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horse: n, pl hors.es also horse [ME hors, fr. OE; akin to OHG hros horse] 1 a: a large solid-hoofed herbivorous mammal (Equus caballus, family Equidae, the horse family) domesticated by humans since a prehistoric period and used as a beast of burden, a draft animals, or for riding..... from Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary

No matter how the horse is defined, it remains that for uncountable eons it has been a companion, a slave, a friend, and a partner in the upward climb of humanity. Selectively bred for specific type of work, the horse evolved over the centuries into an amazing number of types and shapes, many which still remain as distinct breeds today.

Over 85 breeds are recognized by the international horse world, sponsored and promoted by breeds clubs, and enthuastically championed by owners themselves. Below you will find a number of breeds that are supported by websites, and found in this listing.

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Akhal-Teke

The Akhal-Teke is a true desert bred horse directly descended from the wild steppe horse knowns as "the Turkoman" or "Turkmene". It is the legendary horse from Fergana and Bactria where it was called the "Bactrian" or "Turanian horse", and used by the great leaders Darius and Alexander. In Chinese legends the Akhal-Teke was known as "the Heavenly Horse" and the "horse that sweats blood" and the Han Chinese felt it well worth 80,000 soldiers to obtain only 20 of these horses, such was their reputation. In appearance they exhibit a light, elegant build and a distinctive conformation: long tapering, aristocratic face; beautifully shaped mobile ears; wide nostrils and large expressive eyes having a proud fiery gaze. The neck is straight, long and often thin, set high on excellent sloping shoulders. The Akhal-Teke is long, lean, and, typically, narrow through the chest, making him an extremely comfortable ride. A characteristic feature is the sparse, short mane and forelock and absence of feather on the legs. The skin is very thin with a short, fine and silky coat. The overall effect is of the long, lean grace of a greyhound. Magnificent action, free and flowing; in all paces a soft, gliding, elastic stride. Quiet temperament, but easily aroused. Bold, alert and intelligent; responding well to sensitive training. Normal height is between 15 and 16 hands, with horses both larger and smaller, weigh between 900 to 1100 pounds.

Breed information courtesy of The Akhal-Teke website. - WP 8/2000

American Bashkir Curly

The American Bashkir Curly

The Curly has been said to be sacred horses to the Native American Indians. They were called Buffalo Ponies since they were used for hunting the bison, and were often owned by Chiefs and Medicine Men. A Native American artist depicted Curly horses at the battle of Little Bighorn of 1876. Curly horses were found at the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota, and also at the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota & at Rock Springs, Wyoming. The Curly horse is quite hardy and has the ability to withstand colder temperatures than many other breeds. Their winter coat has curls in the form of tight ringlets to a marcel type wave. Interestingly, the hair is generally soft and has been found to resemble mohair. It is also hypoallergenic - the only breed to claim such an unusual trait. The athletic ability of the Curly has taken him to the dressage ring, endurance rides, cow pony work, driving, Western peasure, and all-round family pleasure horse.
Breed information courtesy of The American Bashkir Curly website. - WP 8/2000

American Cream

In or about the beginning of the twentieth century, the late Harry (Hat) Lakin, well known stock dealer of Ellsworth, Hamilton County, Iowa, purchased a cream colored mare at a farm sale in Story County, Iowa. This little mare, Old Granny, was truly what her name implies-grandmother to the breed of American Cream horses. She is foundation dam of ninety-eight percent of all the horses now registered in the Association.

American Saddlebred

The American Saddlebred is truly one of beauty in motion with elegant, flashy gaits, up-headed proud bearing, and an exuberance that is inspiring to watch, and even more so to experience. Bred originally in the American colonies from a mixture of English Thoroughbred and gaited horses, the American Saddlebred quickly became the choice of plantation owners who prized the smooth gaits and stamina of their mounts. Today, the American Saddlebred excells both in fine harness and Saddle Seat.

Andalusian

The Andalusian horse is one of the most ancient of horse breeds. It is named for the province where it originated - Andalusia, Spain.

Anglo-Arab

Combining the grace and endurance of an Arab with the speed and athleticism of a Thoroughbred; This versatile breed excels in all spheres of competition.

Appaloosa

The Appaloosa is the oldest recognized type/breed in America and their popularity has spread world wide. The Word Appaloosa means 'spotted Horse'.

The Appaloosa has four characteristics: the coat patterns, mottled skin, white circled eyes and striped hooves. The Appaloosa can in fact be of any breed of horse as long as they have these characteristics. Just having sports does not make a horse an Appaloosa - they have to have a number of spots and a certain coat pattern.

Arabian

Showcasing the industries that contribute and provide services relating to the Arabian horse. Of particular importance in this category are the breeders and trainers that specialize in the Arabian.

Australian Ponies

There are three different types/breeds of ponies specific to Australia.

The Australian Stud Saddle Pony - a specific pony/arab cross breed with a maximum height of 14.2hh. Bred to create a saddle pony of distinctive good temperament and a specific type. No Australian Stud Saddle Pony can have any Thoroughbred in its bloodlines and only solid colours are accepted (no cremello's etc.)

Australian Saddle Pony - is a height registry only. The maximum height is 14.2hh with a minimum height of 11hh. Any pony presented for classification must be ridden under saddle and be of a good "pony" type and a quality animal.

Australian Riding Pony - is a breed registry based on Thoroughbred and mainly Australian Pony and Welsh bloodlines with the odd bit of arab as well. Originating from the English Riding Pony, many of that breed have been imported over the years as a foundation of the Australian breed. Generally of a very fine boned type the height limit is 14.2hh.

Australian Stock Horse

In 1971 when setting up the ASHS, the Waler became the foundation stock of the Australian Stock Horse.
A Waler is not actually a breed, but a name coined by the British, and actually meant any stock bred in Australia before the end of the Second World War. Walers were a popular, and very sucessful cavalery mount, due to their hardiness, and resistance to disease.
The Australian Stock Horse is made up of many bloodlines, including German Warmbloods, Quarter hoses, and the modern Thoroughbreds. Many Australian Stock Horses still retain the qualities of the true Waler horse.

Azteca

The Azteca Horse is a combination of the qualities admired in the Spanish (Andalusian) and Quarter Horse.

Barb

Warmblooded ancient breed and close relative to the Arabian. Originally from the coastal belt of North West Africa, the Barb has influenced countless modern breeds, with it's fine skin, great endurance, and fiery temperament. Today it is in very low numbers, and is concidered rare.

"The original and most purebred Barbs could be found in central parts of the desert in Tripoli, Tunis and Algeria. The Roman nose type Barbs could still be found in Tripoli, while on the coastlines was found mostly the Arabian type. In the mountain parts of Algeria and Morocco is bred a smaller type of Barb named Spahis, whose most treasured qualities are his endurance over longer distances and his sure foot on a rocky terrains. - Horsecare

Belgian Draft Horse

No category description found

Brumby

Australian feral horse with no particular characteristics. Brumbies developed from escaped or abandoned domestic horses during the gold rush of 1851. Decendants of Walers, Stock Horses, Anglo-Arabs, Percheron, and pony breeds.

Canadian

No category description found

Chats and Forums

Includes links to sites and breed-specific 'Chats and Forums' category @links related to message boards, mailing lists, chat rooms and discussion groups about horse breeds.

Chincoteague

The Chincoteague Pony

Legend has it that that these ponies originated from small Spanish ponies who were shipwrecked when their Spanish ship foundered off the coast of Virginia in around the 1600's. These hearty equines quickly learned the art of survival on this remote islands - with little more than sea water to drink and scrub grass to eat.

Today there are two groups of these ponies descended down from the only 17 original Arabian Horses in which survived the famous shipwreck. The two groups are "The Maryland Herd" and "The Virginia Herd". The Virginia Herd consists of approximately 130 head and is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Dept. The ponies graze in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Virginia portion of Assateague Island. The Maryland Herd consists of approximately 40 Head and is owned by the Maryland Park Service.

The famous annual "Pony Round-up" and "Pony Swim" is held each year during the month of July. The Chincoteague Volunteer Fireman herd the ponies off their island at slack tide, through the sea water channel to Virginia. On the last Wednesday of every July, the ponies are gathered for the sale the next day. Here the baby foals are auctioned off to the highest bidder. In 1998, the highest bid ever for a pony was $7000.

The breed is characterized by a strong, muscular body, size under 14 hands, pinto coloring (although bays and browns are also found), and a hearty constitution. They are loving and sweet animals when raised with a kind hand, and are a wonderful child's mount or harness pony for an adult.

Cleveland Bay

the Cleveland Bay emanates from the Cleveland area of North East England.

Clydesdale

No category description found

Color

Although all horses have coat colors, the terminology "Color" is used to designate horses of various breeds that exhibit unusual or conspicious hair color or are multi-colored -- including Paints, Pintos, Appaloosas, and Palominos.

Colorado Ranger

Range bred horse with a history dating back to 1878, beginning with Barb and Arabian bloodlines, of any colour (and often spotted), but with specfic confirmation and gentle temperament qualities.
The Colorado Ranger, is also known as the Rangerbred Horse, and stands from 14hh-16hh.

Connemara Pony

Connemara ponies are native to the West Coast of Ireland, where they have roamed the rocky hills for centuries. Because they worked the farms and were often the only means of travel, they had to be hardy and strong as well as gentle and manageable.

The Connemara Pony Breeders Society was founded in Ireland in 1923. The first ponies were inspected and entered in Volume 1 of the Stud Book, published in 1926. From Ireland, the ponies spread to England and Europe and were imported to North America in the 1950s. There are now societies in seventeen countries world-wide, which, along with the CPBS, form the International Committee of Connemara Pony Societies. The ICCPS governs such things as registration rules, stud books, and breeding regulations.

Dales

The Dales Pony is a native of the upper dales of the eastern slopes of the Pennine Range near the Scottish Border where a lead mining industry flourished from Roman times. The pigs of lead produced were transported to the ports over a distance of a hundred miles, traversing some of the most difficult terrain in England. Each of these sturdy, quick ponies would carry a load weighing in at 240 pounds, or two pigs of lead per pony (two hundredweight).

Their durability and strength were not lost on the farming community who used these ponies extensively in the fields until the need for horses that could go the distance pulling the heavy mail coaches soon brought about a change in the breed. A mixture of Yorkshire for the trot, a dash of Arabian for the flash, and a healthy dose of Thoroughbred for the speed quickly transformed the Dales pony into a premier driving and riding pony - abilities that the breed exhibits to this day.

Dartmoor Pony

No category description found

Draft Horses

The draft horse is a generic term used to describe the heavy working horse that has provided transport and 'energy' for mankind in the days before the engine was invented and up to the current day. The best known breeds are the Shire, Clysdesdale, Percheron and the Suffolk. They can still be seen today, working on small farms, logging, and pulling brewery delivery wagons in suitable areas. For many years, they were also used for milk deliveries - being far more economical to run in areas where a lot of stopping and starting was needed than the petrol engine.

Dutch Harness Horse

The relative resurgance in the past decade for the carriage horse has resulted in the recovery and blossoming of several almost extinct breeds. One such breed is the Dutch Harness horse, who is generating quite an interesting in the driving world, especially in the show ring and in combined driving.

Dutch Warmblood

The Warmblood horse originated from the old European coaching horses of the 18th and 19th century, which themselves evolved from the heavy chargers used by the knights in the prior century. As coaching was phased out with the advance of steam and conbustion engines, the coaching horse fell into decline, almost becoming extinct until the late 1950's when a surging interest in the equestrian sports of dressage and cross country jumping began bringing about a revival of sporting horses in general. The old coaching blood was mixed with the lighter Thoroughbred and Arabian bloodlines to create the modern day Warmblood.

Exmoor Pony

No category description found

Fell Pony

No category description found

Finnhorse

The only native breed of Finland, the Finnhorse descends from the European domestic horse and also carries the blood of heavier draft horses and warmbloods.

Friesian

No category description found

Gaited Horses

Some breeds of horses are bred (and prized) for their unusual gaits. Examples are the American Saddlebred and the Paso Fino. This category contains general information about the gaited breeds. For information about the specific breeds, please see Sports/Equestrian/Breeds or follow the links.

Gelderlander

A European warmblood breed used originally for coaching, and now for competitive and recreational driving.

Georgian Grande Horse

Breeders and organizations related to the Georgian Grande Horse organizations and breeders.

Grade Horse

Unregistered horse of known or unknown parentage.

Gypsy Vanner

A relatively new type of small draft horse that exhibits characteristics of the Clydesdale, Shire, Friesian and Dales pony that were mixed to form the Vanner. In appearance the horse looks similar in conformation to a miniatured version of the Shire, with the same long flowing feathers emanating from the knees in the front and just below the hocks in the rear, long flowing manes, forelocks and tails which will drag on the ground.

Colors are generally paint, piebald, and skewbald -- ovaro or tobiano.

Hackney

Hackney Horses originated in England. Their ancestors were highly valuable for the particularly comfortable trot or amble. As riding animals they were especially ridden by noblemen; they were also used as driving and even as light cavalry horses. In the beginning of the 18th century this native horse was crossed with the imported Arabian stallion, which added some refinement to the breed and took nothing away.

Haflinger

The Haflinger's history begins in Tyrol, Austria, where for centuries, a line of rugged, surefooted mountain horses were bred in southern Tyrol. They worked as general riding horses, light draft and harness horses as well as pack animals. Because of the difficult and mountainous terrain, residents preferred these lighter and smaller horses for various tasks. In 1874, in the village of Hafling, Austria, "249 Folie", the first registered Haflinger was born, sired by a royal Arabian stallion and out of a refined native Tyrolean mare. All purebred Haflingers trace their lineage to this stallion. "Folie" inherited his mother's strength, disposition and stamina and the refined, elegant grace and bone structure of his father. A year later, an influential count persuaded officials from the Austrian Imperial Ministry of Agriculture to establish an objective Haflinger breeding program. From this time on, stallions were selected for breeding and were registered in consecutive order. Currently, there are two different types of Haflinger -- a short draft style good for driving or farm work, and a taller, more refined version bred for riding and jumping. The breed color is chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, often identified as palamino. They are generally pony sized standing about 14 hands on the average, although the "modern" variation can reach 15 hands.

Hanoverian

No category description found

Highland Pony

The Highland Pony is one of the two native breeds of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. As a result, it has over many centuries adapted to the variable and often severe climatic and environmental conditions of Scotland. The winter coat consists of a layer of strong badger like hair over a soft dense undercoat, which enables this bred of pony to live out in all weathers. The coat is shed in the spring to reveal a smooth summer coat. This essential hardiness is combined with a kindly nature and even temperament.

Holsteiner

The Holsteiner originated with heavy European horses, but was leavened with the introduction of the hot-blooded barbs brought from the Holy Lands by crusaders. Horse breeding as an institution and as cottage industry continued; by the sixteenth century, the Holsteiner was known throughout Europe as a tall, powerful, elegant riding and driving horse. With their elegance, charisma, and willing style Holsteiners became the mount of choice for European royalty, and became the warhorse preferred for their armies as well.

Horse breeding continued to flourish in the region throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and in 1713, the crown instituted annual inspections and approvals defining the breed and controlling the direction in which it would develop. In 1730, the Equerry to the King of France, De la Enérinière (who is still revered for his contributions to the art of equitation) praised the Holsteiners aptitude as jumpers, their ability to perform airs above the ground, their beauty and elegant action.

In the early part of the nineteenth century, the Duke of Austenberg introduced thoroughbreds to the Holstein line. The advent of artillery was reducing the need for heavy horses of war, and the network of roads throughout Europe had been developed to the extent that the call now was for a lighter horse capable of comfortably transporting riders or driver over long distances. The versatile, elegant Holsteiner welcomed the refinement and stamina of the thoroughbred, and the Holsteiner became the new performance horse for the European road.

In 1830, Royal Horse Agent Jakob Olde began to import Yorkshire Coach horses, a line used in England and proven not on the track but on the mail routes of the English countryside. These horses brought a fresh line of stamina and energy, but contributed more bone than the lighter Thoroughbred. The resulting combination of the calm, but powerful and elegant old school with the fresh bloodlines promoted the Holsteiner to new popularity.

The German State stepped in and took over the Holsteiner Verband in 1926, appropriating their stallions and taking on the judging of the horses. The decimation of the Second World War cost the Holsteiner line terribly, and the numbers of registered Holsteiners were greatly reduced. Before the war, there were six foundation stallion bloodlines. After the war only the Achille line survived. In the years following the war, the use of cars, trucks and tractors gradually eliminated the traditional role of the Holstein horse almost entirely. Holsteiners, like all horses, became animals of pleasure and not of need. While the Holsteiner made a dramatic impact as a sport horse, the State bureaucracy was not designed for the art of horse breeding. The State continued to manage the Holsteiner breed until 1960, when it was decided that there was no real justification for the costs involved in maintaining the Holsteiner stud. Within days of the state's disbanding of its stud, determined horseman had stepped in to save the ancient line. They purchased thirty-three of the state's stallions, and formed the Verband der Züchter des Holsteiner Pferdes that we know today.

The Verband's immediate focus was on the development of the Holsteiner as a sport horse. Building on the inherent strengths of the ancient lines- their endurance, willingness to work, athletic capabilities, elegance and reliable temperament, the Verband once again turned to outside bloodlines to reaffirm the performance capability of the ancient breed. The foundation mare lines remained unaltered; the stallion pool was expanded to include horses from other registries with the desired characteristics for the sport horse the Holsteiner would become. The Verband welcomed thoroughbred stallions Marlon, Ladykiller, Cottage Son, Manometer, Anblick, and Frivol; the anglo-arab Ramzes; and the great Celle de Francaise stallion Cor de la Bryére.

These excellent stallions bloodlines were mingled in with the ancient mare lines, and the modern Holsteiner- an elegant, powerful horse; tall, with calm disposition and huge athletic talent, had been born.

Icelandic

No category description found

Irish Draught

The Irish Draught horse is not (despite its name) typical of the draught type. It is a handsome, athletic sport horse with an excellent temperament and is widely used for crossing with the thoroughbred or near thoroughbred to produce a first rate competition horse or hunter. Pure bred examples of the breed have excelled in show jumping, in particular.

Kerry Bog Pony

Native to Ireland, the Kerry Bog, or "Hobby", stands between 10-11hh, has a concave face and a sturdy build with a gray, chestnut or bay coat. A sure-footed, easy-keeper, the breed was originally used as a draft animal in the peat bogs of the UK.

Knabstrupper

In 1798 the Knabstrup property was taken over by Major Villars Lunn from his father. At Knabstrup Manor, Major Villars Lunn founded the Knabstrupper breed. He was one of very few to live to see the results of his breeding work; a new horse breed stemming from centuries of Danish breeding tradition.

In 1812 a direct descendant of Superbe covered the Flæbe mare, brought to Denmark from Cordoba during the Napoleonic wars and subsequently acquired by Major Villars Lunn. Thus, when the ensuing foal, named the Flæbe stallion, was born in 1813, the Flæbe mare became the ancestress of the Knabstrupper breed. The Flæbe mare must have carried the spotted gene and is therfore responsible for the spotted colour patterns we see today in the knabstrupper.

The Knabstruppers of today almost all descend in a direct line from the stallion Superbe through one of three stallion lines: Silverking, Hermolin and Hugin.

Lipizzan

Lipizzans are genetically a type of grey. Born dark, black-brown, brown, or mouse-grey, Lipizzans gradually lighten until the white coat for which they are noted is produced somewhere between the ages of 6 and 10. The white hair coat has become dominant in the breed, and only now and then is a black or brown adult produced. As late as two hundred years ago, black, browns, chestnuts, duns, piebalds, and skewbalds were found in the adult herd. Noted for his sturdy body and proud carriage, the Lipizzan's head is remarkable for its large appealing eyes and small alert ears. The body presents a picture of strength with a crested neck, powerful shoulders, muscular hind quarters, and strong legs with well-defined tendons and joints. Not an exceedingly tall horse, the Lipizzan averages between 14.2 to 15.2 hands.

Lusitano

The Lusitano Horse, is the name of the modern breed created from the Andalusian Horse in Portugal. Currently the breed is administered worldwide by the Associacao Portuguesa De Criadores Do Puro Sangue Lusitano (APSL) in Portugal.

To be registered as a Lusitano horse, both parents must be registered in the Adult/Breeders Book of the APSL. The offspring must be submitted for Inscription in the Book of Births, microchipped and DNA typed. At the age of at least 3, the Lusitano Horse must pass a strict inspection to achieve Breeding Book status. The Lusitano horse can be of any color.

Magazines and E-zines

This category is restricted to Magazines and substantial online sites dedicated solely to breeding - but not specialising in one breed.

McCurdy Plantation Horses

This category is for sites providing information about McCurdy Plantation Horses or breeders' sites.

Miniature

The miniature horse is an elegant, scaled-down version of the large-size horse, it is not a small pony! The American Miniature cannot be taller than 34 inches at the withers.

Missouri Fox Trotting

No category description found

Morab

The Morab Horse is a breed that blends the pure bred Morgan with the pure bred Arabian breeds. The word MORAB was coined by William Randolph Hearst, a major political and newspaper power in the late 1800's and early 1900's. He was the first breeder of Morabs that we know of and used these highly versatile Morabs on his San Simeon Ranch, an 80,000 acre ranch on the central coast of California. The Morab inherents the Morgan's wonderful bone and sensibility combining the Arabian's refinement and tail flagging flash, and can be registered with the Morab Registry if it is only of Arabian and Morgan breeding between 25% 75% of both breeds. They can be almost any color - the traditional colors being Bay, Chestnut, Black, and Grey. Palomino, Buckskin, and Dun are also found, and are becoming very popular.

Morgan

The Morgan Horse is an extremely versatile, and sturdy breed with great stamina. Influences stemming from the Tennessee Walker, Standardbred, and Sabblebred.
Below are the four main families in the Morgan breed.

Brunk - Bred by Joseph Brunk (Illinois), with the line breeding tracing back to the foundation mare, Daisy.

Lippitt - Bred by Robert Lippitt Knight (Vermont), and tracing back to the stallion, Ethan Allen 2nd.

Government - Bred by United States Government farms, between 1905-1951, using the foundation stallion, General Gates. It is the largest of the Morgan families.

Western Working - There is no single breeder, common to this family, however the line draws mostly from Government stallions, and from breeding programs in Kansas, California, Nevada and Texas. The aim of this family, is to breed a horse to work the western ranges of the United States.

There are also smaller families which are horses descended from one horse or breeding program.

ref: American Morgan Horse Association

Mustang

Mustang Horses (American Indian Horses or Spanish Horses) were brought to the New World by the Spanish in the 1500s. These were the best horses of that time - a mixture of Barb, Arabian, and Andalusia blood. The native horses that inhabited the North American continent became extinct about 10,000 years ago. The horse was absent in that area until the Spanish Conquistador Cortez reintroduced them.

Indians of that era had never seen horses and thought riders to be the godlike creatures. The Spanish prohibited Indians to own and ride horses. But with the spread of the Spanish ranchos and introduction of breeding animals into the New World, the natives acquired this "Big Dog." The word "Mustang" is derived from Spanish word meaning "ownerless or stray horses."

This gain changed the life of Plain's Indians completely, transforming them from plodding pedestrians into nomadic hunters and warriors with cultures totally dependent upon horses. Their portable shelters turned into large tipis. They began to hunt only the best game, and they even developed the Horse medicine cult. Of all the remnants the Spanish has left, horses were the most worthy.

Mustangs were much better than cavalry horses. The United States Army found that the only way to conquer Indians is to take their horses away from them. Complete massacres of Indian horse herds made it possible. The Mustang Horse contributed to formation of many American breeds: the Morgan, Quarter Horse, American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walker, Appaloosa, Buckskin, and others. Mustangs remain now as they always have been. Mustang Horses are among the very few that has not lost its characteristics due to the whims of man.

National Show Horse

The National Show Horse Registry (NSHR) was created to meet a growing need within the equine industry for beautiful show horses with athletic ability, for new excitement and incentives in the show ring and for a broader base for the show horse industry.

The overwhelming choice for this new breed was an animal that would combine the beauty, refinement and stamina of the Arabian with the size and high-stepping motion of the American Saddlebred. Since its beginning in 1982, the NSHR has taken steps to make possible the employment of a variety of combinations of these two basic bloodlines to produce a breed that continues to surpass its own standards, the always exciting National Show Horse.

New Forest Pony

No category description found

Norwegian Fjord

No category description found

Oldenburg

With tradition into the future

If the Oldenburg horse was popular practically only as a carriage horse in the old days, this picture has changed completely today. Oldenburg horses lead in all disciplines and are right at the top of international sports.

The breed of the 'old' Oldenburg horse achieved fame throughout Europe under Count Anton Günther von Oldenburg (1603 - 1667) who was renowned as a great horseman and a supporter of the breed.

The period following was shaped by three important events: the first stallion approval decreed by state lay in the year 1820, the introduction of a register of origins in 1861 and the foundation of two horse breeding societies by the Horse Breeding Act of April 9, 1897. These two societies merged in 1923 to form today's "The Oldenburg Horse Breeders' Society". The first measures to refine the breed were introduced in 1935 with the thoroughbred stallion Lupus xx and in 1950 with Condor. In 1959, the thoroughbred Adonis xx appeared on the scene who was quickly followed by other representatives of his breed. By the 60's, the turnaround in breeding towards the modern riding horse was well underway.

Since the experience breeders gained with Condor was encouraging, Oldenburg stallion owners once again turned to French stallions towards the end of the 60's. Practically no other breeding area was able to achieve the success Oldenburg reached with stallions of French origin.

Paint

This category contains listings relating to the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). The APHA registers horses that are tobiano, tovero, overo, and solid; whose sire and dam are registered with the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, and the Jockey Club.

Paso Fino

On his second voyage from Spain in the 1500's, Columbus brought a select group of mares and stallions from the provinces of Andalusia and Cordela, and settled them at Santa Domingo. These horses were a mixture of Barb, Andalusian and Spanish Jennet. The Spanish Jennet not only possessed an extremely comfortable saddle gait, but also was able to pass the gait on to its offspring. As Spanish settlers came to the New World, they brought more Spanish horses. The result of the blending of these horses was to become known as the Paso Fino breed - the horse with the incredibly smooth gait. They became the foundation stock for remount stations of the Conquistadors.

During the nearly 500 years that Paso horses have been selectively bred and perfected in the Western Hemisphere, they have been called upon to perform a diverse role, first in the conquest of and then in the exploration and development of the Americas. Their lateral four-beat gait distinguishes the Paso Fino in the equestrian world. As it moves, the horse's feet fall in a natural lateral pattern instead of the more common diagonal pattern.

The basic gaits of the Paso Fino in order of speed are the paso fino, paso corto, and paso largo. They also walk and canter. These are not trained movements, but are natural to the horse from the moment of its birth. The Paso Fino is a horse for all seasons, a horse for all climates, and a horse for diverse purposes.
from the Paso Fino Breed Association - History of the Paso Fino - wp 9/2000

Percheron

The Percheron Horse did originate in the province of Le Perche, near Normandy, France. The ancestors of the modern day Percheron served as war horses carrying knights into battle instead as draft animals in the field. The Arabian horse played an important role in the early development of the Percheron, and by the time of the crusades, the Percheron breed was widely recognized as outstanding for his substance and soundness, as well as for his characteristic beauty and style. By the 17th century horses produced in Le Perche had attained widespread notoriety and were in demand for many different uses. The Percheron of this time stood from 15 to 16 hands high at this time and easily adapted to pulling the heavy mail coaches of France. The demise of the carriage and coaching trade in the early 20th century saw the breed go into slow decline. However, the late 1960s saw a renaissance in the draft horse business as Americans rediscovered the usefulness of the draft horse. Today, Percherons are back on small farms and working in the fields and thousands of are used for recreation such as hayrides, sleigh rides and parades, in competition hitching, halter and riding classes at many state and local fairs across the country.

WP

Peruvian Paso

Although a newcomer to North America, the Peruvian Paso had its origins over four centuries ago in South America, where the horses brought to Peru by the conquistadores and subsequent Spanish settlers were bred selectively to produce the genetic miracle which became the "National Horse of Peru." The judicious fusion of several Old World breeds provided the foundation for the Peruvian horse. The Spanish Jennet gave its even temperament and smooth ambling gait, the African Barb contributed great energy, strength and stamina while the Andalusian imparted its excellent conformation, action, proud carriage and beauty to the new breed. Once established, the Peruvian Paso was maintained in its native country as a closed population, isolated by geography and the dedication of its creators from the influence of additional outside blood. The Peruvian Paso transmits its smooth gait to all purebred foals. No artificial devices or special training aids are necessary to enable the horse to perform its specialty - a natural four-beat footfall of medium speed that provides a ride of incomparable smoothness and harmony of movement.

Physically, the Paso is a horse of medium size, usually standing between 14.1 and 15.2 hands tall, with a powerful build. He may be chestnut, black, brown, bay, buckskin, palomino, gray, roan or dun; with the solid colors, grays and dark skin considered most desirable. The mane is abundant with fine, lustrous hair that may be curly or straight.
from the Peruvian Paso Horse Registry website. wp-9/2000

Pinto

Two patterns are recognized by the PtHA: Tobiano and Overo. A Breeding Stock Division is offered for solid colored horses or horses with insufficient color to be placed in the color classification and/or horses with documented and registered color in their pedigree or horses with two or more Pinto characteristics. Four square inches of cumulative white is all you need to register your horse in the Pinto Horse Association (three inches for ponies and two inches for minis.) (PtHA does not accept animals crossed with or showing evidence of Appaloosa, Mule or Draft horse breeding).

Saddle Type

HORSE: English horse of predominantly Saddle, Hackney or Tennessee Walking Horse breeding displaying high head carriage and animated, high action of these breeds.

PONY: English-type pony displaying the carriage, animation, and action of the Saddle and Tennessee Walking Horses and modern style Shetland and Hackney Ponies.

Hunter Type

HORSE: English horse of predominantly Thoroughbred breeding.

PONY: Reflects conformation associated with the Thoroughbred horse and Connemara Pony.

Stock Type

HORSE: Western horse of predominantly Quarter and Paint Breeding and conformation.

PONY: Western type displaying conformation with Quarter Horse and original Shetland Pony.

Pleasure Type

HORSE: Horse of predominantly Arabian Horse and/or Morgan breeding.

PONY: Reflects carriage and conformation associated with the Arabian and Morgan horse and Welsh pony.

Ponies

Ponies are a 'type' of equine - smaller than most horse breeds and usually not more than 14 hands in height. There are many breeds - from Australian Riding Pony to Welsh Mountain - and sites relating to these breeds can be found under Sports/Equestrian/Breeds.

Quarter Horse

The American Quarter Horse established a bold reputation as the greatest cattle roundup and trail driving horse in history and would never be forgotten by early American racing enthusiasts. To ensure the unique qualities of this breed did not perish, a group of American Quarter Horse enthusiasts met in 1940 in Ft. Worth, Texas to establish what was to become the largest equine breed registry in the world, the American Quarter Horse Association.

Quarter Pony

The Quarter Pony is a small scale replica of a quarter horse.

Rare

Rare breeds are categorised differently from the normal types in that they are generally listed by associations as endangered, or of such small numbers as to warrant protection.

Rocky Mountain

Tradition has it that around the late 1890's, settlers returning from the west brought back to Virginia, and eventually Eastern Kentucky, a young stallion of distinctly Spanish lineage. This stallion was crossed with local mares, and one of the offspring was Old Tobe, the remarkable foundation sire of what was later to become known as the Rocky Mountain Horse.

The basic characteristics are of a medium-sized horse of gentle temperament with an easy ambling four beat gait. This gait made it the horse of choice on the farms and the rugged foothills of the Appalachians. It was a horse for all seasons. It could pull the plows in the small fields, work cattle, be ridden bareback by four children to the fishing hole, or to town comfortably on Saturday. They even performed well hitched to the buggy Sunday morning to go to church. It tolerated the winters in Kentucky with a minimum of shelter, and for these reasons the breed was preserved, although in very small numbers.

In 1986 The Rocky Mountain Horse Association was founded to oversee the practice of breeding the few remaining horses of the lineage at the time. From a start of only 36 horses registered that year, there are over 6,000 Rocky Mountain Horses on the books as of the end of 2000. Although that is an astounding jump in numbers, the breed is still considered rare. They stand between 14.2 and 16 hands tall, and exhibit a natural ambling gait (single-foot or rack), a solid body color with no white above the knee or hock, or excessive white markings on the face. The silver dapple, chocolate colored horse with the near white mane and tail have become almost synonymous with the breed, but chestnut, bay, and black are also common

Shetland Pony

No category description found

Shire

The Shire

One of the largest horses in the world, this breed originated in the 'Shires' of England and is a descendant of the Old English Black Horse whose ancestors were the 'great horses' of mediaeval times. It stands up to 19 hands, and may be bay, brown, black or grey in colour. Immensely strong, big-barrelled, and with long legs carrying much feather at the feet, it nevertheless has a fine head in comparison to its overall size. Despite its great size and strength (an average Shire will weigh 1 tonne and is capable of moving a 5-tonne load) it is the gentlest of beasts and is a good worker in agriculture and as an urban draught horse.

With the ever increasing mechanization of the twentieth century, the Shire among other heavy breeds, began a decline and came close to dying out. Fortunately, a revival of interest took place in these magnificent animals, and no show classes are more popular with spectators than those for the 'heavies'.

Shires still work the land in some parts of the country and several brewers use them to pull drays in the city streets of the UK. In the US they are used principally in Draft shows and as foundation sires for the new American Warmblood breed.

Excerpt from Encyclopedia Of The Horse, published by Crescent Books

Spanish Horses

The breeds often referred to as "Spanish Horses" are those that were developed on the Iberian Pennisula, or in territories controlled by Spain, and have been historically perceived as part of the Spanish heritage throughout the world.

Sporthorses

The Sportshorse is a type - rather than a breed - being a mix of several breeds of horses: usually the European Warmbloods or light draft horses, Arabians, and Morgans -- crossed with the Thoroughbred horse to produce an animal that excells in Dressage, Jumping, Hunting, Combined Driving, and Eventing.

Spotted Saddle Horse

There is a lot of interesting information concerning the origin of the Spotted Saddle Horse. Spotted Horses have been always popular with Horsemen. Even in prehistoric times men scratched the pictures of these animals on the walls of caves. The American Indians who were thought to be the world's greatest horsemen used these horses in their wars. They selected spotted ponies as their war mounts.

The roots of Spotted Saddle Horses can be traced back to the Icelandic ponies. These Icelandic ponies were often spotted, naturally gaited and possessed the strength and stamina necessary for war use. At the end of the Civil War, many of these horses were imported to the newly formed United States. The breeding of these Horses resulted in the production of the colorful Horses that had stronger genetics. Nowadays the Spotted Saddle Horses are good for use in any task and anywhere.

Standardbred

The name "Standardbred" originated because the early trotters (pacers would not come into favor until much later) were required to reach a certain standard for the mile distance in order to be registered as part of the new breed. The mile is still the standard distance covered in nearly every harness race.

Swedish Warmblood

No category description found

Tennessee Walking

The Tennessee Walking Horse is a smooth-gaited riding breed founded in middle Tennessee and often nick-named a Walker, or Plantation Horse since it was used by the plantation owners for riding out to oversee the farm. It evolved in the middle 19th century as a composite of the Standardbred, the Thoroughbred, the Morgan, and the American Saddlebred on which the foundation parentage is based. This breed generally ranges from 14.3 to 17 hands (a hand being 4 inches) and weighs 900 to 1200 pounds. It possesses a pretty head with small, well placed ears, a long sloping shoulder and hip, a fairly short back and a short strong coupling. The bottom line is longer than the top line, allowing for a long stride and the ability to perform gaited action at speed. Those gaits include the flat foot walk and running walk - natural gaits unique to this breed for which the Tennessee Walking Horse is famous. Many are also able to perform the rack, stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot and other variations of the famous running walk. WP

Thoroughbred

Thoroughbreds

As one of the most popular breeds of sport horses in the world, the thoroughbred has found a niche in almost every aspect of riding in the equestrian world today. As a breed it is relatively new, emerging from a combination of the Arabian blood and English horse in the 1730s in England. Fame came quickly to the elegant breed, however, as it showed outstanding speed and endurance on the 4 to 5 mile racetracks of 18th century Europe. It was bred with enthusiasm, migrating into North America with the colonists shortly thereafter to become an influence on almost every other breed - Morgan, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse - that would evolve.

The Thoroughbred today is still primarily used for the sport of racing, and remains in the majority of the breeds competing in the hunter and jumper ranks around the globe.

Trakehner

The Trakehner is a European Warmblood horse of East Prussian origin, the foundation for which was laid at the main stud farm established in Trakehnen, East Prussia, in 1732. The breed's name is derived from this world-famous farm, and the bloodlines can be traced back to this source. At the beginning, the horse was a stocky strong native animal which needed size and refinement. The really important and decisive development of the breed, therefore, occurred in the early 1800s when top quality English Thoroughbred and Arabian blood began to be introduced in small quantities. The goal of the breeding programs then became directed toward breeding a better endurance horse which would prove itself not only highly efficient as a riding horse during wartime, but also as a working horse on East Prussian farms during times of peace. The object, ultimately, was to add the size, nerve, spirit and endurance of the Thoroughbred to the bulk, stability and nobility of the native breed. Further refinement in the breed came with the addition of Arabian blood.

The Trakehner of today is a large horse, standing generally between 16 and 17 hands. The breed is characterized by great substance and bone, yet displays surprising refinement, perhaps more so than any other European warmblood breed. It is a superb performance horse with natural elegance and balance. It excels in dressage because of its elegant way of moving-the light, springy,"floating trot," and soft, balanced canter, made possible by a deep, sloping shoulder and a correct, moderately long back and pasterns. With its characteristic, powerful hindquarters and strong joints and muscles, the breed also produces outstanding jumpers.

From the ATA history of the Trakahner Warmblood WP