Britain's Oldest and Rarest Breed - The Cleveland Bay Horse

The Cleveland Bay Horse is Britain's oldest breed of horse and the rarest horse in the United Kingdom. It has been rated "Critical" on the Rare Breeds Survival list. The Cleveland Bay Horse Society (CBHS) was formed in 1884 to help preserve the breed, but by the early 1970's the stallion population had been reduced to an all time low because of too much cross-breeding. Today, just over 550 pure bred Cleveland Bays exist worldwide with less than 200 in North America.

The names Chapman Horse, Packhorse, Coach Horse, New Cleveland Bay, Cleveland Bay Sporthorse, and Yorkshire Coach Horse have all been used over the past 300 years to describe the currently known Cleveland Bay and are part of a complex history lacking in tangible records regarding the breed. Because people did not keep records in the past, there are only theories about the origin of the Cleveland Bay Horse. These range from crossing carting mares with Thoroughbreds to the mating of Andalusian stallions imported into Whitby in the Middle Ages with the native mares of the region, whatever they were. The only thing that is known is that there have been horses in the UK since prehistoric times; with some breeds no longer existing and others that are a mixture of earlier known breeds. But where these breeds originated or how they developed or which other breeds may have influenced the evolution is speculation at best.

It is also known that Boedecia, a queen of the Iceni tribe of what is now known as East Anglia, used horses to pull her chariots during the Roman invasion in 61 A.D. and the invaders were admirers of those horses, whatever they were. And the Crispinian Roman legion based at Doncaster had Barb stallion mounts that could have been bred to the local mares, whatever they were. The now extinct Devonshire Pack Horse and the Cleveland Bay Horse shared similarities except that the Devonshire had white legs. It is possible that both were derived from a Barb cross due to the importation of stallions into Devon and Cornwall back during the beginnings of the tin trade with whatever the mares of the area were. The breed had to have come from somewhere and the foundation of the Cleveland Bay must be from a breed that was indigenous to the area once known as Cleveland in Northeastern England near what is now North Yorkshire and Durham.

This region was recognized for centuries as having the leading edge in horse breeding. During the Middle Ages the monasteries of Northeastern England were the main breeders since pack horses were needed for the trading of goods between the various abbeys and monasteries. Collected memories from people in the area seem to suggest that an indigenous horse existed that was bay (reddish) in color, with black legs, black mane and black tail that many people claimed was kept pure, but no one knows just what it was that was being kept pure, or for how long it had been kept pure. Was it a special cross that was being kept pure, or simply breeding nothing else into an indigenous bay-colored breed?

It is only from the 17th Century that it is possible to follow modern Cleveland Bay breeding. The 17th Century ancestors were pack horse mares bred in the Yorkshire Dales that were locally known as Chapman horses -- so named after the packmen and itinerant peddlers that were referred to as Chapmen. They were used extensively as pack and agricultural horses. With an influx of Barb horses into the Whitby port during that time, those refined stallions were bred to the Chapman mares. By the end of the 17th Century, the Chapman and the Barb had formed a powerful horse whose popularity as a pack and harness horse was beginning to spread out beyond Cleveland area.

Back in the mid 18th century, it became apparent that if a Cleveland Bay was crossed with a Thoroughbred mare, it produced an elegant carriage horse that was sought after by the aristocracy. This particular cross became known as the Yorkshire Coach Horse and was exported all over the world to provide matched pairs and teams for carriages. Hundreds of paired Yorkshire Coach Horses could be seen in Hyde Park every afternoon.

But the coming of the automobile, tractor and other mechanization put an end to the need for Cleveland Bays. Breeding went into decline, many were sold abroad, but a few dedicated breeders in the northeast of England kept the breed alive. In addition, members of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society of North America (CBHSNA) are trying to increase the population by promoting the breed in many disciplines. Even with such small numbers, the Cleveland Bay Horse is making a name for itself in the eventing world, in dressage and as hunters and this speaks well of a breed that was near extinction in the 1960's.

Today both types of Cleveland Bay can still be seen; the smaller one resembling the Chapman and the taller one resembling the Yorkshire Coach Horses. The Cleveland Bay Horse stands between 15.3 and 17.0 hands with 16.0 to 16.2 being average for the breed. The breed's physical type has been fixed much longer than the official UK's breed registry foundation date suggests and it breeds with a prepotency that passes on their qualities to their offspring regardless of the breed of the mare. The head is bold and not too small and is well carried on a long lean neck. The eyes are large, well set and kindly in expression and the ears tend to be large and fine. The body is wide and deep and the back is not too long. The legs should be clear of superfluous hair and as clean and hard as possible. One of the most important features is that the feet must be blue in color. High action is not characteristic of the breed but it should be true, straight and free. The Cleveland Bay moves freely from the shoulder and will flex his knees and hocks sufficiently.

The only coat color of the Cleveland Bay horse is the traditional bay with black points, i.e., black legs to just above the knee, black mane and black tail. Any white markings beyond a very small star are frowned upon and must be noted in the stud book. However, some features have all but disappeared over the centuries, such as a black dorsal stripe, black body spots and black zebra-like stripes on the legs. At one time these were trademarks of the Cleveland Bay Horse, but now they appear only rarely as a reminder of its mysterious history.

The Cleveland Bay matures later than most breeds at around 6 years of age but they are renowned for longevity with 25 years being not uncommon. Recently a stallion was retired from stud duties at age 29 and he is still very sprightly. The Guinness Book of Records shows the oldest recorded horse was a Cleveland Bay crossbred that lived to 62 years old.
The Cleveland Bay breed is a genuinely honest horse whose temperament can be trusted. It is loyal to its owners and is very intelligent with a sensible temperament and a strong character which, if mishandled, can be ruined.

Queen Elizabeth II initiated a program to restore the Cleveland Bay when it almost disappeared after World War II (1939-1945). Her Majesty the Queen has kept a good number of Cleveland Bays at the Royal Mews since King George V introduced them, and the Hampton Court Stud, still actively breeds Cleveland Bay Horses for state and ceremonial duties. The Royal Cleveland Bay Horses can be seen drawing the state coaches, while Her Majesty's coach is always drawn by Windsor Grays. Other members of the Royal Family and guests are also drawn by the Cleveland Bay Horses and many of London’s police horses have Cleveland Bay heritage.

Whatever happens in the future of the breed, the Cleveland Bay Horse will remain deeply embedded in British equine history.


About Crystal Eikanger

Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Magnificent Marching Mangalarga Marchador Horse

The Mangalarga Marchador is the National Horse of Brazil and is one of the most popular and widespread horses in South America. It has been exported to Germany, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Holland, but did not arrive in the United States until 1991 where it is still a rare breed. The United States Mangalarga Marchador in America (USMMA) is working with breeders in many states to promote this beautiful and uniquely gaited horse that exhibits classic Spanish conformation and charm and is a wonderful sport horse that can be inspected and registered as a warmblood. Traditional tack that is used for showing the Mangalarga is quite simple with the saddle resembling an Australian stock saddle. The headset is clean cut with a snaffle bit and the rider's clothing, when showing the Mangalarga in Brazil varies from region to region but it is always colorful and unique.

The Mangalarga is the product of a rich agricultural area and its haciendas where the farmers and ranchers have always valued a smooth and comfortable ride and superb temperament since they spent a large part of their work day on horseback.

The Mangalarga Marchador was originally developed in 1740 as an Iberian breed, descending from the Andalusian stallions of Portugal and Barb mares. In 1812, Prince Pedro I (1798-1834), soon to become Emperor of Brazil, presented one of his fine Portuguese Alter Real stallions, Sublime, as a gift to his friend Gabriel Francisco Junqueira, Baron of Alfenas, whose Hacienda Campo Alegre was an established horse breeding farm of over 70 years. Sublime was the descendant of 2 horses brought from the breeding farm Coudelaria Alter do Chao in Portugal by Dom Joao VI during the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula by Napoleon. Sublime was bred to the native colonial mares in Brazil, many of whom were fast and smooth amblers of Spanish Jennet, Criollo, Andalusian and Barb breeding. The first foals produced from this cross were called Sublime horses and had the characteristics of the current Mangalarga Marchador horse, including the cadenced rhythmic gait called the Marcha. It was this stallion that founded the modern Mangalarga.

The breed's name comes from the Hacienda Mangalarga who acquired some of the Sublime breeding stock from Hacienda Campo Alegre and the smooth, rhythmic marcha. Local ranchers became interested in the horses from Hacienda Mangalarga and soon started to buy their own breeding stock from Hacienda Campo Alegre. Since then, the Mangalarga Marchador has been selectively bred for over 180 years with no other breed being used. The traditional breeding of the Mangalarga Marchador horse has concentrated on the original pure foundation lines from Hacienda Campo Alegre. Since the famous Spanish Jennets are now extinct, the Mangalarga Marchador is probably the purest surviving remnant of that breed. .Genetic studies of these lines show many specimens with very little or no outside influences and these lines produced horses that were sure footed, graceful, comfortable and of excellent temperament.

The first breed association, Associação dos Criadores do Cavalo Marchador de Raça Mangalarga was founded in 1949 to distinguish the Mangalarga Marchador as a unique breed, particularly in regards to the gait, and to set down the standards for the breed. It is now called the Associação Brasileira dos Criadores do Cavalo Mangalarga Marchador (ABCCMM). The USMMA is affiliated with the ABCCMM and. Mangalarga Marchador must pass rigid standards for conformation, gait, performance and endurance. In many cases, the horses in the U.S. maintain dual registry with the ABCCMM in Brazil.

There are however, two varieties of Mangalarga. The original Marchador (also known as the Mineiro) which is of straight Iberian heritage and the Mangalarga Paulisto from São Paulo which has more European breeds in its ancestry. When the Junqueira family moved to São Paulo, the terrain and local culture required a horse with different characteristics, so they started to cross the Mangalarga Marchador with Hackey, Morgan, American Saddle Horse, Hanoverian and Trakehner, which meant that Arabian and Thoroughbred also found their way into the breeding programs. This made the Mangalarga Paulisto, which is lighter and leggier, a completely different breed form the Mangalarga Marchador and led to a separate registry of Mangalarga Paulisto horses in 1934. Both Mangalarga varieties are registered with ABCCRM but they are so different that each variety has its own studbook.

The Mangalarga Marchador is a very versatile breed and there are over 350,000 registered Mangalarga Marchador horses in Brazil. They are good cattle horses, show horses, riding and jumping horses, even polo is in their functional realm. The Mangalarga Marchador set the Guinness Book of World Records endurance record in 1994 when two 60-year-old Brazilian men completed a trail ride of 8,694 miles to prove the stamina of the Mangalarga Marchador by riding all day long for one and a half years with the same horses.

The Mangalarga Marchador stands 14.2 to16 hands and weighs between 850 and 1100 pounds, with 1000 pounds be average. Horses that are shorter than14.2 hands are not acceptable for registration. Most colors are represented in the breed, but grays tend to predominate. Chestnut and bay are also popular with black, buckskin, palomino and paint horses being present in the genotype.

The Mangalarga Marchador has a medium structure that is strong and well proportioned, with agility, vigor and soundness. The head is triangular in shape with a straight profile that is rounded over the nose region which is typical of the Barb horse. The large, dark eyes are set wide apart and the ears are proportional to the head with tips turned inward. The coat is fine and silky with an abundant mane and tail. The neck is of medium length and arched which gives balance and a proud, high carriage. The chest is deep for a great lung capacity and is reason for the legendary stamina of the breed. The pasterns and hooves are at the slightly lower angle that is typical of Spanish horses which allows the breed to overreach well without excessive stress.
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This breed has an active but docile temperament and is well known for keen intelligence, excellent stamina and regal bearing. They are alert, attentive and easily trained for most disciplines, but most of all, they are renowned for their incredibly smooth and fluid ride even at high speeds using a gait that is unique in the world.

The Mangalarga Marchador has the natural gaits; the walk, the marches, and the canter and neither trots nor paces but moves naturally from the smooth marching gait into the canter. There are two different 4-beat marcha types, the lateral Marcha Picada (light touch) and the natural diagonal Marcha Batida (to hit), with the Marcha Picada being a bit smoother. The marcha can be sustained for long periods of time, allowing the rider hours of enjoyable riding with little discomfort.

The marcha is remarkably fast and smooth. The horse moves its feet alternately laterally and diagonally with moments in which triple hoof support can be verified. If the horse is marching on level ground at a normal rhythm, the tracks of the rear feet will cover or pass slightly ahead of the tracks of the front feet.

When the horse places the feet diagonally and with moments of triple hoof support, the gait is called Marcha Batida. It is a diagonal four-beat gait, similar to the Trocha in the Paso Fino. When the horse moves the feet laterally and separately and also has moments of triple hoof support, it is called Marcha Picada. This is a broken gait and therefore creates little vertical movement, similar to the Paso Fino corto or Largo, and has also been compared to the Peruvian Paso Llano.

Due to the triple hoof support exhibited in the Mangalarga Marchador, the marcha gives a very comfortable ride with little friction since the horse is always in contact with the ground. The longer and more frequent the moments of triple hooves support are, the more comfortable the ride will be.


About Crystal Eikanger

Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Magnificent Modern Morab Horse

The Morab breed of horse is a selectively bred equine that combines the finest traits of two treasured and well documented breeds, the Morgan horse and the Arabian horse, to form the best of both parent breeds. It has been the dream horse of breeders since the 1800's. The combination of the Arabian and Morgan characteristics is genetically complementary and gives a refined, muscular, graceful horse with enhanced beauty and strength.

Crosses between breeds can produce foals that look nothing like their own siblings or like the other crossbred foals down the road. But this is not true of the Morab. First generation Morabs have a consistently uniform look, with some degree of refinement with very little change shown in the second, third, forth, and even fifth generation of Morabs. In fact, they transmit their characteristics with such a high degree of certainty to their progeny that it is possible to predict with incredible accuracy what the successive generations of foals will look like, and what traits they are likely to inherit. It is this ability of Morabs to transmit their distinguishing characteristics to their progeny, called "prepotency”, which makes the Morab a distinct breed from the very first generation, rather than just a nice cross-bred horse.

Only the first generation Morabs can be triple breed registered. They are eligible for Morab registration, Half-Morgan registration in the Archival Morgan Record, and Half-Arabian registration in the Half-Arabian Registry (IAHA), even though they are technically neither half-Morgan nor half-Arab. In addition, many are eligible for registration in the various color registries such as Pinto, Palomino and Buckskin, and also as American Warmbloods. Successive generations of Morabs, bred Morab-to-Morab, are no longer eligible for either half-registry, but they continue to be registerable in the aforementioned specialty registries, as well as in the Morab registry.

Although the Morab’s official status as a distinct breed began in 1973 with the establishment of the first Morab registry, its history traces back as far as the original Morgan horse, Justin Morgan, who can be traced back to the Godolphin Arabian. The Morab history appears to have begun in the west and comes from both the Arabian horse side of the story, and the Morgan horse side, but there has been limited information prior to 1973.

When the 1857 book "The Morgan Horse", by D. C. Lindsley came out, a lot of background was filled in. In his book he stated that when mares of Morgan blood could not be obtained, mares possessing a strain of racing or Arabian blood could be considered; and he specifically recommended 1/8 to 1/4 Arabian blood as suitable. Because of this statement, there were many Morgan/Arab crosses registered in the American Morgan Horse Association registry prior to 1948. After that date outcrosses were no longer allowed.

History’s first recorded Morab was bred in 1855. This stallion was named Golddust and he had great merit because his sire was a Vermont Morgan and his dam was an unregistered Hoke mare that said to be by Zicaaldi, a chestnut Arabian stallion presented by the Sultan to the United States Consul, Mr. Rhind, and imported by him. Golddust was pure gold in color, stood 16 hands and weighed in at 1275 pounds. He was never defeated in the show ring at the trot, and it was rumored that he could cover 6 miles per hour at the flat walk. No other stallion of his time produced better horses.

Golddust was recorded as Morab #69 in the Morgan Registry when provisions for recording the Morgan/Arabian crosses were made in both the early Morgan and Arabian Registries. However, this was discontinued in the Arabian Horse Club Registry around World War I just before International Arabian Horse Association formed in the 1940's and began registering only purebred Arabians. Unfortunately, with that change, those earlier records were lost, but according to the IMR records, over 100 of today’s Morabs can trace back to Golddust. The connection to him passes through their pedigrees in great numbers primarily through the 103 progeny of Flyhawk MHA7526.

After that, little is recorded about Morabs until the 1920’s, when the famous publisher, William Randolph Hearst, had a short-lived Morgan breeding program which included breeding Morabs for use in the mountainous terrain of the Hearst Ranch. Hearst is credited with coining the term "Morab". He registered 18 Morabs and some of them were registered as Morgans with the "Sunical" prefix, under the now-extinct outcross rule of the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA).

The first Morab registry, the American Morab Horse Association Inc. (a closed corporation where members had no vote) was founded by Ilene Miller in 1973 and was also called Morab Horse Registry of America, which was often shortened to “Clovis” for the California town where it was located. When she died in 1980, this first registry rapidly faded away. In 1976, The Hearst Memorial Morab Horse Registry was started, and registered 50 horses. With the retirement of the founders, the Hearst Registry merged with the North American Morab Horse Association (NAMHA) that was formed in Wisconsin after Mrs. Miller’s death. NAMHA accepted all "Clovis" horses and began registering as many Morabs as they could find. The first Morab registered by NAMHA was in 1984.

The International Morab Breeders' Association (IMBA) was founded in 1986 as a full-service breed association and registry for Morabs and half-Morabs, and incorporated in 1987 by Morab horse breeders who wanted an organized way to promote their horses. The International Morab Registry (IMR) then started in 1992, and represents the Morab breed back to 1973. The IMR requires documented Arabian and Morgan bloodlines and allows a horse to be no more than 75% Arabian to 25% Morgan, or vice versa.

So, just what are the characteristics that make the average 950 to 1200 pound Morab that ranges from 14.1 hands to 15.2 hands in the variety of colors and markings common to both Morgans and Arabians so magnificent?

For starters, the Arabian's skeleton is different from other horse breeds in that it has fewer bones. It has 17 ribs, while other horses have 18; it has 5 lumbar vertebrae, while other horses have 6; and it has 16 tall vertebrae while other horses have 18. This skeleton was also passed onto the Morab, so there are only two breeds with this distinct and unusual skeletal structure.

The Arabian's powerful lungs and endurance capacity, combined with the broad, powerful chest of the Morgan, gives the Morab a naturally superior breathing system for enhanced endurance and stamina. The shorter back in the Morab, combined with the longer croup of the Morgan, gives the Morab a natural athletic ability, great strength and a smooth gait which enables them to excel in competitive and endurance riding, dressage, jumping and as a cutting horse.

The head of the Morab may be straight or slightly dished with a large powerful jaw in contrast to a small muzzle with large nostrils. A wide forehead sets off the Morab’s large expressive eyes. The body is compact, well muscled, stylish and smooth. The Morgan genes add a thick, luxuriant mane and tail to the Morab, which balances out the breed's muscular build. Many breeders report that their Morabs are never shod and require minimum hoof trimming.

Its intelligent, dependable and affectionate nature is the Morab's most valued quality. When the people-loving nature of the spirited Arabian is added, the breed cannot be beat in temperament and it is an easy horse to train and handle.

In fact, the refined, sculpted beauty of the Arabian, joined with the Morgan’s dramatic natural style and stamina, creates an elegant yet powerful horse that makes it is easy to see why Morab owners treasure their horses and usually keep them for life.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

Harness a Retired Standardbred Racing Horse to Your Life

Standardbreds are a relatively new breed, dating back just over 200 years, but it is a true American breed that began from crossing Morgan Horses and English Thoroughbreds. The origins of the Standardbred trace back to an English Thoroughbred stallion named Messenger that was foaled in 1780's. Messenger was not only a Darley Arabian descendent, but he was the great-grandsire of a horse named Hambletonian 10, back to whom every Standardbred can trace its heritage.

The name "Standardbred" refers to the early trotters that were bred to reach a certain standard for trotting the distance of a mile in order to be registered as part of the new breed. Pacers would not come into the picture until much later, but to this day, the mile is still the standard distance covered in nearly every harness race. In 1871, the American Trotting Register was founded and in 1879, the racing standard was determined. Over a distance of 1 mile, trotters were to clock in at 2 minutes 30 seconds and pacers at 2 minutes 25 seconds and it is these standards that gave the breed its name. That also means that the average speed of these races is approximately 30 miles per hour.

So you can see that this horse is bred for speed not for conformation, and now the Standardbred is widely considered to be the fastest harness racing horse in the world. There is no typical look to the Standardbred and individual Standardbreds have been mistaken for Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, Morgans, Arabians, Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walkers, etc. So, as you can see, there is a look and style for every taste, but generally they have the physique of a Thoroughbred but with a heavier Morgan body. They stand between 14.1 and16 hands and weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds. A Standardbred must be registered with the United States Trotting Association (USTA) before it is allowed to either race or breed before the horse becomes two years old on the universal birthday of January 1.

The majority of Standardbred racing is harness racing that takes place with a driver holding the reins from his seat in a sulky racing cart. Racing under saddle was a type of Standardbred racing that was popular early in the breed’s development, and has become popular once again in the United States.

Most Standardbreds start racing as 2- or 3-year-olds. Standardbreds are either pacing bred or trotting bred; pacers never trot in a race, and vice versa. Trotters race only trotters and pacers race only pacers. However, pacing does not dominate the rest of their daily activities. Standardbreds trot, and pace, from birth and will do either one on their own when left to themselves. Standardbred racing is based on only these two gaits. Any trotter or pacer who breaks their gait and goes into a canter or a gallop during a race must be pulled back to its correct gait and also lose ground to its competitors or else it will be disqualified from the race.

Trotters move with a diagonal gait; the left front and right rear legs move in unison, as do the right front and left rear when it is their turn. This gait requires a highly skilled trainer to get a trotter to move perfectly at high speeds, even though the trotting gait is natural to the equine world.

Pacers move both legs on one side of their body in tandem: left front and rear, and then right front and rear, and they often called side-wheelers. Pacers account for about 80 percent of contestants in harness racing and it is the faster of the two gaits. Pacers are aided in maintaining their high speed gait by plastic loops called hobbles, which keep their legs moving in synchronization.

North America’s top trotting races that make up the Trotting Triple Crown are the Yonkers Trot, the Hambletonian, and the Kentucky Futurity for 3-year-olds. For pacers, the Pacing Triple Crown is made from the Little Brown Jug, the Messenger Stake and the Cane Pace.

Standardbreds are primarily used for racing, since they are the fastest trotting horses in the world.  But Standardbreds that have been retired from the track make excellent all-around horses.  Unfortunately, most horses that have been retired from racing are sold at auctions, usually to meat buyers, even though many of these horses are perfectly sound and healthy and could live for many more years if they only had a suitable, loving home.  

More and more people are enjoying retired racing Standardbreds for pleasure riding, jumping, ranch work, competitive trail and endurance riding, even Western and English flat classes, barrel racing, etc. With time and patience, the retired Standardbred horse can learn new skills. Their attitude and temperament make them very willing partners in any equine discipline that is desired. New experiences are accepted with interest and enthusiasm and they "bomb-proof", not skittish, in terms of bravery. They are kind, gentle, and love to be handled and having had personal attention every day for most of their racing lives, Standardbreds adore attention and return the affection readily.

These horses are genuinely loved and respected and their care has been meticulous throughout their racing life. Their diets, health, and exercise are all carefully monitored; they've had warm baths, relaxing massages, warm blankets, clean and well-bedded stalls provided seven days a week. To describe purchasing a retired Standardbred as "saving him from the track" is doing the breed and harness racing a grave injustice, when you know what the horse's life was really like. So treat yourself to a very special horse, and enjoy the experience while offering the retired Standardbred a new beginning at perhaps a bit slower life's pace.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Friesian - The Black Horse of Friesland

The Friesian Horse, one of Europe's oldest domesticated breeds, originated in Friesland, a province of The Netherlands. It is considered to be a Warmblood because of its easy-going temperament with a companionable nature. The Friesian horse is also a talented show horse when it comes to dressage. This is due to its intelligence, willingness to learn and to please, and readiness to perform.

It is difficult to date the precise origin of the Friesian but it is believed to be descended from the ancient Equus robustus (big horse). Frisian horsemen served in the Roman Legions, e.g. the Equites Singulares of Emperor Nero (54-68), and in Great Britain near Hadrian's Wall which was built in 120 AD. There is certainty that the horse was well-known in the Middle Ages since it is found in art work of that era. Breeding horses was very important for the Frisians and before the reformation, the monks in Friesland monasteries did a lot of horse breeding.

In the 1600's it was adopted to carry heavy weight under saddle. During the 16th and 17th centuries, and maybe earlier, Arabian blood was introduced through the Spanish Andalusian horses. This gave them the high knee-action, the small head and the craning neck. The Friesian horse has had no influence from the English Thoroughbred and during the last two centuries it has been bred pure.

Through the centuries, the Friesian Government has made many regulations in order to safeguard breeding and now the Dutch Horselaw of 1939 (modified) gives rules for studbook and breeding. Systematic breeding has restored the breed's quality and its numbers are now increasing. The horse is now being exported to other countries and its popularity is growing.

The Friesian horse was originally imported to North America in the 17th century but the purity of the breed was totally lost in North America due to crossbreeding because due to its splendid action at the trot, the Friesian was bred to be lighter in weight. This, unfortunately, limited its use in agriculture and led to its decline in the early 1900's. It nearly died out before World War I, when the number of Friesian stallions was reputedly reduced to only three. The breed was rejuvenated by introducing the Oldenburg horse.

Thanks to a few Dutch Friesian admirers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, purebred Friesians are now seen and enjoyed around the world, with the majority being in the Netherlands and Germany, followed by North America where it was reintroduced in 1974. The result has been the establishment of "daughter" societies of FPS around the world.

In conformation, the Friesian horse resembles the ancient western European horse and the knights' horse called destrier. Most memorable is their impressive stature. Friesian stallions must be at least 15.3 hands by age four with mares and geldings reaching at least 14.3 hands in order to be registered in the adult studbooks. Many are 16.0 hands or more, and weigh 1300 + pounds.

The fine head of the Friesian is carried quite high on an elegantly curved neck with outstanding crest, but compared to the body, the head seems relatively small and either straight or slightly concave. The face is expressive with big eyes, and small ears are typical. The breed has a broad chest with lightly accentuated croup. Tough legs with good bone structure, and hind quarters that are muscular yet smooth, result in an enduring and surefooted horse.

The modern Friesian has long, heavy, luxuriant mane and the extra-long tail; these are never cut and often reach the ground. The breed also has abundant feather and long Shire-like leg hair reaching from the middle of the leg. When performing, these features combine with the feathers and the low set of the tail to emphasize the breed's powerful and elastic gait.

Up until the turn of the century about twenty percent were chestnut or bay, and gray also occurred in the breed, but black is now the only recognized color, but this may range from very dark brown or black-bay to true black. Many Friesians appear to be black bay when their coats are shedding or when they have become sun or sweat bleached. White markings have been minimized by selective breeding and the only white marking that is allowed on a studbook-registered horse is a small white spot or star between the eyes.

The Friesian has a powerful, high-stepping gait, but aside from its high knee action and elegant performance, the Friesian horse was also used as a trotting race horse for the short distance of 80 rods (325 m). In the 18th and 19th centuries these horse races were very popular in Friesland. For important races the prize was a silver or a gold whip. The Friesian Museum at Leeuwarden has a fine collection of them. The races at Leeuwarden ended in 1891 when H.M. Queen Regent Emma awarded the golden whip for the last time.

The Friesian horse influenced the breeding of the Russian Orloff, along with English and American race horses. Since these horses were bred and used for racing only and were faster, this brought Friesian horseracing to an end.

The modern Friesian is slightly taller and lighter on its feet than its coach-bred ancestors, which has allowed the Friesian to re-emerge as both a champion dressage and driving performance horse.

Driving one or more Friesian horses has become increasingly popular in the past few years. Harness events in shows are usually driven with a high-wheeled gig called the "sjees", for singles, pairs, and tandems. The oldest original sjees were built in the late 18th century. The sjees derives its elegant form from the two slender, high wheels and the small seat suspended between them on leather straps. The two-person seat has ornately molded, carved, and painted panels, back, front, and sides, with a bit of a Rubenesque look to it. An especially impressive show is the Friesian quadrille which is comprised of 8 sjees, drawn by Friesians, driven by gentlemen accompanied by a lady, both dressed in traditional 1850's costumes. Complex patterns are driven, showing the drivers' trust in the obedience of their horses. Driving with four-wheeled show carts is also becoming popular.

The Friesian Horse Association of North America (FHANA) was founded in 1983 and is the North American representative of the original Friesian horse association, Friese Paarden Stamboek (FPS). The FPS is recognized as the world-wide authority on the Friesian Horse. This studbook is the oldest in the Netherlands. It was founded May 1, 1879. There are more than 45,000 Friesians registered worldwide in the FPS with approximately 4,000 of those horses in North America. Tongue-tattooing, once voluntary, became mandatory in 1989.

The rules of FHANA strictly forbid the breeding of FPS registered Friesian horses with other breeds and only Approved Studbook Stallions can sire horses that are eligible for entry in the main studbook registers. There are approximately 75 Approved Stallions in the world today and about a quarter of those are in North America. The selection and testing requirements are so rigorous that only a handful is approved each year. Four years after approval, the stallion’s offspring must demonstrate to the studbook inspectors that the Approved stallion is making a positive impact on the breed or his approval will be withdrawn. This insures that only the very best stallions will influence the future of the Friesian horse.

The naming conventions for the Friesian Horses are quite involved and often require a foal to be renamed with a Friesian word when it becomes an approved breeding stallion. Names of fillies cannot be duplicated in the same calendar year, but its ok for colts to have the same name as other colts. Each calendar year a foal's name must begin with specific letters of the alphabet as designated by the FPS. For example, names for foals born in 2008 must begin with the letters A, B, or C, and should be relatively simple, consisting of a single word. Explicit details for all naming rules can be found on the FPS website.

The Friesian horse is equally skilled at multi-level dressage, trotting, and driving, singly or combined. The same blood lines that run through the Lipizzaner are present in the Friesian, but unlike some other European warmbloods, Friesians have not been bred as jumpers.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The New National Show Horse for the New Millenium

The National Show Horse originated as a cross between two distinctive breeds because of a growing need within the horse world for beautiful show horses that had refinement, size, stamina, athletic ability and high-stepping action. The overwhelming foundation breed choices for this new horse were the American Saddlebred and the Arabian horse. These two basic bloodlines have come together to produce a breed that continues to surpass its own standards. It was established as a separate breed in 1981 with the founding of its breed registry, the National Show Horse Registry (NSHR).

The mixture of these breeds combines the refinement and stamina of the Arabian with the animated action of the American Saddlebred. The resulting horse has the high-set, upright, long, swan-like neck of the Saddlebred, but it should not have a pronounced crest. The head is generally small and refined with small ears and a profile that is either straight or concave, with no Roman nose. The National Show Horse is close-coupled with a level topline and a very deep, laid back shoulder. The tail is relatively high set, natural and flowing.

The horse's motion should be balanced with obvious power from the hindquarters flowing into an elevated front end, with the front legs showing both flexion and extension. When the horse is observed either at rest or in motion, it must display a natural presence or, when animated, it should present extreme brilliance. The horse must exhibit high carriage when either showing or relaxed.

The National Show Horse ranges in height from 14.3 to 16.2 hands high, though there may be some individual horses that are larger or smaller. And the breed comes in a variety of colors, including the traditional bay, gray, chestnut and black of the Arabian; with the American Saddlebred ancestry adding an even broader range of color, most notably including, pinto and palomino which are generally not found in the Arabian breed.

And, of course, they have the high-stepping action of the Saddlebred and can be trained to move with a very elevated front end. Most can be trained to be five-gaited by adding the slow gait and the rack to the traditional walk, trot and canter.

But the founders were not satisfied to just create a registry for a new breed; they were interested in creating a new atmosphere of excitement in the show ring, created by these spectacular horses themselves, in order to generate broader public appeal. They also designed new concepts and formats for their shows by adding incentives through a prize money system that would make it financially rewarding for the exhibitors to show their horses, as well as generate enthusiasm for both exhibitors and spectators.

Throughout the creation of this special breed, the NSHR took steps to make a variety of combinations possible of the three foundation breeds, Arabian, Saddlebred and National Show Horse, in order to produce a registerable National Show Horse. The simplistic version is that in order to be registered as a National Show Horse, a foal may be the offspring of two registered National Show Horse parents or it may be a combination between an American Saddlebred, Arabian, and a National Show Horse. However, the more complex version is that a specific set of rules must be followed when combining any of these three breeds to make a National Show Horse. Breeders may use only mares of those three breeds and the resulting foal is only eligible for registration when the mare is bred to the appropriate stallion so that the foal has no less than 25% but not more than 99% Arabian blood. These breeding combinations are as follows:

-- Registered National Show Horse mares with 50% or more Arabian blood may be bred to stallions of any of the three breeds.
-- Registered National Show Horse mares with LESS than 50% Arabian blood may not be bred to a Saddlebred stallion but may be bred to either a National Show Horse or an Arabian stallion.
-- Registered American Saddlebred mares may be bred to a Registered National Show Horse stallion with 50% or more Arabian blood; or to an Arabian stallion.
-- Registered Arabian mares may be bred to either a National Show Horse or a Saddlebred stallion.

In addition, non-National Show Horse mares and stallions must be registered with their respective breed registries (either Arabian or American Saddlebred). And the stallions that are registered as Arabian or Saddlebreds must also be both nominated and approved by the NSHR board of directors before they can be used for breeding a registerable National Show Horse foal. All foals who were born in 1999 or later, as well as all broodmares, must have their blood type/DNA information on file with the NSHR before a foal can be registered.

As for genetic anomalies, Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) is a possible disorder of this breed. Veterinarians do not yet know if Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) has its roots in genetics, overuse of affected limbs, hormone fluctuations (previously-sound broodmares may develop symptoms of DSLD around foaling time), or if it is some combination of these factors. Although the condition is probably best known in gaited breeds (American Saddlebreds, Peruvian Pasos, Peruvian crosses, Standardbreds, and National Show Horses), it has also been diagnosed in Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and Andalusians. DSLD is a progressive and rare condition and horses that develop it show increasing lameness, usually accompanied by physical changes in their pasterns as their suspensory ligaments lose their elasticity. Veterinarians caution that symptoms differ greatly per horse, but early signs might include stiffness in gait, change in attitude, and a reluctance to work.

But the exciting and new National Show Horse breed is a very versatile saddle-seat breed, that can also be used for show jumping, dressage, endurance or western riding, and with the new show formats and concept, it is destined to become a truly national breed.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The 100% Naturally Gaited Caballo Peruano de Paso - The Peruvian Paso Horse

The Peruvian Paso originated in Peru, from the horses that were first brought to Peru in 1532 by the Spanish adventurer Franciso Pizarro. These horses blended the Barb, the Friesian, the Spanish Jennet, and the Andalusian, and the Peruvian Paso today is thought to be 75 percent Barb and 25 percent Spanish, or Andalusian. Since that time, no outside blood has been introduced into the Peruvian Paso for several centuries, and now it is the only naturally gaited breed in the world that can guarantee its gait to 100% of its offspring. Every purebred Peruvian Paso has the inherited gait, which is the trademark of the breed and it is also named for that gait.

The Peruvian Paso is not a large horse. Its average height is between 14 and 15 hands with its weight usually between 900 and 1,100 pounds; or about the same as the Morgan horse or the Arabian horse. It is a compactly built, muscular horse that is broad and deep through the body, yet standing on short, strong limbs. The flat, broad face of the Peruvian Paso complements the overall conformation with eyes that are bright and very expressive. The muzzle and jaw are refined and there is a natural thickness through the throat. The neck is arched and muscular but short and in proportion to the rest of the body.

The horse's shoulders are strong and they are sloped just enough to produce the required elevation in the forelegs for its special gait. The limbs have exceptionally strong pasterns in order to meet the requirements to perform any of the three gaits, especially over long periods of time, so the hock joints must be large and very well constructed. It has a strong, hard hoof that does not need to be shod and the horse is naturally sure-footed and agile.

The skin of the Peruvian Paso is covered with fine, shiny hair and it has a long, abundant tail that is also of fine hair. The breed comes in all the basic solid colors as well as gray and roan, but bay and chestnut are the most common colors. Every other coat color, including parti-colored coats, is possible. Because of the breed's direct link to the Barb horse, its coat has some striking color tones and shades.

The Peruvian Paso gaits have been developed and perfected so much that they are now considered to be a breed characteristic that distinguishes this breed from all other Spanish horses. The Peruvian Paso gait is not like the lateral movements of other gaited breeds. The Peruvian Paso is the only horse in the world with "termino"; a graceful, flowing movement in which the forelegs are rolled towards the outside as the horse strides forward, much like the arm motion of a swimmer. Termino is a spectacular and beautiful natural action that must be viewed to be appreciated.

The Paso Corto is the horse's normal, easy, traveling gait and there are three carefully preserved divisions to it. In the action of the gait, the hind legs take very long, straight strides, with the quarters held low and the hocks well underneath the body. In addition to the easy gait, the developers of the Peruvian Paso wanted the breed to retain the action displayed by high lift and flex of the knee and fetlock combined with "termino". The combination of the loose, flowing, arcing or rolling foreleg movement with the powerful driving force of the hind legs results in a motion of exceptional smoothness that the Peruvian Paso can maintain over long periods of time at a remarkable speed, even over rough terrain, while being extremely comfortable to the rider. This gait can be as slow as a walk or as fast as an extended trot or slow canter, but even though Peruvian Paso is able to canter, it rarely does, since it prefers its natural gait.

But what is most special is that the breed transmits this smooth gait to all purebred foals. Both the gait and the flashy leg actions are completely natural and not created or aided in any way by any artificial training or action devices. In fact, Peruvian Paso horses are shown without shoes and with a short, natural hoof. They are also shown under traditional Peruvian tack and costume and are traditionally given Peruvian names.

The temperament of the Peruvian Paso is one of the world's best, thanks to a long standing Peruvian practice of not breeding animals that have an unsuitable disposition. This gaited breed is intelligent, kindly and easily managed.

As for genetic anomalies, Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) is a possible disorder of this breed. Veterinarians do not yet know if DSLD is genetic; or due to overuse of affected limbs; or hormone fluctuations (previously-sound broodmares may develop symptoms of DSLD around foaling time); or if it is some combination of these. Although the condition is best known in gaited breeds (American Saddlebreds, Peruvian Pasos, Peruvian crosses, Standardbreds, and National Show Horses), it has also been diagnosed in Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and Andalusians. DSLD is a progressive and rare condition and horses that develop it show increasing lameness, usually accompanied by physical changes in their pasterns as their suspensory ligaments lose elasticity. Veterinarians caution that symptoms differ per horse, but early signs might include stiffness in gait, change in attitude, and a reluctance to work.

Thanks to the unique, in-born, four-beat lateral gait, the Peruvian Paso horse is the smoothest riding horse in the world. One can carry a glass of water and never spill a drop while in motion. The breed is also one of the showiest of all horses because they seem to have an inner pride and energy that make them travel with a style that looks as if the horse is always on parade.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

Have Some High Times with the High Stepping Tennessee Walker

In the early 1800s, Narragansett Pacers and Canadian Pacers were crossbred by breeders in the U.S. state of Tennessee while looking for a horse that could handle the hilly terrain of the area. Confederate Pacers and Union Trotters were added to the gene pool during the Civil War, creating the sturdy Southern Plantation Horse, which was also known as the Tennessee Pacer. Thoroughbred, Standardbred, Morgan, and American Saddlebreds were later added to refine and add stamina to this gaited horse. In 1885, a colt named Black Allen out of the Hambletonian family of Standardbreds and a Morgan mare was born. He became the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse, also known as the Tennessee Walker, or TWH.

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) is the official registry and was founded in 1935. Headquartered in Tennessee, it is the oldest organization devoted to the Tennessee Walking Horse. In order to maintain breed purity, the stud book was closed in 1947 and now every TWH born after that date must have both parents registered with TWHBEA in order to be registered themselves. There are more than 430,000 registered Tennessee Walkers throughout the world and the breed has become the second-fastest growing breed in the nation.

Every year, a ten-day exhibition in the town of Shelbyville, Tennessee called the "Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration" draws over 30,000 breeders, exhibitors, and spectators. The show is so large that Shelbyville bills itself as the "Walking Horse Capital of the World,” and now the Tennessee Walker is the official state horse of Tennessee.

The Tennessee Walker is a tall horse ranging from 13.2 to 18 hands with an average of 15-17 hands high and a weight of 900 to 1200 pounds. It has a long neck, a long sloping shoulder, a long sloping hip, a fairly short back and an elongated stride. The head is traditionally large but refined and has small well-placed ears. At least 20 color choices are available. Black, roan, chestnut sorrel, bay, champagne and pinto are the most common. The TWHBEA now recognizes the sabino pattern since many past registered roans were actually sabinos.

A TWH foal is never gray at birth but may begin to turn gray when the foal coat is shed or maybe not until several years later. When they start to turn gray, it is progressive and they continue to lighten until they are nearly white. If they are white with specks of color, they are referred to as a flea bitten gray. The birth color remains on the registration if the foal turns gray, but gray is then added to the base color, i.e., black/gray, palomino/gray, etc.

The Tennessee Walker has three distinct gaits: the flat foot walk, the running walk or "big lick", and the rocking horse canter, all of which the breed is famous for, with the running walk being an inherited, natural gait unique to this breed. Many are also able to perform the rack, stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot and other variations of the famous running walk.

The Flat Walk is a brisk, 4 to 8 mile an hour, long-reaching four-cornered gait where each foot hits the ground separately at regular intervals. The action of the back foot slipping over the front foot's track is known as overstride and is unique to this breed. A Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head and swing its ears in rhythm with the cadence of its feet. This distinctive nodding head motion, along with overstride, are two features that are unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse.

The Running Walk is the extra-smooth, gliding gait for which the walking horse is most noted and is referred to as "big lick". It is the same as the flat walk only at 10-20 miles per hour. As the speed increases, the horse overstrides the front track with the back by between 6 to 18 inches. The running walk has a motion that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the air and the Tennessee Walker will continue to nod and swing its ears during this gait. Some horses even click their teeth during the big lick.

The Canter is much the same as other breeds, but the Tennessee Walker seems to do it in a more relaxed way. This gait gives the rider a feeling of ease with lots of spring and rhythm. In fact, the canter lifts the front of the body, giving an easy rise and fall motion that gives it the "rocking-chair" name.

The TWH easily adapts to both English and Western tack and attire and there are two main categories of competition under both disciplines: Performance and Flat Shod.

The Flat Shod variety has grown tremendously popular due to the easy training of the breed without the need of a professional trainer, and the naturally inherited gaits with no foot enhancements, although the plantation class may wear a heavier shoe. If used for pleasure riding, no special shoes are required, although when they are shod, it will be at a slightly lower angle with more natural toe than some of the other western type horses. A record of these angles and foot lengths should be kept handy for when the farrier comes by.

The Performance Horse (sometimes referred to as padded or built up) is shown in English attire and tack. It executes the basic gaits with flashier and more animated movements, particularly the "big lick." They appear to sit on their hind quarters, lifting their front feet high off the ground. They may also use tail braces.

Additionally, Performance horses are shod in double and triple-nailed tall pads to add dimension to the hoof to provide a sounder base and to change certain angles and paths in the motion of the front hooves. Additionally, lightweight chains, or "action devices" are worn around the fetlocks of the front legs to accentuate the gaits to make them showier. Pads are training devices and an integral part of the training because when utilized properly, they can aid greatly in accentuating the gaits of the show horse. However, their effectiveness will vary with the individual horse.

However, there is a dark side to the Tennessee Walking Horse's showy gaits. The use of pads and the accompanying chains that go with them is highly controversial, since some people put irritating chemicals on the pasterns to make them sensitive and sore when the chains touch. The practice has become so widespread that USDA inspectors are now attending shows to look for evidence of "soring" which is the illegal practice of deliberately injuring a horse’s front feet to get it to step higher.” Some owners even use eye drops to temporarily blind their horses which makes them lift their hooves higher to try to feel their way around. For more information on soring, what the pads and chains look like, and to see the big lick in action, watch the CNN Special Assignment video on the http://www.walkinonranch.com website.

These horses also tend to have joint problems because we tend ask them to do things they weren't designed to do. Show horses tend to shift their center of gravity to the rear, thus placing more stress on the hind limbs (especially the hock and pastern joints). The goal is to move with a lot of high front-end action and this is particularly true of the Tennessee Walker in competition. Horses that have more of a weight load on the rear legs are going to be prone to hock, rear fetlock, and stifle injuries and disease.

There are also a couple of genetic concerns with the Tennessee Walking Horse. Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSSM) which appears in the form of muscular atrophy, abnormal gait, back pain, and post anesthetic myopathy have been described and are thought to be inherited.

Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) or "moon blindness" can lead to blindness if not treated. The University of Minnesota is currently conducting research to determine if there is a genetic factor involved and a potential gene region that may be linked to the condition may have been identified.

While these horses are famous for flashy movement, they are quite popular for simply pleasure riding. Combined with having an easygoing, docile temperament and being easy to train, their naturally smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the Tennessee Walker as the “world’s greatest show, trail, and pleasure horse”.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Colorful Pinto Horse

The terms "Pinto" and "Paint" are often confused when referring to a horse with a light and dark coat pattern, but in fact, those two words have different meanings. The Pinto Horse Association (PtHA) is a color registry, and Pintos can be any breed, but the Paint Horse that is registered with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA) is limited to equines of documented and registered Paint, Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred breeding. While a Pinto could be multiply registered if it met the breed standards specified by any registry, the two registries, PtHA and APHA, are independent, even through most Paints can be double registered as Stock or Hunter type Pintos.

The variety among the Pinto breed can be seen in the 19 recognized outcross breeds, which are separated into different types and sizes. However, the Pinto coloration may occur in any breed or specific conformation, but the Pinto Horse Association of America does not accept horses with Appaloosa, Draft, or mule breeding or characteristics.

The Pinto is registered according to its size at maturity and is classified as either Horse, Pony, Miniature or Miniature B. They are measured in inches at the withers, not in hands, as is typical for other equine breeds. A Miniature Pinto is 34" or less in height at the withers and a Miniature B Pinto is over 34" but does not exceed 38" at maturity. The Pinto Pony is between 38 inches to 56 inches, while the Pinto Horse is more than 56 inches or over 14 hands high. Each size division has its own rules and standards and allows for exhibition against "like" conformation and styles.

The Pinto does not have consistent conformation since it is bred for color, but rather, its conformation should be of the breed of its parentage. This means that many Pintos are multiple-registered, once for color, and at least once for breed depending on the registration of its parents. So, in addition to size, there are four acknowledged types of conformation: the Saddle type, Stock type, Hunter type and Pleasure type. Type is determined by the conformation and background of each horse.

The Stock type Pinto is a western horse mostly of Quarter and Paint breeding and conformation while the Hunter type Pinto is an English horse mostly of Thoroughbred and approved European Warmblood breeding and conformation. The Pleasure type Pinto is mostly of Arabian or Morgan breeding and conformation and the Saddle type Pinto is a gaited horse mostly of American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walking or Missouri Foxtrotter breeding and conformation and displays the high head carriage and animated gaits. Each type is exhibited in its own class and owners are encouraged to stay within a specific type when breeding. The PtHA strives to produce each succeeding generation with improved style and talent within each of these types. Pinto Breeders, like all breeders, believe that conformation is an important factor in what a horse can do for the rider.

As stated above, the Pinto horse is a color breed and that is where a breeder's main focus lies. This is different from other breeds which are defined by their genetic ancestry, not their color. In America, the Pinto is regarded as a breed; however, in other parts of the world, it is only considered a color or a type of horse. Pintos have a dark background coloring and upon this color random patches of white. When the darker color is black, the horse is referred to as Piebald. When the darker color is anything but black, the horse is referred to as Skewbald.

There are two color patterns that are recognized by the PtHA which are also major patterns in the Appaloosa and Paint. Those patterns are the Tobiano and the Overo.

The Tobiano coat appears to be a white horse with large flowing spots of color, often overlapping. Spots of color typically originate from the head, chest, flank and buttock, and often include the tail. It is considered necessary to have a Tobiano parent to get a Tobiano foal.

The Overo coat appears to be a colored horse with white markings. Spots of white appear to be jagged and usually originate on the animal’s side or belly spreading toward the neck, tail, legs and back, but it often has a dark tail, mane, and legs. White almost never crosses the back. A horse of Pinto coloration that descended from two solid colored parents of another typically solid colored pure breed is called a "crop-out" and is of the Overo pattern.

A Pinto must have at least two or more of the following characteristics: blue eyes; leg white above the knee or hock; white or multi-colored hooves; collective white in the eligible zones; and pink skin. There must be four square inches of cumulative white in the qualifying zone. This requirement is modified with the size of the horses, so only three square inches is required for ponies and two square inches are required for miniatures. There are still some judges in the show ring that are prejudiced against colored horses, especially in the English disciplines, but this opinion is declining slowly.

The origins of the colors in the Pinto in North America can be traced back to the two-toned horses introduced by the Spanish explorers, descendants of horses from North Africa and Asia Minor, Inevitably, some of these colorful creatures escaped to create the wild herds of horses that roamed the Great Plains. Though commonly associated with the Native American for its legendary magical qualities in battle, it is believed that the Pinto patterns may be from Arabian strains, since Pinto markings appear in ancient art throughout the Middle East. In fact, its history in the United States is much like that of the Appaloosa and Paint horses.

The Pinto has traditionally been thought of as the horse that the American Indian preferred as a war horse because its coloring provides a natural camouflage. It eventually became an icon of the American west, whose colorful presence in parades and films always added a little extra glamour.

Pinto Horse Association of America (PtHA) was formed in 1956 although the bloodlines of many Pintos trace back three or four generations before that date. Established primarily as a color registry, the PtHA now offers four conformation types, and four size designations in their registry. More than 124,000 horses, ponies, and miniatures throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia have been registered.

There is a second Pinto registry called the National Pinto Horse Registry (NPHR) that was established in 1984 to provide a means for Pinto owners to register their horses that other organizations won't register for whatever reason. They maintain a database of over 4,000 Pintos, which are identified under one of four classifications: Grade, Semi-Purebred, Purebred, and Carrier. It includes horses from all 50 states as well as Canada, Europe, and South America. NPHR will issue a certificate, suitable for framing to present to potential buyers.

Because of the wide diversity of breeds in the Pinto, their disposition, trainability, gaits, naming conventions, and any genetic health considerations are based on the breed of their genetic ancestry.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse - A Flash of Magic by Many Names

The Gypsy Vanner Horse® is a registered trademark and brand name given to the Gypsy Cob for the promotion of the horse by the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. It is a very flashy and colorful horse with full mane, full tail and lots of feather that has been described as a "people-sized drafter". It is a horse that has the heavy boning and the broad, compact body of a draft horse, but on a smaller scale than the larger draft breeds in its ancestry.

They are also known as Gypsy Horses, Coloured Horses or Irish Tinkers. In the United States, it is known as a Gypsy Cob or Gypsy Vanner; and in its homelands of England and Ireland, it is known simply as a “cob” or “proper cob”. However, the Gypsy Vanner differs from both the Cob and the Tinker in that it is much more selectively bred, and generally a higher quality of horse. A related type is the Drum Horse, which is not a Vanner, but which is generally a cross between a Gypsy Cob and either a Shire or a Clydesdale. All registries for this breed, whether they call the breed a Vanner, Cob, or just Gypsy Horse, have the same visual standards, but the wording will vary.

The Gypsy Vanner was bred by the gypsy travelers of Ireland and Great Britain who had the desire to create the perfect caravan horse for pulling their colorful covered vardos that carried the families and their belongings in a fancy fashion. In fact, the word "Vanner" in the English Chambers dictionary is defined as "a horse suitable to pull a caravan." “It’s a proper Vanner” is a common Gypsy comment when seeing an admired horse. They designed the breed to be half black and half white; and they wanted them to have a "WOW" factor so that families could have competitions on whose stallion was the finest. While most Gypsies no longer live in vardos, they still keep and breed the Vanner as a symbol of status and a source of pride among the Romany Gypsies.

Since the Gypsies have kept little to no written records over the last century, determining the breeds used to create the Vanner had to come from verbal discussions with many of the older Gypsy men throughout Europe. In theory, the Gypsies developed the Vanner from a combination of British, Welsh and Irish breeds including the Clydesdale, Shire, Friesian, Dales pony, Highland Pony and the Fells Pony, all which have the wonderfully docile and kind personality of the traditional cold-blooded draft horse. But the ancestry may include other breeds, even non-drafts. The Romany Grai, another Gypsy-bred horse which has a lighter frame, is reputed to have Fells Pony ancestors. The Fells Pony is smaller and less heavily built than the Dales Pony, which it is closely related to. But it is the extent of other breeds in the pedigree that separates the Gypsy Horse from other lighter Gypsy-bred horses, such as the Romany Grai and the horses the Gypsies call “trotters”.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society (GVHS) is the registry studbook for the breed and is the first in the world for the Gypsy Horse. It was originally founded by Dennis and Cindy Thompson in 1996, but is now run by a Board of Directors. The GVHS remains quality based, culturally sensitive and socially responsible to one of the least understood societies, the Romany Gypsy. The breed standards were approved in detail by a Gypsy who has maintained the same genetics for over 56 years. He has raised several of the most famous sires and dams of the breed and was instrumental in choosing the name Gypsy Vanner Horse® for his breed. His name is Fred Walker, "King of the Coloured Horses." The registry is currently open to any horse that meets the seven points of conformation as described on the GVHS website. The Gypsy Horse is rapidly gaining recognition as a breed. In 2004, it was accepted by the United States Dressage Foundation All Breeds Program.

These horses can now be found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France and a few other countries. There are approximately 9,000-10,000 Gypsy Horses in the United Kingdom, but only around 20% of those are the selectively bred Gypsy Vanner; and of the 1700 Gypsy Horses in the United States, only about 950 of those are Gypsy Vanners.

Since they were created for pulling wagons, they excel at being driven, but they are also being used in dressage, Western riding, hunt seat, low jumping, and have even been used on occasion for cutting cattle. Since the rider is relatively close to the ground mounting is easier, so pleasure riding by children is common. Thus, while not a high performance horse with respect to speed or agility, he makes a very stable all-around mount well suited to most equestrian sports.

The Gypsy Vanner, or Gypsy Cobb horse as it is sometimes referred to, has a build that is powerful and compact with a short neck. The horse should have a short back and a very well rounded hindquarter with a crease down the center of the hindquarter that is called "Apple Butt." It is the short neck and back that give the animal the power to pull the vardos. The breed is known for an abundance of hair and feather, and should also have a very wide, thick tail that is not set too high, and that may eventually drag on the ground. The hair is straight and silky, with some wave or curl being acceptable, but not kinky. Double manes are common, but not required. The profuse abundance of mane, tail and feather give this animal a magical, mystical look, true to the Gypsy heritage and traditions.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse® is not a color breed, it is a breed based on conformation and body type. All colors, markings and patterns found in the genome of the horse are acceptable, including two variations of pinto coloring and lemon. The more white a horse has, the more fancy and valuable the horse is. According to the British Gypsy heritage of the breed, the names of the four color categories and patterns are a bit different from those of most horses and are less restrictive in their descriptions.

The most common color patterns are Piebald and Skewbald. Piebald is a black and white horse, while Skewbald covers three possible combinations of red and white; brown and white; and also tri-color, such as a bay or buckskin with white. "Odd Coloured" is the term used for any other color not defined by Piebald or Skewbald and a Blagdon is a solid colored horse with white splashed up from underneath.

The Gypsy Vanner ranges anywhere from 12.2 to 16 hands with the average around 14.3 hands; but there is no height limit at either end of the spectrum and all sizes are equally acceptable and judged the same in shows. At one time there were three height classifications that you may still run across. A Mini Gypsy is under 14 hands; 14 hands to 15.2 hands is the Classic Gypsy; and any horse over 15.2 hands was referred to as a Grand Gypsy. But in 2006 the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society changed this classification, so all sizes are now just called Gypsy Vanner. They usually weigh between 1,100 to 1,700 pounds.

Because the Gypsy Horse lived and worked closely with the entire Gypsy family, their lifestyle could not tolerate animals that may endanger lives or property, therefore any ill-tempered horse was removed immediately. The result of culling for disposition has led to the Gypsy Horse being extremely gentle and one of the most docile horses in the world. Gypsy children are often found crawling over and around the Gypsy Vanners. In addition, with the nomadic nature of the Gypsy peoples, their horses had to be adaptable to varying climates, terrains and living conditions so it is extremely sound and easy to maintain.

With the extravagant feathering and bold coloring typical of the breed, the appearance of the Gypsy Vanner Horse® evokes joy in all who see this incredibly gentle and intelligent animal.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse® is a registered trademark of the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society.

The Olympic Medal Winning Dutch Warmblood Horse

The Dutch Warmblood is a breed of horse developed as a competitive and recreational horse for the major international equestrian disciplines of dressage, jumping, three-day eventing and driving for which it has gained world-wide recognition. It is also known as the Royal Dutch Sport Horse or simply Dutch Sport Horse.

Most warmblood breeds are continuing to evolve. In fact, they are not breeds in the sense that Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Morgan Horses and Saddlebreds are breeds. Their studbooks are not closed so that other breeds can be introduced into the gene pool to reap the benefits of hybrid vigor and to speed and improve the evolutionary process of attaining the breeding goal of a particular studbook. The Dutch Warmblood is no exception.

Registered warmblood breeding in the Netherlands has been going on for over 100 years. In 1887, King Willem II recognized the first Dutch studbook organization and in doing so he laid the groundwork for regulated Warmblood breeding. During the 19th century several regional and local studbook organizations bred horses specifically for farming.

In the 1950's, the Dutch Warmblood Horse evolved from crossing two man-created Dutch breeds - the Gelderlander and the Groningen, and then refining the horse with the Thoroughbred to improve stamina. The Gelderlander evolved on the light sandy soils of central Holland and is a medium-sized horse with a stylish gait and jumping abilities inherited from its many ancestors; the Gelderlander gave the new breed its excellent forequarters. The Groningen evolved on the heavy clay soils of northern Holland into a larger and heavier, draft style horse that was nearly lost in the mid-20th Century due to a significant number of mares being used to create the Dutch Warmblood which left few purebreds. Both the Gelderlander and the Groningen share Friesian, Oldenburger and Holsteiner in their ancestry along with other related warmbloods, such as the Oldenburg and the Hanoverian used to clarify minor conformation details as well as to emphasize a calm temperament. The breeding program that began in the 1960's gave the world one of the most successful horse breeds ever developed in postwar Europe.

However, there are 3 varieties of Dutch Warmblood Horses. Using the old established bloodlines, the Dutch developed a true riding sport horse or Rijpaard, using Thoroughbred stallions as well as riding-type stallions from France, Holstein, Hanover and elsewhere while taking care to retain the qualities of the old Dutch breeds. Hackney Horses were also introduced to this cross in order to produce a stylish harness horse with a proud, high head carriage and high knee action, known as the Dutch Harness Horse or Tuigpaard with American Saddlebred being added now. Other breeders continue to breed the traditional Gelderlander light draft horse, or Basistype, by crossing with the Groningen to add more mass. As a result, the modern Dutch Warmblood horse is divided into three categories in the KWPN Studbook as sport horse, harness horse and traditional Gelderlander type.

Breeding and selection of the Dutch Warmblood Horse is strictly controlled and monitored by the Koninkijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (KWPN) or Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands. This registry governs the breeding and the studbook in North America through a branch organization (KWPN-NA) formed in 1983. Keurings, or horse inspections, are held each year in both the Netherlands and in North America and the horses are presented at age three or older. Only after they have proven that they possess the necessary quality and breed standard will they be entered into the Studbook and allowed to be branded as Dutch Warmblood horses. However, branding of horses is illegal according to Dutch law, so today only the oldest Dutch Warmbloods still bear the lion-rampant brand on the left hip. Today's horses are micro-chipped instead.

But the selection process doesn't end with that one inspection. Both genders undergo regular re-evaluations and are given classifications according to their contribution to the breed, including their own achievements and the achievements of their offspring. No registry has produced more successful international show jumping horses than the KWPN. With at least 8 Olympic medalists since 2000; 2 in dressage, 6 in show jumping, the Dutch Warmblood Horse ranked first in jumping by the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) in 2007.

Physically, the Dutch Warmblood Horse stands 15.2 hands with no upper height limit, although the average is about 16.2 hands with some reaching 17 hands. A horse that is too tall is impractical for sport and therefore not desirable. The head is refined with a straight profile and the neck is long and arched. The withers are fairly prominent and the girth is deep with plenty of heart room. The forelegs are strong and well-muscled and the hindquarters are powerful. The hock joints are low to the ground and these factors combine to give great power to the Dutch Warmblood. The overall impression should be a horse of balanced proportions. They are easy to handle, easy to ride and intelligent, with a willing and hard-working character.

Most Dutch Warmblood Horses are black, brown, bay, chestnut, or grey. White markings on the face and legs are not uncommon. The gene pool also has several tobiano horses from the approved stallion, Samber, although no tobiano stallion has been approved since. The roan pattern turns up occasionally from the approved stallion, El Rosso.

Dutch Warmblood Horses are high achievers, but good conformation is not to be overshadowed by achievements. In a relatively short time the modern Dutch Warmblood has risen to international competitive importance. Dutch Warmbloods have been exported all over the world and are winners under the flags of many nations in international competitions as well as in the Olympic Games.

Dutch Warmblood foals must have a name no longer than 20 characters or spaces that begins with the designated letter for the year of their birth. The designated letter for 2008 is “D” and may be the same name as a previous horse, although the registration number itself will be unique. However, approved stallions must have a unique name and in some cases must be renamed once approved.

However, there is a downside to the breed. Osteochondrosis (OC) is currently the most prevalent developmental disorder in horses where a disturbance occurs in the process of ossification, resulting in the formation of abnormalities in the bone and cartilage during a foal's growth. Currently, OC affects approximately 30% of young horses worldwide, mostly in warmblood breeds. Of the 12,000 foals born each year and registered by the Dutch Warmblood studbook KWPN, an average of 3,000 will develop OC during their first year. A complete genetic study to investigate the differences in genetic background between joints and differences between factors influencing the development of OC is underway and will continue for two more years.

The success of the Dutch Warmblood Horse is no accident. The same characteristics and approaches which have made The Netherlands outstanding in agriculture and commerce have been applied to their goal to breed the best sport horse in the world.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

AraAppaloosa Horse - The Best of Both of the Ancient Worlds

The AraAppaloosa is a cross between the Arabian horse and the Appaloosa that combines the refined physical characteristics of the Arabian with the leopard-spotted coloring of the Appaloosa. Since both breeds have been noted for endurance and intelligence, the resulting cross tends to excel at endurance riding as well as a variety of horse show disciplines, including ranch work, which has been performed by either breed. It is also known as the Araloosa and can also be found under the variant spellings of Arappaloosa and the Ara-Appaloosa. But the AraAppaloosa is not a new type of horse, but rather it is a breed that dates back centuries. However, it is a relatively new horse registry in the United States where the breed is represented by the AraAppaloosa and Foundation Breeder's International (AAFBI) which is, in some ways, a 1995 off -shoot of the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) that was founded in 1938.

The founder of the ApHC, Claude Thompson, remembered seeing the beautiful Nez Perce Indian Appaloosa of his childhood and felt that Arabian blood was the only way to develop the true Appaloosa, so that was the only outcross originally permitted in the ApHC in 1938, which means that many of the foundation Appaloosas already have these genes.

In fact, the spotted or parti-color horse is one of the earliest, identifiably distinct breed types and many examples of this horse pattern appear in ancient paintings of the early Middle East and Egypt, as well as in cave paintings, artwork and other artifacts throughout Europe. Historians say that the spotted horse was of the Arabian breed, which dates back several centuries and that the Appaloosa and the Arabian horses are two of the oldest horse breeds with the Arabian being one of the purest. Because the Arabian has been a distinct breed type for thousands of years, this is important information about what the foundation of the AraAppaloosa looked like and there is no denying that the original Arabian was spotted.

Spotline purebred Arabian horses can be traced to the parti-colored purebreds of the Arabian Desert that had white spots or other spotting along with white sclera, some mottled skin and/or striped hooves, all of which are characteristics that make the Appaloosa breed unique. Although some experts do not agree that these characteristics on an Arabian horse are the result of Appaloosa genes, it is generally agreed that the genes that produce such color features certainly complement the Appaloosa. The AraAppaloosa also displays the "leopard" or "Lp" gene and therefore must have one of the color patterns found on the Appaloosa horse, such as tobiano, overo, and sabino. The gene for roan is also useful in attaining the optimum color in the AraAppaloosa.

The AAFBI supports those breeders who cross Arabian bloodlines into their foundation-based Appaloosa breeding stock, creating what they consider to be the original type of Appaloosa horse since the backgrounds of the both the Arab have much in common. AraAppaloosa breeders are trying to keep alive the true type of the Appaloosa as a refined, elegant, athletic and colorful horse with the AraAppaloosa of today being considered a re-establishment of the best examples of the Appaloosa breed as originally developed by the Nez Perce people of the Pacific Northwest in the 18th and 19th centuries.

So, an AraAppaloosa with one purebred Arabian parent may be registered as a half-Arabian with the Arabian Horse Association. Additionally, since the Appaloosa breed still has an open stud book to horses of Arabian breeding, many AraAppaloosas can also be registered with the Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC). However, they also have their own organization, the AraAppaloosa and Foundation Breeders' International, where they can now be registered as their own breed, so it is not unusual to find an AraAppaloosa that has been triple registered.

The AraAppaloosa averages between 14 and 15 hands high and have the general physical conformation of the Arabian horse, including the refined head, the high-carried tail and the overall elegance. The overall impression of an AraAppaloosa will be that of a more refined build than the more common type of modern Appaloosa that has a high percentage of American Quarter Horse breeding which means that the AraAppaloosa is usually lighter and more athletic than the Appaloosa.

Like both the Arabian and the Appaloosa, the AraAppaloosa horse has considerable endurance, sure-footedness, intelligence and a fiery and spirited temperament. With the careful blending of the bloodlines of these two breeds, a most amazing AraAppaloosa can be produced.

With the future of the AraAppaloosa leaning more toward sporthorse competition, many horses are now participating in endurance racing, 3-day eventing and dressage. The AraAppaloosa is a fine Appaloosa of great Arabian quality; with all the color, elegance, performance ability, and stamina that one could want.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

The Irish Sport Horse - Untangling the Confusion

The Irish Horse, also known as the Irish Hunter, Irish Sports Horse or Irish Draught Sport Horse is the result of a cross between the Irish Draught Horse and the Thoroughbred. It has not yet been given recognition as a separate breed, but it is commonly bred from Irish Sport Horse parents, as well as being bred from crossing the definitive parent breeds.

In North America, this cross is called the Irish Draught Sport Horse and in Europe it is known as the Irish Sport Horse, and there is a reason for the difference in names.
The Irish Draught Sport Horse as recognized in North America by the Irish Draught Horse Society (IDHS-NA and IDHS-Can) is a crossbred animal with a portion of registered Irish Draught in the pedigree. Only the cross with a registered Irish Draught horse is classified as an Irish Draught Sport Horse.

The Irish Sport Horse as recognized by the Irish Horse Board (IHB) in Europe is a horse of any breeding which may or may not have any Irish Draught blood in its pedigree at all. As an example, an Arabian crossed with a Thoroughbred; a Thoroughbred crossed with a Connemara; a pure Thoroughbred or the Irish Draught and Thoroughbred combination may all be classified as being an Irish Sport Horse, even when there is no Irish Draught Horse blood in the animal at all. Ireland produces a large number of these Irish Sport Horses each year, many of them selling for high dollar amounts in the United States and Europe.
The Irish Draught Sport Horse is not a special breed, and it is not just a product of an American breeding program but rather it is just a new name to be used for educating the public about the Irish Draught Horse that is becoming so common in many of the top performance horses.

The Irish Horse is traditionally an all-purpose equine and has been used for transportation, riding and working the land. Its natural athletic ability and fantastic jumping talents means that it is becoming increasingly popular as a competition riding horse. It excels in the show jumping arena, as well as competing at the highest levels of eventing. The Irish Draught Sport Horse is globally renowned for being one of the best fox hunting mounts in the world and has a tremendous gallop with plenty of speed. While there have been other crossbred combinations that are showing promise, it is still the Irish Draught Horse with Thoroughbred cross that has achieved world-wide recognition in the Grand Prix circuit and in the eventing world. This cross is not only a top caliber international athlete, but is a perfect novice mount that can boost the confidence of a lower level rider.

The Irish Draught Horse Society of North America was established in 1993 to assist in the conservation and appreciation of the Irish Draught Horse and its successful crossbred: Irish Draught Sport Horse throughout the world and it maintains the studbooks for qualified Irish Draught and part Irish Draught horses in North America.

With over a century of selection in shaping the original Irish Draught Horse, a very sound, sensible animal with good bone and substance, great stamina and an uncanny jumping ability was produced. It is these qualities that, when crossed with the Thoroughbred, produced the world renowned Irish Hunter that is now known as the Irish Draught Sport Horse.

The Irish Draught Sport Horse has the sense and honesty of the Irish Draught with an excellent temperament of calmness, yet lively when needed. This even temperament, durability and power of the Irish Draught when crossed with the speed and athleticism of the Thoroughbred creates a horse that can handle the demands of modern day competition. Some Connemara is also found in the pedigrees of some Irish mares.

The Irish Draught Sport Horse stands 15 to 17 hands high and comes in any color. It has a large attractive head with a convex or Roman nose profile and a slightly arched, muscular neck. The back is short and compact and the high withers of the Thoroughbred are sometimes seen.

Whether the cross is known as an Irish Draught Sport Horse or an Irish Sport Horse if there is Irish Draught in the pedigree, it's likely to be a great horse.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.

Spiked Punch with Ice...er, Spare Spike Ice Shoes Update

Well, friends, my Spare Spike ice shoes have arrived and I am absolutely thrilled with them! Fortunately, (or is that unfortunately?), our extremely cold weather a few days ago did not have any precipitation with it, so I was not able to test these myself yet, but now I am finding myself looking forward to ice! I wonder if we have an ice skating rink around here? I want to do what that little boy did, and puzzle the skaters. :)

But seriously, these are really cool! I cannot tell if they are made of rubber or vinyl or ?, but whatever it is, it is very soft and pliable, and they have only a very slight scent that does not belie what they are made of, at least not to MY nose. They fold up nicely within themselves and fit in my small purse, or in a large coat pocket. They fit quickly over my generally tractionless Crocs and over
my suede Birkenstock sandals beautifully. Ok, I know I should not be wearing sandals or Crocs during an ice storm, but I do, so deal with it. :) If I was wearing high heels, which is an even nuttier shoe for ice, I could still slip these over them because there is a large opening in the sole for a large-heeled shoe. They slip back off very quickly for going back indoors.

The spikes don't look to be very sharp, but they are, so, don't wear them indoors on hardwood floors. I took the "spare" spike that is stored in the toe out to see how to replace a missing one in the sole, if it ever becomes necessary, and it is very easy to do.

I will keep these with me for emergency use to and from work when the ice storms cometh...and they sometimes hit with little warning in Texas...and I'll let y'all know when I find some ice to try these on.

Cheers!
Crystal


About Crystal Eikanger

Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on Rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. The Spare Spike Ice Shoe is just a cool product that I think people should know about for winter safety.

The Thoroughbred Horse: Thoroughly Bred For Distance Racing

The Thoroughbred is also known as the Thoroughbred Racehorse even though that is not their only use. While they have historically been bred for racing, their 16 to 17.3 hand height and long legs allow them to excel at jumping and their graceful ways of moving helps the breed to excel at most of the English disciplines such as equitation and dressage.

The Thoroughbred breed includes some of the most valuable animals in the world. In 1985 an untested yearling colt named Seattle Dancer was sold at auction for the record price of $13.1 million just on the basis of his pedigree.

The Thoroughbred pedigree dates back to the late 1600s and may be the oldest recorded pedigree for any animal population. One of the earliest formal registries was the General Stud Book for Thoroughbreds that began in 1791. It shows that the breed descended from a group of English-bred horses whose ancestry can be traced back to three foundation stallions: the Darley Arabian owned by Thomas Darley (1703); the Godolphin Arabian "Barb" owned by Lord Godolphin (1730); and the Byerly Turk owned by Captain Robert Byerly (1683). These three stallions were imported to England from North Africa and the Middle East around the turn of the 17th century and were bred to the strong, locally available native English mares.

The Jockey Club took over the General Stud Book in 1896 and is the official registry for Thoroughbreds. The JC manages one of the most sophisticated computer operations in the country for tracking race results world-wide. Its database holds the names of more than 1.8 million horses in a master pedigree file which trace back to the late 1800's.

According to the pedigree records, the overall foundation stock numbered only 80 horses, with 21 of those contributing a total 80% of the pedigree for modern Thoroughbred horses. Only 10 horses have contributed over 50% of the genes in the current generation of Thoroughbreds and four of those horses appear in the bloodlines of over 30% of modern Thoroughbreds. With such a small gene pool, genetic problems associated with inbreeding are generally expected. However, this does not appear to be the case in the Thoroughbred.

Now, as a result of three centuries of careful selection, Thoroughbred racehorses are the fastest horses in the world over distances of 1-1.75 miles. They have been bred to carry more than 1000 to 1300 pounds of their own body weight over extended distances, galloping at speeds of 35-40 miles per hour, yet still have the agility to respond to changes of pace or direction as dictated by the rider.

The gallop is the most natural gait for the Thoroughbred and the breed canters in a gallop called running. The feet move in a four-beat gait, and before the beat begins again, just for an instant, all four feet are off the ground and the horse is airborne for that single second before he begins the gait pattern again. Patience, training, and breeding can help instill pacing and trotting gaits, as well as other desirable motions.

Thoroughbreds are officially recognized in the colors of bay, black, chestnut, dark bay, dark brown, white, gray, roan, and palomino. The head should be proportional to the rest of the body, with a flat forehead and wide-set intelligent eyes. The head, which is carried relatively low, should sit well on a neck that is longer and lighter than in other breeds. The shoulder should be deep, well-muscled and sloped along the same parallel as that on which the head is carried. When seen from behind or from the front, the legs should be straight and move smoothly in unison through a single plane.

The Thoroughbred is one of the 5 "hot-blooded" horses in terms of temperament, which means they have more sensitivity and energy. But being high-strung gives the Thoroughbreds an edge that helps them compete successfully as race horses. Hot bloods have high intelligence that allows them to be athletic, versatile, and to learn quickly. They have agility and speed and are generally considered spirited and bold. They tend to have long legs and a slim build and are more physically refined than other breeds. Some pedigree lines of Thoroughbred are known to be temperamental, if not hot-headed, while others are equally known for their level-headedness.

All Thoroughbreds are given an official birthday of January 1st to keep the age groups easily defined for racing, regardless of the actual date of birth of the foal. They must be registered with the Jockey Club within a year of the actual birth date and must be DNA tested to prove their parentage. Additionally, a horse must be named by February of its 2-year-old year, but even that can be a challenge, since the owner must submit 6 names and it is the Jockey Club that will decide which name they can have.

In addition to DNA, "night-eyes": or "chestnuts", may be required for identification. These are horny, irregular growths that are found on the inside of a horse's legs. They are just above the knees on the front legs and they are near the rear of the hock on the rear legs. These chestnuts are like human fingerprints since no two horses have been found to have the same set of these growths. Additionally, since they do not change in size or shape throughout the life of an adult horse they are extremely useful in animal identification. The Jockey Club often asks for a set of night-eye photos to assist in the identification of horses that have no white markings or for identifying gray/roans.

An expert on biomechanics of the horse once noted that if there is a limit on the Thoroughbred's performance, it may be on the ability of the horse to remain sound in the face of the tremendous physical stresses of racing.


About Crystal Eikanger
Crystal Eikanger is a freelance writer, web designer, video editor and voice talent working as Ei-Kan Productions on www.rentacoder.com as well as other freelance sites. www.HorseClicks.com is a popular website filled with classifieds of horses for sale, horse trailers, tack, and horse related properties.