The effects of State and stud of origin, management (on pasture or in stable), gender, and age on morphometrics traits (measurements of 12 bone segments, 11 joint angles, two perimeters, and two heights) of 169 Mangalarga Marchador horses (82% females) raised in 11 herds of Minas Gerais and five from São Paulo State, were evaluated using the least squares methodology. In addition, residual phenotypic associations among these traits were measured. Statistical models did not fit well the observed variation, with coefficients of determination varying from 0.09 to 0.48 for linear and from 0.11 to 0.44 for angular traits. State and stud of origin, gender, age, and management were important sources of variation, respectively on 13 (48.1%), 12 (44.4%), six (22.2%), four (11.1%), and three (11.1%) of the 27 evaluated traits. Residual correlations between traits indicated that selection of animals with longer humerus was associated to animals with longer front and rear leg bone segments and higher wither and croup heights and larger crop and cannon perimeters. Also, selection of animals with larger fetlock and coronet-horizontal line angles will positively reflect on the wither and croup heights of the animals.
equine; morphometrics; linear traits; angle traits
