Popular horse breeds
It will take a long time to describe all horse breeds. Today there are several hundred of them, each of which has its own advantages. We will consider those horse breeds that, for various reasons, attract the attention of amateur horse breeders. We will also talk about interesting facts related to these amazing animals.
Different breeds of horses
Riding and draft horses
Each horse has its own purpose. The classification of horse breeds is based on their purpose. Horses are divided into:
- riding;
- harness.
The purpose of riding horses is riding and participating in sports. There is also a group of horse-drawn horses. They can be used to transport lightweight goods. They can also be put in harness, but too often experts do not advise doing this: such horses have a different purpose, which must not be forgotten. Horse-drawn breeds include Kustanayskaya, Budenovskaya.
Riding horses have good speed qualities, but endurance leaves much to be desired. On the contrary, in draft horses, endurance is very well developed, which cannot be said about speed data. Horse breeds are Akhal-Teke (Turkmen breed), Arab
Riding horse
Harness horses are conventionally subdivided into light and heavy harness. The first group includes horses that are capable of trotting in harness, but it is difficult for these animals to perform heavy work. Heavy-duty breeds are used for heavy work - they are distinguished by their endurance. Heavy-duty are the Russian breed and the Vladimir heavy truck. A striking representative of light-harness horses is the Oryol breed.
Harness horses
Horse classification options
You can classify horses and on other grounds. For example, you can highlight the popular horses in each country. If we talk about Polish breeds, then one of the most valuable is Wielkopolska.
Famous Russian breeds are the Russian horseback, Donskaya, Vyatskaya, Oryol trotter (it is also called Oryol trotter), Russian trotter and Bashkir. Many of these breeds did not appear on their own (the Oryol trotter or the Russian trotter, for example). These are breeds bred by people.
Spanish horses of the Andalusian breed are popular in their historical homeland. In Australia, the Australian horse is valued, in Finland - the Finnish horse, in the Ukraine - the Ukrainian horse, in Denmark, respectively, the Danish, or, as it is also called, the Frederiksborg, in the Baltic - the Zhemait, and in the USA the most common breed is the Mustang (these are wild, and not bred horses). In the scientific world, there is an opinion that it was first discovered by Columbus during his expedition, and these horses lived on the prairies of North America.
You can also classify horses according to the type of terrain in which they live: forest, mountain (mountain), steppe. Also, a breed table can be created based on the orientation of the horses. So, let's say, some breeds can be distinguished as walking, some as sporting, and some as working.
Before proceeding to the description of some breeds, I would like to note that there are many stables in our country. There is even a horse shelter. The bred breeds are under the supervision of specialists. Several stables are located near the Moscow region. For beginners, this is a good chance to get riding skills and beautiful photos. There you can even ride a thoroughbred riding horse. You can choose a horse yourself.
Oldenburgskaya
The homeland of the Oldenburg horse is Germany. Breeding of the breed is carried out mainly near the city of Oldenburg, as a result of which it got its name.
The Oldenburg horse is one of the largest and heaviest. Also, these horses are unusually tall.
The breed is mentioned in documents dating back to the 17th century. Breeders sought to get a draft horse that could pull a carriage with people. The specialists coped with the task. During the breeding of the breed, stallions brought from Italy and Spain were used.
Oldenburg horse breed
The height at the withers of the Oldenburg horse is on average 175 cm. Moreover, it has a fairly large constitution.
Representatives of this breed mature a little earlier than representatives of other large breeds.
The length of the body varies from 165 to 175 cm. The girth of the chest is 200 cm on average. The horse has well-developed muscles, strong shoulders and legs.
If we talk about the exterior, then the head of the Oldenburg horse looks neat. Ears are set high on it. It fits harmoniously into the exterior of the withers of the correct shape. The wide croup is well developed. In general, the rear of the massive horse is strong enough.
The Oldenburg horse has wide joints, the hooves, like the whole body, are quite large.
Endurance and high growth are the features of the Oldenburg horse. German horses can be used as a manpower or a cab. In the old days, they took part in hostilities. Due to their considerable size, individuals inspired fear by their very appearance, and their tall stature gave an advantage over riders on smaller horses.
Today Oldenburg horses perform successfully in sports competitions. True, horse racing is not suitable for a large horse, but show jumping and dressage are the disciplines where they can show themselves. Also, representatives of the breed participate in various kinds of ceremonies.
Lusitano
Lusitano's homeland is Portugal. The second name of Lusitano is the Portuguese horse. This is a riding horse with its own characteristics. It does not apply to large ones. The height at the withers is on average 160 cm for horses and 155 cm for mares. There is something aristocratic in this breed. Maybe this is the so-called "Roman hump" on the nose, or maybe graceful movements.
A fairly large head is folded in proportion. The ears are set high and far enough apart. Large eyes are located on the head. The neck is wide at the base, has a high exit, the shoulders are large, the chest is deep. The body of horses of this breed is not long, the loin is powerful. The low-set tail is fluffy and silky to the touch. Legs are of medium length, even. The color among the representatives of the breed is most often found bay and gray, but any one-color is not rejected by the breed standard.
Horse breed Lusitano
Lusitano quickly find a common language with people, which allows them to be used as sports horses. At the same time, they successfully perform in almost all types of competitions. You can attract Lusitano to field work or harness.But Lusitano is not a large horse, so it cannot withstand the load for a long time. This must be taken into account when involving the animal in the field work.
Vyatka horse
For some time it was believed that the Vyatka horse became extinct. But, fortunately, this is only speculation: it exists to this day. True, the population of Vyatka horses is small, and today breeding work is aimed at increasing the number of these animals.
A large skeleton and at the same time a proportionally folded body are the features of the Vyatka horses. The height at the withers is on average 150 cm, but the ancestors of modern Vyatka horses were 10-15 cm less. Only thanks to the work of breeders was it possible to increase the average height of Vyatka horses.
Vyatka breed of horses
The Vyatka horse has a specific exterior. With a strong bone structure, its head is small. At the same time, the forehead is wide and slightly concave in the area of the front part. The neck of the representatives of this breed is short, has a low exit. The chest is deep enough, the line of the back is even, there is a low withers. The back of the body is rounded, the croup is slightly sloping. Short legs do not spoil the exterior in any way. Hooves, to match the legs, are not large in size. The hair that grows in the area of the mane, tail and bangs is very lush and pleasant to the touch. In general, it can be noted that the horse of the Vyatka breed has a thick coat.
These horses are characterized by such qualities as endurance, energy and mobility. Horses are docile and easy to maintain, and are in good health.
Karabakh horse
The Karabakh horse is originally from Azerbaijan. It is widespread in Russia.
Karabakh is a stunted individual, distinguished by its endurance. The height of Karabakh at the withers is 143 cm on average. The horse has a docile disposition.
As for the exterior, the most common are Karabakhs of red color. Less often you can find the Karabakh horse of a bulan, gray or bay color. Sometimes there is a belt and markings on the body. The head is small in size, but it is well built. With big eyes, the horse carefully looks at everything that happens around. The wide forehead merges smoothly into the narrow bridge of the nose. The muzzle ends with wide open nostrils.
Karabakh breed of horses
The neck is long, wide at the base, the chest is shallow and wide, the withers are raised. The back line is curved, which gives the horse grace. The tail is set low on a sloping rump. The muscles are well developed on the legs of medium length. The hocks are generally sloping and the hooves are tight. Sometimes the color of the hooves is blue.
They use Karabakh for the transportation of goods. A horse born in the mountains passes without problems all mountain roads, crosses cold streams and does it extremely calmly. The docile nature of Karabakh makes it possible to use it in a variety of games (like "polo" on horses, for example). The horse is very comfortable to ride.
Camargue
This breed was officially recognized only in 1968. And this despite the fact that the Camargue is one of the most ancient horse breeds. The animals are semi-wild and live in France. French horses of the Camargue breed are low, but strong. Their height at the withers varies from 135 to 150 cm. Moreover, the weight of an adult horse averages 350 kg.
The standard for the breed of French horses of the Camargue breed is only a light gray color. But it is impossible to determine the suit at birth. Foals can be red or dark gray. You can also see foals of almost black colors. After 6 months, the coat changes color to light gray.
Foals are unusually attached to their mother. In the first months of her life, they accompany her everywhere. The Camargue horses begin to go around only at the age of 3. Sometimes dressage is started when the horse reaches 4 years of age.
Camargue horse
The Camargue's head is massive, the eyes are large, the forehead is not wide. The chest is broad and arched, the loin and hindquarters of the horse are massive. The ears are wide enough at the base of the head. The withers, like the short croup, are well developed. Short limbs, large, powerful hooves.
Camargue steeds are finally formed late. This is one of the biggest drawbacks. The Camargue's life span is about 25 years. Few breeds can boast such longevity. And it is due precisely to late maturity.
American horse
Among all breeds of domestic horses, the American horse is especially popular. From the name it is easy to guess that America is the homeland of the horse. Today, the horse is used primarily as a horse, but it is capable of handling any job. Nature has endowed her with both speed qualities and endurance. It is worth noting that the fastest horse today is a representative of this particular breed. At the races, he showed an average speed close to 70 km / h.
This is a tall horse. Her average height is 162.5 cm. The most popular colors are red, bay, black and brown. Sometimes there are representatives of the breed of a chubar or roan suit, palamino.
American riding horse
The head is folded in proportion, it looks neat. The expressive eyes are set wide apart in relation to each other. The small ears are set close and high. The muzzle ends with wide nostrils. The long neck is smoothly arched, the withers are sharp, and the shoulders are set obliquely. The American horse has a short back, the limbs are muscular, and the croup is even, the bushy tail is set rather low, the legs are straight.
The American riding horse lends itself well to training, which indicates the presence of intelligence. She has a calm disposition, easily finds a common language even with children.
Altai horse
The birthplace of the Altai horse is the Altai Territory. People have been breeding horses here for a long time. The availability of green fodder throughout the year greatly simplified this activity. This is an artificially bred breed.
The Altai horse is of medium size, slightly elongated body and strong legs. The horse is not fully proportioned. A small head and short neck do not go well with a long body, but the animal's endurance and the ability to carry large loads ensured the popularity of the breed.
Altai horse
The height at the withers of an average horse is 148 cm. The chest volume exceeds 165 cm. Comparing these data, one can understand that there is a certain disproportion, which was mentioned above.
Representatives of the Altai breed have broad shoulders, short straight legs and small wrists. The horse is decorated with a mane and a tail.
Altai horses can have a wide variety of colors. There are horses of mouse and leopard color. You can even meet tiger Altaians. At the same time, it is impossible to say which suit prevails. All the main ones are found with almost equal frequency: black, bay, red, mouse-haired.
The Altai horse is efficient and hardy, has a soft disposition and docile character. It is easy to learn and suitable for teamwork.
Kyrgyz horse
The Kyrgyz horse belongs to the rocks. She is very hardy, which makes her popular. At the same time, the animal is unpretentious in care, has good health.
As for the exterior, the Kyrgyz horse has a short neck, a slightly elongated body, a straight back, sloping croup and short legs. The knight is disproportionately folded. The average height at the withers is 137 cm. This is not the smallest horse breed in the world, but it cannot be attributed to the average in size.
Kyrgyz horse
The Kyrgyz horse is used exclusively as a working horse.She does not have enough speed qualities to participate in competitions, and the horse is not particularly suitable for riding, but in the future, the situation may change: breeders are working to improve her qualities.
Caspian horse
The Caspian horse is one of the oldest breeds in the world tamed by man. The Caspian horse is sometimes rightfully called the Caspian pony. This name is due to its short stature. The height at the withers does not exceed 120 cm, but if you look at the appearance, the Caspian horses do not look like ponies.
Caspian horse
The head of the Caspians, on which small ears are widely set, is well built, the forehead is wide, the eyes are large, and the nostrils are set low. The Caspian horse is folded in proportion, it looks graceful. The line of the back is straight, the tail is set high, the withers are wide. The legs are rather long and strong in relation to the body.
Caspian horses of bay, black and auburn color are more common. Also, the standard of the breed does not prohibit the savrasaya and black suits. Marks are allowed. The Caspian horse is very smart and is suitable for teaching young riders to ride.
Haflinger
If we talk about the most beautiful horse breeds, one cannot fail to mention the Haflingers. These golden horses cannot be confused with anyone. Haflinger's decoration is a white mane and the same tail. In addition to being beautiful, this horse is also unusually intelligent.
Haflinger is a short horse: its height does not exceed 150 cm. It is proportionally folded. The head is small in size and has a smooth outline. The occipital part is well defined. The neck is of medium length, well set, the chest is wide and deep, the withers are high, the back is long and strong, the loin is short. Long legs are straight and graceful, the joints are wide.
Horse breed Haflinger
The Haflinger is a versatile horse. It can be used both for horseback riding (the high withers allow for a convenient positioning of the saddle) and for field work. A horse of this breed is able to maintain a small farm on its own. This is a good opportunity for farmers to save money on the purchase of agricultural machinery.
Morgan
Horses of the Morgan breed were extremely popular in their time. This is an American breed, distinguished by its endurance and the ability to lug huge loads. The height of representatives of this breed at the withers averages 150 cm. There are horses of a bay color, black, red or brown.
The Morgan breed has a well-built head. It can have both a straight and a half-humped profile. On the head, small moving ears are set fairly close to each other. The nostrils are open, the eyes are large. The neck is slightly arched, the withers are clearly defined, the belly is tucked up, the loin is wide. The tail is set high, legs of medium length are straight. The Morgan have short pasterns. The horse is adorned with a lush tail and no less lush mane.
Morgan horse
Today the Morgan take part in competitions (dressage, rodeos, crew races). They are calm and balanced horses.
The most beautiful horse breeds
Horses of the Trans-Baikal breed are valued for their curly wool, which looks amazing in the photo, and the Kleidesdalskaya breed is popular thanks to the thick snow-white shields on the legs. She is heavy and can pull a carriage with her. The Tuvan breed is known for its unusual color and lush white mane.
The Bois de Boulogne has an unusual exterior. Despite the fact that she is a heavy-duty truck, she looks elegant. Pechorskaya in the photo resembles a plush toy. You just want to touch her fur.
Irish horses fascinate the eye. Nature has endowed them with shaggy shields, bushy tail and mane. On top of that, horses have a spotted color. Representatives of the Cleydesdal breed are also endowed with shields, a mane and a tail of extraordinary beauty.
Being a cross between a pony and a domestic horse, Klepper has a specific exterior, which can also be attributed to the list of the most beautiful horses. All breeds of the Pinto suit and the North Swedish horse also attract attention. The miniature horse Falabella, the Paint horse, Absheron, and the Gypsy horse amazes the eye. The Orlov trotter is another beautiful and rare breed. A little more often you can find white horses, which also amaze with their beauty.
There are also horses that look like fairy-tale characters. The Akhal-Teke horses, which seem to have come from a fairy tale, are deservedly included in the list of the most beautiful horses. Horses of the Tekin breed have an isabella color. Besides, they are excellent horses.
Features of some horse breeds
We will not dwell on the rest of the horse breeds, but note only those qualities for which they are valued.
Sometimes you can hear the expression "peasant horse". This is a conventional name for all breeds that were widely used by peasants. These include Vyatka and Belorusskaya slednaya. Another group is Kazakh horses. They are used primarily for horse riding and for the manufacture of dairy products. A striking representative of the Caucasian breeds is the Kabardian horse. It is prized for its versatility. Horses of this breed are equally well adapted for life in the mountains and in the plains.
Oriental horses are valued for their excellent riding qualities. They were the first to be saddled. The Canadian breed, Tennessee, Kakhetian, Gunther and high-blooded Kishber breed are also appreciated for driving qualities. Lusitanian horses are no less capable of riding.
Popular among heavy trucks are Italian horses and Lithuanian horses. These draft horses can be used for the toughest jobs. Novoaltaiskiye horses are valued for their delicious meat that can be cooked even on the grill. In the harsh conditions of Siberia, the Mezen horses feel fine. The mesenca easily tolerates low temperatures. Abaza horses are not afraid of the cold. And the Zemait breed was once valued for its fighting qualities.
The horse breeds that have been bred relatively recently include the Mugalzhar horse. Novoaleksandrovsk horses are also considered the property of modern breeders. They appeared after 1995.
Breeding work on the development of new breeds is carried out all over the world. There are also breeds that have not survived to our time. These include Tarpan and Bityug, which was bred by peasants in Russia. The Tatar horses have practically disappeared.
Sports horses
Horses of the Quarter Horses, Totilas, Nokota, Campolina breed are revered for their sporting achievements. Both the Australian shepherd and the Aztec, graceful Shagia, Lipizian are capable of sports.
A separate group includes show jumping horses participating in this type of competition. These include the Holstein breed, Dutch warm-blooded, French sel, Belgian warm-blooded and Westphalian. Also, Austrian horses achieve success in sports.
If we talk about modern athletes, then a thoroughbred English horse named Speed Star has achieved considerable results. This horse looks graceful not only live, but also in the photo.
Sports horses
The Westphalian breed became famous thanks to the gold in dressage mined at the Olympics. The Tori breed serves in the Swedish police and is extremely popular in Ukraine and Russia.
Also noteworthy are the Kalmyk breed, Latvian, Indian, Kushum, Gelderland, Nogai, Kazakh, Hutsul, Novokirgiz, Abkhaz, Circassian, American Indian, Lippitsian, Adaevskaya, Iomud, Adai, Brazilian, Gudbuckerian, Hudbrandseri, , Swedish, Breton, Frederiksborg, Jutland, Standardbred, Brandenburg, Marwari, Creole, Karabair, Peruvian, Fjord, Buryat, Persian, Orenburg and Knabstrupper breed.This list can be continued for a very long time.
Conclusion
We have considered far from all breeds of riding and draft horses. Some horses are valued for their speed, some for their endurance, and others for their looks. So, for example, horse breeds with curly hair look unusual. And horses of the Tinker breed have an unusual color. The Karabair horse is capable of carrying heavy loads for a long time, for which it is included in all reference books on horse breeding. It is capable of passing 100 km each with a load reaching a weight of 150 kg.
And finally, let's talk about those breeds that have already gone down in history. The most expensive thoroughbred horse was worth $ 40 million. Paid such a price for a purebred English racehorse. All representatives of this breed are among the most expensive in the world. Looking at the photos of the horses, you can understand why. How much each foal costs depends on many factors.
Outbred animals should not be ignored either. At times they look like representatives of elite breeds. Some toy characters look no less attractive. Popular toy horses are the Camarillo and the gotz pony. The photographs show why these toys are so popular.