
A slightly downhill build is best for speed
Having a laid-back shoulder is best for speed
A longer humerus increases speed
A somewhat steep hip angle is best for speed
Having a long forearm and short cannons is best for speed
Being post-legged or sickle-hocked decreases speed
Having longer legs will increase speed
Based on real-life racehorse heights, there is a range that is best for speed.
Stride refers to how much reach the horse has at the walk or trot. Stride ranges from ‘choppy’ to ‘forges’, and your horse's stride can be seen on their ‘Conformation’ page.
A long stride, where the horse’s hind feet reach forward far enough to land in the hoofprint of their forelegs, is considered ideal. However, a horse's stride can be too long, and this is called ‘forging’, which means their hind legs hit their front legs when they move. This could result in injury to the horse, and will be counted as a fault in shows. So, you will want to breed for a longer stride, but not the longest.
Halter, Saddleseat, Gaited Pleasure, Dressage
Yes. This trait is not limited to any body type or height.
100% Conformation
61
Stride is controlled by 8 conformation traits, detailed below. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
A higher set neck produces a longer stride
A more laid-back shoulder produces a longer stride
A longer shoulder produces a longer stride
A longer humerus produces a longer stride
A flatter hip angle produces a longer stride
A longer forearm (the more right edge of the slider) produces a longer stride
Having more curve in the hock will produce a longer stride
Having longer legs in proportion to the body will produce a longer stride
Knee action refers to how high the horse lifts its knees when moving. Low indicates the horse has very little upward movement with their knees, while high means their forearms go so high they become level, or above level, with the ground. Average horses fall in between those two. Keep in mind that not every show discipline wants high knee action though! You can find more information on each discipline's page.
Halter, Dressage, Reining, Gaited Pleasure, Saddleseat
Yes. This trait is not limited to any breed.
60% Conformation + 30% Genes + 10% Personality/Talents
80
Keep in mind 30% of Knee Action is from genes that cannot be seen. Below are only the details for the conformation traits and personality/talent traits that affect Knee Actio
6 Conformation traits affect Knee Action. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
A higher neck position will increase Knee Action
A more laid-back shoulder will increase Knee Action
A longer humerus will increase Knee Action
A steeper humerus angle will increase Knee Action
This is a trickier one. Having very little or a lot of muscling will decrease Knee Action. Think of it this way, lifting the knees high is a decent workout, so some muscling is needed to get the highest, but, too much muscling weighs the horse down.
Having finer bone density will increase Knee Action
One personality trait and one talent also affect Knee Action
A more energetic horse will have higher Knee Action
A more charismatic horse will naturally prance more, and have higher Knee Action
Hock action refers to how high the horse lifts its hocks when moving. Low indicates the horse has very little upward movement with their hocks, while high means their hindlegs are lifted close to their stomachs when they are moving. Average horses fall in between those two. Keep in mind that not every show discipline wants high hock action though! You can find more information on each discipline's page.
Halter, Dressage, Reining, Gaited Pleasure, Saddleseat
Yes. This trait is not limited to any breed.
60% Genes + 30% Genetics + 10% Personality/Talents
93
Just because a horse has high knee action in real life, doesn’t mean they will have matching action in the hocks. Arguably, knee action is easier to breed for than hock action, and having high Knee Action but low Hock Action is a fault in Saddleseat and Dressage. This is a challenge for a lot of breeders, to get matching action. So, we added the challenge here.
Keep in mind 30% of Hock Action is from genes that cannot be seen. Below are only the details for the conformation traits and personality/talent traits that affect Hock Action
11 Conformation traits affect Hock Action. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Just like for Knee Action, this is a trickier one. Having very little or a lot of muscling will decrease Hock Action. Think of it this way, lifting the hocks high is a decent workout, so some muscling is needed to get the highest. But, too much muscling weighs the horse down.
Having finer bone density will increase Hock Action
A slightly longer back is best for higher Hock Action. Not too long though!
Having too much or too little Back Curve will decrease Hock Action. In the middle is perfect!
Having a slightly longer loin is best for higher Hock Action. Not too long though!
Having longer legs will increase Hock Action a bit
A flatter hip will increase hock Action
Having slightly more angle in the hocks is best for higher Hock Action. Too much angle though, and you will get Sickle-hocks!
A longer hip will increase Hock Action
A wider, bulkier horse will have trouble lifting their hocks
Being more uphill will increase Hock Action
One personality trait and one talent also affect Hock Action
A more energetic horse will have higher Hock Action
A more charismatic horse will naturally prance more, and have higher Hock Action
Surefootedness describes how careful a horse is with foot placement. In other words, a horse with higher Surefootedness is less likely to stumble. This is important for high-speed type events, such as racing and jumping, where a stumble can slow the horse down, as well as other technical events.
Dressage, Cross Country, Show Jumping, Reining, Endurance, Flat Racing, Trot Racing, Barrel Racing, Pulling
Yes. This one is not limited to any breed or height.
10% Random Factor + 40% Conformation + 50% Genes
43
Keep in mind that 50% of Surefootedness is from genes that cannot be seen, and 10% is a Random Factor, which you can't breed for. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Surefootedness.
5 Conformation traits affect Surefootedness. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Having a narrow or wide chest will make the horse move awkwardly, and decreases surefootedness
Having narrow or wide hips will make the horse move awkwardly, and decreases surefootedness
If a horse is toed-in or toed-out, they will have decreased surefootedness
Having small or large feet decreases surefootedness
Having disproportionately short or long legs decreases surefootedness
Balance describes how well a horse is able to move underneath themselves, and lift their shoulder. This allows a horse to perform more complex movements, such as the Passage.
Dressage, Show Jumping, Reining, Trot Racing, Saddleseat, Gaited Pleasure, Pulling
Yes. This one is not limited to any type or height.
80% Conformation + 20% Genes
98
Keep in mind that 20% of Balance is from genes that cannot be seen. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Balance.
12 Conformation traits affect Balance. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
A higher neck set will increase Balance
An arched neck is best for Balance
A laid-back shoulder is best for Balance
A shorter back will increase Balance
Being roached- or sway-backed will decrease Balance
A shorter loin is best for Balance
A flat or steep hip will decrease Balance
A longer hip will increase Balance
Being toed-in or toed-out will decrease Balance
Being post-legged or sickle-hocked will decrease Balance
Being uphill increases Balance
Being short or long legged will decrease Balance
Agility describes how nimble a horse is. This trait is important for making quick turns, and other similar maneuvers.
Dressage, Cross Country, Show Jumping, Reining, Endurance, Barrel Racing, Cutting
Almost. Drafts and cobs don’t quite. All that muscling reduces their nimbleness a bit.
66% Conformation + 34% Genes
141
Keep in mind that 34% of Agility is from genes that cannot be seen. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Agility.
17 Conformation traits affect Agility. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Having a disproportionately sized head (too small or too big) will decrease agility some.
Having a disproportionate neck length (too long or too short) will decrease agility some.
Having a higher neck set increases agility.
An arched neck is best for agility.
A more laid-back shoulder increases agility.
Having a disproportionately sized shoulder will decrease agility some.
Having a narrow or wide chest will decrease agility some.
Having a long or short back will decrease agility some.
Having a sway- or roached-back will decrease agility.
A shorter loin is best for agility.
A hip angle in the middle is best for agility.
Having narrow or wide hips will decrease agility some.
Having a longer hip will increase agility.
Being toed-in or out will decrease agility.
Having big feet will decrease agility some.
Being post-legged or sickle-hocked will decrease agility.
Heavily muscled horses will have less agility.
Show Jumping (In-hand or Under saddle), Cross Country
No. Would you expect a miniature horse to be able to clear that? Of course not. Would you expect a 17hh Shire to be able to jump as high as a 17hh Dutch Warmblood? No, he’s probably too bulky. Height and body type have a large amount of control over how high a horse can jump. This is simulated in Legacy.
5% Random Factor + 55% Conformation + 40% Genes
102
Yes, this is true. Certain body types, for example warmbloods, are more apt to jump in real life, so we took that into account here. Also, to a point, being taller also allows a horse to jump higher. Although, it isn’t guaranteed that a 17hh warmblood will jump higher than a 16hh warmblood. Height isn’t everything. 😀 Life is complicated.
Keep in mind that 40% of Jumping is from genes that cannot be seen, and 5% is a Random Factor, which you can't breed for. Below are only the details for the conformation traits that affect Jumping.
13 Conformation traits affect Jumping. Traits marked with *** have the largest influence on this trait, so you should probably focus on them most.
Having a higher neck position increases Jumping
Having an arched neck increases Jumping
A laid-back shoulder is best for Jumping
A longer humerus is better for Jumping
Having a steeper humerus will allow the horse to pick up their front legs higher, and will improve Jumping
A shorter loin is stronger, and will increase Jumping a bit
A hip angle in the middle is best for Jumping
A longer hip is stronger, and will increase Jumping
Horses with slightly longer backs than average tend to be more ‘scopey’, and will have increased Jumping
An uphill topline will increase Jumping
Having somewhat long legs is best for Jumping
Having a lot or very little muscling will make jumping difficult.
Based on real-life jumper heights, there is a range of height that is best for jumping. If you need a hint, look at typical warmblood heights.
Dressage, Cross Country, Show Jumping, Reining, Endurance, Barrel Racing, Cutting
Yes. This one is not limited to any type.
100% Genetics
10