This innovative assessment method called linear description will be implemented as of immediately on all Oldenburg registration tours. After a two-year pilot study, the linear description will now be standard practice for Oldenburger Pferdezuchtverband. At upcoming registration events, mares and foals will not only be assessed on the basis of scores but will also be described linearly. The breeders or owners will receive this description of their foal or mare in the form of a diagram presenting the results.

In this assessment, only evident traits of conformation and movement that deviate from the average will be documented. 160 traits are available to the panel of judges to describe a horse. However, only evident traits of the horse starting on the scale as of 3 of the respective extreme of a trait will be taken into account. Zero (0) means this horse did not show any conspicuous difference in this particular trait compared to the average.

Important points when conducting the linear description:

There are seven different lists with traits to assess:

Conformation:

Format and front
Topline
Feet and legs
Correctness of gaits, coordination

Movement:

Movement in hand
Free movement 
Movement under rider

Documentation is executed with a tablet computer using a linear scale starting at 3 at one extreme direction of a trait to 3 in the opposite direction of the same trait.
Some traits are so-called “defect traits”; for these traits judges can use a scale from 0 to 3.
Owners will receive a diagram with the results for their horse. When registering mares, an additional final score will be given. Scores from the broodmare performance test will continue to be used in addition to the linear description.