Which breed characteristic is an outline of desirable traits for a breed?

The breed standard is a comprehensive outline of the desirable traits and characteristics that define a specific horse breed. This standard serves as a guideline for breeders, assessors, and enthusiasts, detailing the ideal physical characteristics, temperament, and skills associated with that breed. It encompasses aspects such as size, coat color, conformation, and even behavior, ensuring that all individuals of the breed can be consistently evaluated and bred towards a common goal.

While a breed registry lists horses that belong to a particular breed, and a pedigree record tracks the lineage of an individual horse, these do not define the characteristics that make up the breed itself. The conformation standard offers some insights into the physical structure of the breed, but it is narrower in scope than the breed standard, which encompasses all the essential traits. Thus, the breed standard is the most comprehensive reference for understanding what makes a given horse breed unique and desirable.