Home
The Warmbloods
A look at the 7 most popular Warmblood breeds.
Inevitably, at social gatherings with new acquaintances, I will be asked,
“What type of horse do you have?” A
simple question, but when I answer, “Hanoverian,” it is usually received
with a look of confusion. Trying to
explain that the Hanoverian is one of the Warmblood breeds usually doesn’t
clear up the confusion. I have found
the easiest way to explain or to describe the Hanoverian is to say it is a
German breed.
But just what is a Warmblood anyway? And
how many different types are there?
As the name suggests, the Warmbloods are a combination of hot and cold
blooded breeds. No, there are no
reptilian (literally “cold blooded”) species of horses.
These terms have been developed to define specific breed characteristics.
Cold blooded horses are in general, level headed, mild mannered, big
bodied, sure footed animals. Breeds
such as the Quarter horse and the draft breeds are considered cold blooded.
Hot blooded breeds include the Arabian and Thoroughbred breeds.
They are lean of body with slender legs and flighty temperaments.
By combining these very different types of horses, breeders have
developed exceptionally strong yet swift and elegant horses that have excelled
in many areas, especially in Olympic Eventing which consists of dressage,
stadium jumping, and cross country jumping.
Within the Warmblood group, there are seven breeds that are most common.
They are the Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Oldenburg, Selle Francais, Swedish
Warmblood, Trakehner, and Dutch Warmblood. Each
one has a unique history and characteristics.
All of the Warmbloods were originally developed in
Europe
. Four of the breeds were and still
are maintained in Germany. They are the Hanoverian,
Holsteiner, Oldenburg, and Trakehner.
The Hanoverian breed registry was begun in1735 when George II, Elector of
Hanover, established the State Stud of Lower Saxony at
Celle
. The founding Stallions at
Celle
included 14 black Holsteiners bred to native draft mares.
This cross produced excellent carriage horses.
Over the years, they incorporated Thoroughbred blood to make the breed
more suitable for cavalry use. In
1803 the Napoleonic Wars reduced the number of registered stallions in from 100
to 30. To build the breed back up
more Thoroughbred stallions were introduced until the breed became too light at
which time they had to bring in more draft type horses to keep the breed
suitable as a coach horse. With the
advent of the automobile, the breed needed to be lightened again for use in
sporting competitions. Thoroughbred,
Arabian and Trakehner bloodlines were cross bred into the breed.
The American Hanoverian Society’s goal is “To produce a noble horse
with a cooperative temperament, elastic gaits, correct conformation, and
outstanding ability in international equestrian disciplines.”
Hanoverians of note: Gigolo,
team gold and individual silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and individual
and team gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Gifted, highest placed American in dressage at the World Equestrian Games
in 1990, and team bronze in 1992 at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
For Pleasure, Olympic gold medal grand prix show jumper in 1996 and 2000.
So where did the Holsteiner blood lines come from that were first incorporated
in the Hanoverian breed? The
Holsteiner evolved from horses that lived in the marshlands of the Elbe
River
in Holstein
Germany
The breed is the result of 700
years of breeding which began in the 1300s.
The Dukes and Kings of the Middle Ages encouraged the monasteries of the
Schleswig-Holstein region of
North Germany
to breed warhorses and horses for tournaments.
After the Reformation, state and private farms took over the breeding.
During that time the Holsteiner was a hardy, reliable coach horse with
showy movement (high stepping). The
introduction of the Yorkshire Coach horse gave the Holsteiner the even
temperament it has today and longer strides.
After World War II the demand of Olympic quality mounts allowed the
introduction of some Anglo-Arab, English Thoroughbred and Selle Francais
stallions into the bloodlines. The
modern Holsteiner is lighter than the original breed, but still travels with
more knee action than other Warmbloods. It
has greater scope (the ability to arch over a jump) and galloping ability than
many of the German Warmbloods. Holsteiners of note:
Landlady, short listed for the USET three-day event team at the 1999 Pan
American Games and CalvaroV, individual silver medal in show jumping at the
Atlanta Olympics and voted Best Horse of the World Equestrian Games in 1998.
Where did the Trakehner lines come from that were also incorporated in the
Hanoverian breed? The Trakehner
breed is listed under the German sport horses now; geographically it originated
1732 in
Prussia
, which was later divided up between
Poland
and the
USSR
. But the breed was developed by the
German people who were forced out of
Trakehner
,
Prussia
during World War II when the Russians took control of the region.
Less than 10% of the horses survived the evacuation across a 600 mile
retreat in mid-winter across the Krische Haff, a frozen bay of the
Baltic Sea
. The German people have
nevertheless preserved the breed. The
Trakehner is closer in type to the Thoroughbred than the other Warmbloods.
They are intelligent and obedient when properly trained and bonded with
their riders. The most notable
Trakehner is Abdullah, winner of the team gold and individual silver medal for
show jumping at the 1984 Olympics. In
the 2000 Olympics Peron helped secure a team bronze for the
United States
dressage team.
The other Warmblood breed from Germany
is the
Oldenburg. In the 17th century
Count Anton Gunther von Oldenburg bred local Friesian (carriage horses) mares
from the River Weser in
Germany and the
Netherlands
with stallions from
Italy
and
Spain
to create coach horses for the European nobles. The
biggest difference between he original breed and today’s modern Oldenburg
is the straight shoulder and snapping knee action of the original carriage
horses. Through cross breeding with
Thoroughbred,
Cleveland
Bay, Anglo-Arab, Hanoverian, Trakehner, Holsteiner and Dutch stallions the breed
has developed into an outstanding athletic sport horse.
Typically Odenburgs have a very calm and willing temperament.
Their build provides for more power than speed, and they still retain a
slightly straighter shoulder than the other Warmbloods.
The Oldenburg
dressage horse, Gestion Bonfire, won five World Cup titles and Olympic Gold and
Silver in 2000 and was 1994 World Champions and 1999 European Champions.
Sometimes the terms Warmblood and Sport horse are used interchangeably and
cause some confusion. The
International Sporthorse Registry/Oldenburg Registry of North America is an
open sport horse registry. This
means that all Warmblood breeds and Thoroughbreds can be registered as Oldenburgs
if their qualities and conformation are consistent with the breeding aim.
Another Sport Horse Registry is the Dutch Warmblood breed.
The Dutch Warmblood originated in Holland by crossing a light German
breed from the sandy soils of central Holland, with a heavier breed used for
working in the heavy clay footing of northern Holland.
The goal was to produce horses patient enough for farm work, yet stylish
enough for riding and driving. In
order for a Dutch Warmblood horse to be branded as such, it must pass
inspection, regardless of the horse’s bloodlines.
Such inspections are called Keurings and rate horses according to their
qualities. The Dutch Warmblood
Ramiro Z is considered on of the most influential European Warmblood stallions.
His daughter, Ratina Z won gold and silver at the Bacelona Olympics.
As the name implies, the Selle Francais was developed in
France. It began in 1665 when the French
government established the national studs. Napoleon
Bonapart took control of French horse breeding after the Revolution and
concentrated on producing elite cavalry horses.
The Anglo-Norman horse was produced in the 1800s when English
Thoroughbreds and Norfolk Trotters were crossed with domestic mares.
The Anglo-Norman had the most influence on the modern Selle Francais.
The official establishment of the Selle Francais Stud book took place in
1958. The breed accepts Arab,
Anglo-Arab, English Thoroughbred and French Totter stallions, as well as
selected mares. Of all the
Warmbloods, the Selle Francais is the most kind.
While Selle Francais horses are energetic, powerful and have an inbred
jumping ability, their kind disposition, willingness, ability to learn quickly
and be very forgiving make them ideal for amateur and junior riders.
The Selle Francais horse Baloubet Du Rouet won the World Championships
Show Jumping Finals three consecutive years from 1998 t0 2000.
In 2002, four Selle Francais stallions, Dollar du Murier, Diamant De
Semilly, Dollar dela Pierre and Crocus Graverie, earned the French Show Jumping
Team a team gold medal at the World Equestrian Games.
One of the oldest Warmblood breeds is the Swedish Warmblood.
It is a product of a breeding program that began in the 16th
century. The biggest difference
between the original breed and the modern breed is the size.
The original founders of the breed were hardy Scandinavian horses the
stood between 12 and 14 hands high compared to the 16 to 17 hand horses they are
today. The most well known Swedish
stud farm is the Flyinge, established in 1658 by the Swedish King to breed
horses for the royal stables. The
Swedish Warmblood differs in its ancestry from other Warmbloods in that it was
never intended for farm work. The
goal of the breeding program was to develop comfortable mounts for the army.
Modern day Swedish Warmbloods have introduced Anglo-Norman, Hanoverian,
Thoroughbred and Trakehner bloodlines to refine the breed.
The government still works closely with the breed association to uphold
the quality of the breed. The
Swedish Warmblood is the long and elegant member of the Warmbloods, with very
rhythmical gaits. It has a gentle
mind and good, positive attitude. It
was a team of Swedish Warmbloods that won the gold medal in the Four-In-Hand
Combined Driving event at the 1990 World Equestrian Games and the World
Championships in 2000.
All of the Warmblood breeds have stolen my heart.
Their very presence and carriage seem a reflection of their long heritage
and often royal service. They
contain all the elegance and grace of the Thoroughbred with a stable mind and
greater strength of body. When I sit
on a Warmblood I am humbled by their size and power, amazed by their grace, but
most overwhelmingly I feel safe. I
feel that they are willing to serve and protect me if I am skilled enough to
direct them. And their massive size will carry me through or over any obstacle
we may encounter
Stable Eyes
