Dutch horse. History of the breed. kwpn or Dutch warmblood. Dutch heritage walk and trot standards

The most successful in competition or dressage, then many will certainly answer that they are German. It is difficult to doubt this by looking at the statistics of annual victories and awards received at equestrian competitions over the past at least 50 years. Germany is the undisputed leader there, and its Hanoverian breed is famous throughout the world as an ideal breed of show jumping horses. Dutch breeds are also quite popular in classical disciplines. We present the best of them in our review.

Germany is called the “Mecca” of equestrian sports, and its capital is Warendorf. This is where the headquarters of the Equestrian Federation is located. In addition, this is where the National Training Center and the Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports are located. Besides the fact that Germany is all about horse and rider, and a huge portion of the population has a small stable in their backyard, Germany has a huge program for training sport horses. Find out now what the best breeds are bred here.

Hanoverian

The Hanoverian horse breed owes its appearance to George II, who in 1735 created a state stud farm in Salle. Then, in order to obtain a universal and inexpensive horse for the needs of the local population, the horse breeders of the plant crossed representatives of the Holstein and Mecklenburg breeds with a thoroughbred horse. Thanks to competent selection, it was very soon possible to obtain universal horses, suitable for both riding, harnessing carriages, and working on the land. A little later, the development of the breed was influenced by the war. To restore the number of livestock, it was decided to use a lot of foreign blood and improve the resulting horses with an infusion of purebred riding breeds.

Today, breeding of the breed is controlled by the state, and the breeding association is the largest in the world.

Like all German half-bred horses, Hanoverians have outstanding qualities. These are large and imposing horses with a clearly expressive and clearly defined head. Although many consider her not noble enough, their hook-nosed profile is known all over the world. Hanoverians are large with strong bones and a muscular build. As you can see in the photo, they have a high muscular neck, a deep chest, a long muscular back, and well-developed croup and legs.

In terms of use, the Hanoverian horse is one of the most successful horses in show jumping and dressage today. Thanks to their light, wide stride, energetic trot and springy gallop, they are widely used in amateur horse riding and professional sports in various competitions. The Hanoverians, of course, hold the championship in show jumping - they have a powerful and high jump. It is not surprising that it was on Hanoverian horses that such famous show jumpers as Ludger Beerbaum, Markus Ehning, and Paul Schockemülle won their titles and best victories.

Ludger Berbaum won many victories on a Hanoverian stallion named Shaman. Watch an interesting video about this team from the GlobalChampionsTour channel.

Holstein

The Holstein horse breed is considered the oldest of all German half-bloods. Their homeland is the Traventhalle stud farm in Schleswig-Holstein (1867). It is known that already in the 17th century, horses bred here were extremely popular in France, Italy and Denmark. It is known that the breed was developed by mixing many bloods, including oriental horses, Neapolitan, and Spanish.

In the 19th century, the large draft horses already available at that time were crossed with English post horses, thanks to which the horses acquired high speed, improved posture and a good-natured character. At first, Holsteins were widely used as postal carriage horses, and then moved into the category of army riding horses. A little later, after the Second World War, the blood of purebred riding horses was added to the breed, as a result of which the Holsteins became lighter and acquired a more riding type. Thanks to excellent obedience and good performance, with the development of equestrian sports, Holstein horses have become one of the best breeds for show jumping and dressage.

Like Hanoverians, Holstein horses are large, elegant with more noble head shapes. The profile is straight, the head is medium in size, powerful neck and high withers, muscular slanting shoulders, long back and strong croup. The legs are a little short, but with strong joints. They are used both in harness and under saddle in classical equestrian disciplines.

Oldenburgskaya

The Oldenburg breed is the heaviest of all German warmblood horses and has been used for carriage teams since its creation. She was bred by Count Anton Gunther von Oldenburg based on Italian and Spanish stallions. The Friesian breed also took part in the selection. Later, the horses' appearance was improved by infusing blood from Thoroughbreds, Cleveland bays, and even Hanoverians. As a result, today we have a large (up to 175 cm at the withers) horse of strong build.

But at the beginning of the 20th century, carriages gave way to cars and the Oldenburg horse harness lost its popularity. Only after receiving universal status and after crossing with French Selleys and purebred riding horses, Oldenburgs began to be used on horseback. Today, unlike their ancestors, they have a more graceful, harmonious physique, therefore, in addition to carriages, they are also used in sports.

Considering the exterior of Oldenburgs, we still note their considerable growth compared to other warm-blooded breeds. They also have straighter shoulders and a long back, characteristic of post carriage horses. The body is round, the croup is wide, the back is slightly soft. The legs are strong, well developed with wide hooves.

Westphalian

The Westphalian horse breed is a close relative of the Hanoverians already known to us. It got its name from the area of North Rhine-Westphalia. The base plant is located in the center with a long tradition of horse breeding - in Warendorf. It is known that the first horses here were obtained from local mares after crossing with stallions from East Prussia. Later, Oldenburgs, Anglo-Norman horses, Hanoverians, Friesians and even trotters were used in selection. But the main part was made up of Hanoverians, so the Westphalian horses have common lines with them.

Westphalian horses have a well-shaped head with wide eyes, a well-defined neck, a deep, wide body, and a powerful, but slightly narrow croup. Compared to Hanoverians, they are smaller in stature, but have longer limbs.

Among the famous Westphalians, one should remember the Olympic champion in dressage in 1988 and 92 - the stallion Rembrandt. He was the first horse in Olympic history to win two gold medals in dressage.

Dutch breeds

For a long time, Holland was famous for its strong draft horses. However, at the beginning of the 19th century, horse riding began to be popularized in the country and horse breeding was retrained to breed universal riding horses. Today the Netherlands boasts a well-developed equestrian industry and horse breeding in general. More than 450,000 horses are registered in the Royal Stud Book of the Dutch half-breed breed alone. Overall, there are almost 1.5 million horse riders in the country.

Dutch Warmblood

The Dutch Warmblood is the country's most famous sport horse. Today, along with German half-breeds, it is one of the best for use in show jumping and dressage. They are also considered good pleasure horses for beginning riders. Their breeding began with a careful selection of elite Groeningen and Gelderland mares, which were then crossed with purebred stallions. For this, the best manufacturers were brought from France, America and Britain.

The Dutch Warmblood horse is a very versatile breed, combining the positive qualities of many popular European breeds. Easily recognizable by the high carriage ride in the front and the active work of the rear.

Origin - Holland
Distribution - Holland
Color - bay, red, black, gray
Withers height - 1.63-1.75m
Use: saddle, harness.
Character - stable, obedient, hardy and diligent

Dutch Warmblood

This breed enjoys international fame due to its numerous successes in various fields of equestrian sports, which it has achieved as a result of a careful technical and scientific breeding program of horse breeders. These horses have excellent athletic abilities, excellent gait, and a balanced temperament.

Recently, at one of the exhibitions, KWPN of the forelock color was presented.

Sports horse

The Dutch Warmblood breed allows you to show the highest results in modern dressage and show jumping. These are charming, very diligent and intelligent horses.

Draft horse

The unique Dutch draft horse allows it to participate in driving competitions and be used as a light draft horse. She exhibits good slow movement at the trot, with good front leg movement at the knees and maintaining a powerful pushing motion in the hind legs. This combination allows carriages to move confidently even with the long neck raised high, making the Dutch Draft Horse unique in its class.

EXTERIOR

Height at the withers is 163-175 cm.
The color can be bay, dark bay, black, red and gray; White spots on the face and legs are common. The head shows the influence of a thoroughbred, although sometimes there are characteristics of Gelderland, from which, however, the heavy, protruding ganache is never inherited. The profile is mostly straight or “mutton”, the ears are welded, mobile, alert, the eyes are expressive, widely spaced, the nostrils are wide, the base is wide at the neck; The neck itself is light, of medium length, proportional. The back is strong, with an appropriate angle of convexity. The withers are slightly outlined, merging with the line of the neck.

The dorso-lumbar line is straight, the loin is strong, the croup is slightly sloping, with a high tail attachment. The belly is wide, with rounded ribs; The chest is wide. Both the spine and hind legs are reduced in size and weight, thanks to the infusion of Thoroughbred blood. The limbs are very powerful: the forearms are proportional and muscular, the pasterns are short with a dense skeleton; hock joints are wide, well formed, rather low, which facilitates the movement of the motor impulse forward and upward; tendons are elastic, dry and divided. The hooves are turned out at the heel, rounded, with a thick, elastic horny covering.

The first Dutch Horse Breeders' Association was recognized by Guglielmo II in 1887. Until 1950, there were two main breeds in Holland: the Gelderland and the Groningen. By combining their merits, with the basic participation of a Thoroughbred, the ancestor of the Dutch Warmblood was created. This horse demonstrated the advantages of two local breeds in a more refined and improved form: courage and endurance (the heritage of the thoroughbred horse), flexible and easy gait, less high but wider stride.

In 1959, the National Society of Dutch Stud Breeders (KWPN) was founded, and with it the Dutch Warmblood studbook. In the 70s, when interest in equestrian sports increased throughout the world, Dutch horse breeders “came together” to give the market a worthy offer: a horse that combined the blood of Oldenburg, Trakehner and Hanoverian. The key word-motto was “selection”.

All mares that were not morphologically suitable for sports were retired, and high-quality horses from France and Germany with great genetic potential were purchased in their place. Thoroughbreds such as Courville and Lucky Boy were imported, and Traken, Holstein and French Selle blood was also added. In 1988, Queen Beatrice awarded the title of "Royal" to the National Society of Dutch Horse Breeders (KWPN).

USAGE

The merits of KWPN can be considered the strength and power of this breed: they strive to raise healthy horses, without hereditary diseases. The breeding program is carried out for both mares and stallions. Mares three years old undergo a commission of experts, and only if they have exemplary characteristics in appearance and gait, they are recorded in the stud book and branded: a brave lion with raised front paws, the KWPN symbol. The greatest honor for horse breeders is to go through regional competitions and take part in the National Competition in Utrecht.

Here, each mare receives her marks not only for her appearance and pedigree, but also for her ability in racing. The selection criteria for stallions are no less strict: they receive the greatest recognition if they manage to transfer as many of their own genes as possible to different blood lines within one year. In traditional horse breeding, it happens that the best qualities of a stallion are discovered too late, and this causes great damage to the hypothetical improvement of the horse's pedigree.

Modern horse breeders try to offer as many mares as possible to one stallion in the first years of his activity, in order to quickly recognize the morphological qualities and abilities of the father by observing the children in motion. Another trend, already widespread throughout the world, is to observe stallions approved as breeders in motion.

Most warm-blooded breeds are still in the developmental stage. In fact, they are not as purebred as Thoroughbreds, Arabian or other riding breeds. They do not have closed studbooks (breeding books). Other breeds are often included in the process of crossing, which greatly complicates the recognition of their purebred, but speeds up the process of evolution of the breed, improving its qualities and establishing itself as a successful and popular breed. The Dutch Warmblood is no exception.

If you look at the international classifications for jumping and dressage in recent years, then in the main lists it is easy to find such names as Nimmendor, Vincent, Orpheus, Gondolier, Windsor and Olympic Treffer. Windsor, for example, who in six years became champion in the preliminary category at the Detroit Horse Show, was exported to Italy, and in 1988 won the Mediterranean Cup with Duccio Bartalucci in the saddle.

He has wonderful children and one of his daughters, Siren del Baroncio, competed with rider Esther Soldi (a first in the history of Italian dressage) in the 1999 World Championships for junior horses (6 years old) in Garneherrie (Holland). Chandor, son of Nimmendor, with rider Rino Sibiglia, became champion in the closed competition in Potenza (199b), jumping over a wall 2.25 m high.

Of course, three-time World Dressage Champion Totilas, an excellent representative of the Dutch breed.

The world of equestrian sports can be compared to the world of automobile competitions. For each type of competition you will need your own car: for Formula 1 racing - a light and fast car, for rallying - passable and durable SUVs. In the same way, in equestrian sports over many years a whole group of horse breeds with a certain specialization has been formed. For example, for horse racing, the Hanoverian horse will be indispensable for show jumping, and the Holstein horse breed will be indispensable for dressage. But we invite you to find out which European breeds form the basis of modern equestrian sport.

The Holstein riding horse breed is considered one of the oldest riding breeds in Europe and dates back to the 14th century in Northern Germany. The birthplace of the breed is considered to be the Traventhal stud farm in Schleiswig-Holstein, founded in 1867. Holsteins were not always excellent sports horses, as they were originally bred for tournaments and battles. In the 19th century, after the infusion of blood from Yorkshire post horses, Holsteins acquired a characteristic noble bearing and running manner with their shoulders raised high. They began to be used in crews and a little later in cavalry.

After World War II, the demand came for high-quality riding horses, so the blood of purebred riding and Trakehner breeds was added to the stately and strong Holsteins. As a result, Holstein horses became lighter, their carriage stroke was reduced and their shoulders improved. And although the influence of English blood could have brought excessive excitability to the German horses, this did not happen. Holsteins have a calm and reserved disposition, making them excellent equestrian horses.

Exterior

Holstein horses are strong and tall, the average height at the withers is about 170-172 cm. Describing the exterior of these horses, experts note the following striking features:

an oblong noble head with expressive eyes;
straight or slightly convex profile;
the neck is long, high, but wide at the base;
the back is sloping, muscular, turning into a wide, strong croup;
The legs are high, muscular with strong joints. Experts note that Holsteins have an exemplary set of legs;
Among the colors, the most common are bay, black, and less often gray and red.

Usage

The primacy of Holstein horses in equestrian sports is undeniable: they are among the top five horses for show jumping and dressage and always occupy the top lines in tournament lists. The history of the Olympic Games includes many names of famous Holsteiners. For example, just remember the bay gelding named Meteor, who won three Olympic medals in show jumping. However, due to their strong constitution and flexible nature, Holstein horses are also used in driving.

Oldenburg breed

The Oldenburg riding horse breed is the largest and heaviest of all German breeds and was bred for carriage carriages on the basis of the Friesian. The Oldenburg horse owes its name to Count Anton Gunther von Oldenburg, who first began to cross local horses with those brought from Italy and Spain. A little later, the blood of English thoroughbreds, Cleveland bays, Normans and Hanoverians was introduced to the breed. As a result, we managed to get a strong, slender horse with a height of at least 173 cm at the withers.

At the beginning of the 20th century, carriages gave way to road transport and the appearance of Oldenburg horses was changed to meet the demands of the time. Additional infusions of blood from French Selleys and English thoroughbreds made it possible to obtain more graceful, but still large, versatile horses.

Exterior

Looking at these stately horses, you involuntarily notice the heritage of the Friesian ancestors: a powerful, muscular physique, long body, strong legs with large hooves. From the Hanoverans, the Oldenburgs inherited the hook-nosed profile. The most striking features of the breed are the graceful carriage of the neck, the convex back, smoothly turning into a wide muscular croup, muscular forearms, short wide pasterns, powerful hocks, and a high base of the tail. Among the colors, the most common are dark ones: black, dark bay, brown.

All Oldenburg horses have a distinctive mark in the form of the letter “O” with a crown.

Usage

Modern Oldenburgs specialize as riding horses for equestrian sports, but they can confidently be called universal horses. They have a natural predisposition for harness driving, and also have a lot of strength to become a good helper in agriculture. Their high stride and beautiful posture make them ideal for dressage, while their strong legs and muscular croup help them to be excellent show jumpers. We offer you to verify this in the video where the Oldenburg horse is presented (video from the Oleg Voskovets channel).

Dutch Warmblood

Holland is proud of its centuries-old tradition of horse breeding and direct proof of this is the Dutch Warmblood horse breed. Today it occupies a leading position in the ranking of the best European breeds. Before the outbreak of World War II, Holland had two breeds that were used for agriculture - the Groningen and the Gelderland. The Groningen had a working heavy draft type, the Gelderland were more elegant and agile. Based on these two breeds, the Dutch Warmblood horse was subsequently bred.

To improve their riding qualities, the blood of Holsteins, French Sels, and purebred English riding horses was infused into the Dutch horses. The first stud book of the breed was created in 1970, although horses have been registered since 1887. In 1988, the stud book received royal status.

Exterior

The modern Dutch horse is beautifully built and tall - up to 175 cm at the withers. The general exterior has the following characteristic features:

a noble head with an attentive expression;
slanted shoulders, well defined withers;
the chest is deep and wide;
strong back, muscular croup;
high legs with wide bones and short metacarpus;
the color is predominantly brown and bay.

The old type of horse has a distinctive mark on the thigh in the form of a rearing lion. Today, animal branding is prohibited, but purebred horses must wear a special microchip.

Usage

The highly effective Dutch breeding system has resulted in the relatively young breed gaining the status of one of the best European riding breeds for competition at the highest level in dressage, show jumping and even horse racing. The history of the breed can already boast of great achievements. For example, the stallion Olympic Ferro first showed himself well in show jumping, and then won prizes at the Olympic Games in dressage. Not surprisingly, the Dutch Warmblood is used to breed other riding horses in America, Great Britain and Australia. Gelding Otentic won three Olympic medals. And such names as Hickstead, Totilas, Parsival are familiar to all equestrian sports fans.

In Holland, national holidays for the Dutch Warmblood horses are held - in August “KWPN Horse Day” and in February “KWPN Stallion Show”. The country earns more than 1.5 billion euros annually from equestrian sports.

Westphalian - Queen of Show Jumping

If Hanoverians are the kings of show jumping, then its closest relative, the Westphalian horse breed, is the queen. It was bred in northwestern Germany in the region of North Westphalia. Despite the ancient tradition of horse breeding in Westphalia, the breed is considered young. The first stud book was created only in 1904. The center for breeding Westphalians was the famous state nursery in Warendorf, where today the German National Equestrian Federation is located.

The Westphalian breed has come a long way in its development from an ordinary peasant heavy horse to a high-class riding horse. At first, local Hanoverian and Trakehner horses were used in selection, then the blood of Oldenburgs, Anglo-Normans and even trotters was used. But the main point in the formation of modern Westphalians was still set by the Hanoverians, which is why the two breeds have common stud books.

Exterior

Modern Westphalian horses are noble, elegant, powerful and stately, similar to the Hanoverian type. Height at the withers on average ranges from 160 to 168 cm. Westphalians are distinguished by their noble head with a straight profile, a well-formed middle neck, high withers, and a wide but deep body. Like the Hanoverians, they have a muscular, long croup and a wide loin, and strong, dry legs. However, these horses differ from their counterparts in greater elegance and lightness.

Usage

The Westphalian breed today is designated as a universal riding horse for sports and outdoor activities. From the Hanoverians she adopted all the necessary qualities for high-class show jumping, which has been proven in practice. Also among the specializations of the breed are eventing and dressage.

Among the most famous horses of this breed, it is worth mentioning the Olympic champion Rembrandt, who for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games won two individual gold medals in dressage. Fire is a famous show jumper who won the world championship in 1978 and is an Olympic champion in dressage Achlerich.

The Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) is a relatively young breed that originated in the Netherlands as a result of crossing the Gelderlander and Groningen breeds. Warmblood horses are a cross between thoroughbred horses (English Saddlebred and Arabian) and draft horses, bred by crossing them.

After World War II, the use of horses for agricultural purposes declined and interest in equestrian sports increased. Dutch horses began to be crossed with Thoroughbreds, Hackneys and Cleveland Bays (Dutch breeds) to create a light, athletic horse breed that would excel in dressage and show jumping.

Trakens, French Sellies, Oldenburg and Hanoverian breeds were also used in the selection. The goal was to create a calm, obedient temperament in the horses. The horses were bred under the auspices of several stud farms until 1970, after which the horses were combined into one studbook - Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (WPN). Queen Beatrice gave the studbook a royal award in 1988, and it was designated Koninklijk, or Royal.

Since 2006, the KWPN has distinguished three categories of Dutch Warmblood horses: riding horses (jumpers and dressage horses, which make up 85-90% of the stud book); draft horses; The Heger horse is a working animal, similar to the old Gelderlander.

Sports type

The height of horses is on average from 165 to 172 cm. The color is bay, black or gray with white markings on the face or legs. Dutch Warmblood horses have a graceful head, a muscular, arched neck, and clearly defined withers. They have a long oblique shoulder and powerful hind limbs. The conformation and temperament of KWPN horses varies slightly depending on whether the horse is a show jumper or a dressage horse, but in general they are intelligent and friendly.

Congenital defects are rare among horses of this breed, since the requirements for mares and stallions for breeding are very high. Ferro, Jazz, Totilas, Bordeaux and Vivaldi are stallions that have had an invaluable influence on the breed and dressage in general, and these are all Dutch Warmbloods.

Their talent is undeniable. What is the gold of the Olympic Games worth for Valegro with Charlotte Dujardin, as well as the previous record holders - Totilas with Edward Gal. In show jumping, the stallion Big Star, ridden by Nick Skeleton, won individual gold at the 2016 Olympic Games. The famous Hickstead, under the saddle of Eric Lamaze, won a huge number of international competitions, including an individual gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Like many warm-blooded animals, horses must undergo a rigorous examination to prove they meet the breed standard before being accepted into the stud book. To achieve this, special shows are held where horses are assessed and classified according to their achievements and offspring. The standards for admission are high as KWPN explicitly states that its goal is to produce horses capable of Grand Prix performance in dressage and jumping. The evaluation and selection system for Dutch stallions is one of the most stringent in the world. Even after being entered into the stud book, they are required to undergo annual re-evaluation in order to be allowed to be used in work to improve the breed.

Dutch draft horses

The unique Dutch draft horse allows it to participate in driving competitions and be used as a light draft horse. These horses demonstrate

free trot with powerful work of the hind limbs.

Gelderland type

Some breeders decided not to follow modern trends in the development of horse breeding, but to continue working with the traditional farm draft horse - the Gelderlander. The KWPN has created special instructions to preserve the original Dutch draft type. These horses have a well-developed forehand, excellent working qualities, they are docile and efficient. These horses are used both in harness and under saddle.

Photos of Dutch Warmblood horses decorate almost all websites and magazines dedicated to horse breeding. These graceful animals not only have excellent external characteristics, which provides them with excellent photogenicity, but also prove themselves with no less success in sports competitions, winning the main prizes of the world's leading tournaments, including gold at the Olympic Games.

Homeland of the winning breed

The Netherlands has always been famous for its highly developed agriculture. The main source of income for this state is livestock breeding and cultivation of crops. Much of this business is in private hands. It is known that more than two thirds of the population of the Netherlands are farmers. The country's sound economic policy includes a number of measures to promote and strengthen this important sector of the economy.

In the homeland of the Dutch warmblood horse breed, the question of limiting the number of private farms occasionally arises due to the glut of the world market with their products. In emergency cases, authorities are forced to offer rewards to owners of large farms who are ready to give up their occupation. But, oddly enough, there are usually very few such volunteers.

Our brothers are no less

It is not surprising that for the average Dutchman a horse is not only a pet and an indispensable assistant in difficult peasant work. For residents of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, this is one of the main members of the family. The tradition of locating stables not far from the house fully confirms this thesis. It is to this animal that the Dutch owe their stable well-being, based on a prosperous agricultural economy.

Universal horse breed

The number of horses in Holland far exceeds the population of this country. Even official statistics find it difficult to name the exact number of livestock of these animals. However, in the country where the Dutch Warmblood horse breed was born, there are practically no large stud farms. Breeding this breed lies almost entirely on the shoulders of representatives of medium-sized businesses.

Initially, these animals were intended exclusively for agricultural labor, in which they were used for draft work. To improve the quality of the species, local horses were usually crossed with breeds imported from France and England. At the same time, progress in development also occurred through the mixing of the blood of animals from different regions of the Netherlands. Horses bred in regions with sandy soil had characteristics ideal for riding, while those from areas with denser soil were distinguished by their large dimensions and more developed muscles.

Big sport

The offspring produced by these two different species inherited the best traits of their parents. Thus, a new breed of Dutch warmblood horses was developed, which was excellently suited for participation in equestrian sports, which became widespread in Holland when the advent of agricultural machinery made it possible to free some of the livestock from working in the fields.

Distinctive features

The breed has a wide variety of colors. There are individuals of both dark and light colors.
Representatives of the breed have equally well developed front and hind legs.
Animals have a noble profile inherited from

If you look at a photo of horses of the Dutch warmblood breed, the following external features immediately catch your eye: unusually expressive eyes and neat welded ears, large nostrils, a neck that thickens closer to the base.

However, the neck of these animals is distinguished by its grace, mobility and lightness. The muscular back has ideal contours for sport riding. In describing the Dutch Warmblood horse breed, it is important to mention that the withers of these first-class athletes have a barely noticeable outline that merges with the neck. The loin is distinguished by its power with a rather wide belly, with rounded ribs. The hind limbs are small in size for thoroughbred horses. This trait was inherited from purebred horses.

Purity of the breed is not the main thing

Warmblood horses are a breed that combines the qualities of horses intended for harness riding and the characteristics of riding horses. These animals are obtained by crossing several varieties that have the properties listed above. The title of sports horses has long been attached to the name of the breed. And this is not surprising. These horses are really good in almost all types of equestrian sports, as they have the necessary running qualities, and they are also distinguished by such important properties as quick learning, calm disposition and quick obedience to the owner.

At the same time, warm-blooded breeds cannot be considered among the fully formed ones, since in order to improve driving qualities, fresh blood from other, mainly European relatives is periodically infused.

Despite this fact, horses of the Dutch warmblood breed of black, piebald, gray and other colors are invariably in demand and are indispensable participants in the vast majority of equestrian competitions. This variety is recognized as one of the most promising by most experts around the world.

The best of the best

Specialists involved in breeding horses of this breed rely in their activities on the latest scientific research in the field of biology and are guided by carefully developed breeding programs.

Purposeful breeding of the variety began at the end of the 19th century with the advent of the first union of Dutch horse breeders. At the same time, the ancestor of the Dutch Warmblood was bred. This animal had the best qualities of two leading local breeds. Moreover, the advantages inherited on both sides showed themselves to the highest degree. The horse had hitherto unprecedented endurance and extreme courage - an extremely rare character trait for horses. Speed performance also exceeded the expectations of specialists.

Secret of success

To breed horses that have all the necessary qualities for equestrian sports, Dutch horse breeders use an extremely strict system of selecting individuals of both sexes. As a result of this, offspring are born that are distinguished by good health, excellent physical characteristics and external beauty.

The selection system applies to both horses and females. Three-year-old mares undergo a mandatory examination, as a result of which the most worthy ones are selected based on two indicators - external data, correctness and running speed. The names of the best of the best are included in a special list. In this case, the horses receive a special brand with the image of the quality mark of Dutch horse breeding - a lion. The dream of all Dutch specialists in this field is for their horses to win the regional selection and become participants in the national competition. According to the terms of this competition, each mare is awarded a score for her external characteristics, as well as for the purity of her pedigree and physical fitness demonstrated during the race.

Selection of stallions

No less stringent selection criteria are applied to horses. To be included in the list of male sires, it is not enough for a stallion to simply have spectacular external characteristics and be well-developed physically; it is necessary to show excellent results in competitions for several more years.

Even after the stallion’s name has been included in a special list of those worthy of continuing the population of the Dutch Warmblood breed, he must annually confirm this right by passing additional commissions. Only males whose contribution to the development of the offspring is recognized as indisputable receive the mark “selected”. The highest honor for a stallion is to be awarded the "Preferred" mark. But only a few receive this title.

The Dutch Warmblood horse breed, like any other breed, is more demanding in terms of living conditions in relation to outbred horses. There are currently three known methods for keeping horses.

The life of horses in a herd is the closest way of life for a horse to natural conditions. Also, this method does not require particularly large expenses. Horses live year-round outside any premises, in the open air. Only pregnant and lactating mares are allowed to take shelter in bad weather in non-monumental premises.

The rest of the herd finds shelter from the elements in the natural environment.

Although this method of keeping horses is the most economical, it is not suitable for areas with harsh climatic conditions.

For large stud farms, the ideal way to keep horses is to keep the animals in stables during the cold season and go out for long periods of grazing in the warm season.

All three methods are suitable for the Dutch Warmblood breed.

The following requirements must be met for the arrangement of stables:

The stable should be located in elevated areas to avoid possible flooding in rainy weather and floods.
It is best to decorate the inside of a stable with natural materials.

Nutrition

What does the Dutch Warmblood horse breed eat? This question undoubtedly worries horse breeders who are planning to add new inhabitants to their stables.

This is, of course, important, since for all its endurance, this breed is extremely demanding in maintaining a regular diet and freshness of food for feeding. It should be remembered that no, even the best balanced diet can replace the nutrition of horses with fresh grass when grazing.

Animals that participate in sports can add legumes to their food, as these products contain the required amount of protein.

However, it should be kept in mind that overfeeding pets can have a negative impact on their well-being.

Before you get a breed, you should read the special literature on the topic “Dutch Warmblood horse breed and how to care for it.”