Today I'm going to be talking about horse breeds. When you buy a horse, you are mainly looking at its temperament, its physical state and its ability. But different breeds are good at different things. For example, Clydesdales and Belgians are bred mainly for hauling heavy loads, thoroughbreds are bred for horse racing, and Holsteiners, Hanoverians and Trakehners are bred for sporting events (dressage, showjumping, etc.).
There are over 150 horse breeds in the world, so obviously I can't talk about all of them, but below are some of the more well-known breeds.
Arabian:
Arabians are known for being spirited horses with a distinctive dish-shaped head. They grow to about 14-15hh and are one of the oldest breeds in the world. Purebred Arabs come in bay, chestnut, grey and black. They are skilled in showing, dressage and endurance. |
| An Arabian horse, picture from http://believerwoman.wordpress.com/ |
Clydesdale:
Clydesdales are massive horses, and can grow to over 18hh! They are heavy (weighing up to 1000kg), powerful, muscular and are mainly used for hauling, farming, driving and pleasure riding. Clydesdales can be bay, black, chestnut, grey or roan in colour and have broad heads, feathering on their legs and a high withers. They originate from Scotland. | |
| A Clydesdale horse, picture from http://www.girlshorseclub.com/ |
Friesian:
Friesian horses are known for always being black in colour and for their full, long and wavy manes and tails. They have feathering on their legs, long necks and a muscular body. Their size can vary, growing from 14.2-17hh. Friesians are often used in pleasure riding, driving and, because of their elegant movements, dressage. They are the only purebred horses native to the Netherlands. | |
| A Friesian horse, picture from http://dutchbred.com/ |
Hanoverian:
Hanoverians are athletic and elegant horses, and are often used in eventing, showjumping and dressage. Their heights can range from 15.3-17.2hh and they come in grey, black, chestnut and bay. They have long necks, sloping shoulders and a strong build. Hanoverians are warmblood horses and originate from Germany. |
| Hanoverian horse and foal, picture from http://www.best-horse-photos.com/ |
Quarter Horses:
Quarter horses were named after how fast they could run the quarter mile. They grow from 14-16hh and are a very popular breed. They are usually used at rodeo events, but they are also great all-rounders. They come in basically any colour, from bay to roan, chestnut to buckskin, palomino to black. Quarter horses have a stocky and compact body and originate from America. | |
| A Quarter horse, picture from http://horses.mediarift.com/ |
Shetland Pony:
Shetland ponies are well-known for how small they are! They can reach up to 10.2hh but the minimum height is 7hh! They come in almost every colour and have thick and dense coats. They are smart and gentle, making great children's ponies, but they are also hardy and strong as they used to be used for hauling and working in mines. They originate from the Shetland Islands (hence their name) |
| A Shetland Pony, picture from http://www.freefoto.com |
Thorougbred:
Thoroughbreds are best known for their ability to race and is by far the most popular racing breed, but they can also be used in showjumping, dressage and eventing. They are tall, athletic horses and grow from 16-17hh. They come in bay, roan, chestnut, grey and black and originate from England. |
| A Thoroughbred horse, picture from http://www.whitehorseproductions.com |
I wish I could add more, but there are so many horse breeds and so little time for me to do this. I hope you learned something new though. Next time I'll be talking about horse colours.
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