It's All About Color - The Pintabian Horse Adds Color to the Arabian

The Pintabian (pin-TAY-bee-an) is a horse that is over 99% Arabian with tobiano markings, It is a new and rare breed with only a few hundred individuals representing it in the world at this time. Tobiano (toe-bee-AH-no) is a non-symmetrical dominant spotting pattern of large, irregular spots. The well-defined spots cover the body randomly but cross the back at some point between the ears and tail. The head usually has white markings that are common to those of non-spotted horses, such as a star, strip, blaze, and snip or bald-faced. All four legs are generally white.

All tobiano markings are unique, like fingerprints, and can range from a mostly white horse to a horse with very little white at all. The ideally patterned horse is one that is 50% colored and 50% white. But to produce this type of pattern, at least one parent must be a tobiano.

However, the modern Arabian horse does not generally have a spotted or parti-colored coat, with the notable exception of the sabino gene that is found in a number of Arabian horses that causes belly spots. This is because the majority of Arabian horse breeders have avoided breeding Arabian horses with an excessive amount of white. But recently, breeders imagined a coat pattern with two or more colors on the established beauty of the ancient Arabian horse and many set out to achieve this dream.

But a Pintabian horse is not merely a cross between an Arabian horse and a spotted Pinto or Paint horse. If you start by breeding one purebred Arabian with one Pinto horse, it will take seven generations of breeding the resulting tobiano patterned offspring back to a pure non-tobiano-patterned Arabian each time to eventually produce a horse that can be described as an official Pintabian.

So it can be appreciated why the Pintabian is such a special horse once you realize that there is no guarantee of producing the tobiano pattern every time with this method. Not all foals will get the dominant tobiano gene due to it always being a heterozygous combination throughout this lengthy process of breeding each generation of offspring back to a purebred non-tobiano Arabian until the 99% Arabian is reached in the 7th generation.

So, the truth is that a Pintabian is developed by continually crossing tobianos back to purebred Arabians until a relatively pure strain of spotted horses with nearly 100% Arabian blood is obtained in the 7th generation.

Fortunately, the time has come when there are now sufficient registered Pintabians to be able to breed them with each other which can produce the occasional homozygous tobiano, and because of the high percentage of Arabian in the breed, the Arabian physical characteristics of the Pintabian horse always breed true.

The chart below may help in understanding how the percentage of Arabian blood is determined in each generation.

1/2 Arabian=50% Arabian
3/4 Arabian=75% Arabian
7/8 Arabian=87.5% Arabian
15/16 Arabian=96.75% Arabian
63/64 Arabian=98.4735% Arabian
127/128 Arabian=99.21875% Arabian which can be registered as an official Pintabian.

So, what does that fraction of 127/128 actually mean in layman's terms?

A horse that is 1/2 Arabian has one parent that is Arabian and one that is not. A horse that is 3/4 Arabian usually has three purebred Arabian grandparents and one that is not. To put it another way, 3 out of the 4 horses in the second generation are purebred Arabian. When you get down to the seventh generation of a Pintabian's pedigree, of the128 ancestors, 127 are purebred Arabian. Only one was not and that horse is the one that contributed the tobiano pattern in the very first generation. Of course, breeding two percentage-breds together can produce an infinitely variable list of total percentages, but this is just the basic way that genetics works through each generation if there are no other variables.

The tobiano pattern comes in a variety of base colors and white. A base color is any color other than white. Some of the base colors that a Pintabian may be are black, bay, buckskin, chestnut, dun, gray, grullo and palomino. Black and white Pintabians exist, but they are very hard to come by which makes them even more precious. The black base color is based on a combination of two separate genes that must be present at the same time. One of the genes is common with dominant characteristics while the other is recessive and very uncommon. So, in order to get the base color of black, the foal must receive the dominant gene from at least one parent and the seldom-found recessive gene from both parents.

Since Pintabians are 99% Arabian, they have the distinctive Arabian appearance which includes a head with a "dished" face and large, wide-set eyes. The neck is arched, the back short and strong with high set tail. They stand between 14.2 and 15.2 hands high, and weigh between 900 and 1,100 pounds.
They have graceful movement and are well-coordinated with a natural, easy stride that is animated and stylish yet sure-footed and athletic. Gentleness is important in this breed and the Pintabian is a docile, mannerly and willing horse. The breed possesses good sense and intelligence; and is responsive, enthusiastic and sensitive.

The Pintabian Horse Registry, Inc. (PHRI) was formed in 1992 for the purpose of providing permanent recognition and registration of horses with 99% (or over) Arabian blood and displaying the tobiano coat pattern only and is the official registering authority for the Pintabian breed. Two years later, in 1994, the International Pinto Arabian Registry (IPAR) formed to register the lower percentages as well as other coat patterns in the Arabian, in addition to the Tobiano. It also has a separate section for registering Pintabians. Since the majority of the development of this breed has been carried out in the United States, this is why many of the Pintos and Pintabians in Europe can be traced back to horses in the U.S.

Even though tobiano is dominant, genetic testing is available to determine the presence of the tobiano gene. This testing is most often intended to determine homozygosity of the gene, but is also useful if a horse has an unexplained loss of pigmentation.

The tobiano gene itself is not linked to lethal white syndrome, but some tobiano horses may be carriers of the gene if they have overo in their ancestry, or have produced affected lethal white offspring when bred to another horse that is also a carrier. In some cases, a horse can carry both the tobiano and overo genes and may display white markings that present both patterns. These horses are referred to as Toveros and are not eligible in Pintabian breeding.


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.

Welsh Ponies and Cobs, the British Knight's Choice

Welsh ponies were imported to the United States as early as the 1880's. During the depression, the interest in the breed waned, but through the combined efforts of breeders in the Eastern US, participation in shows and fairs continued. By the 1950's, more ponies were imported and interest increased dramatically. Over the next few decades Welsh became the fastest growing breed in the US and now registered Welsh ponies and cobs can be found in every state and also in Canada. There are over 45,000 Welsh ponies and cobs registered.

Their early history dates back to before the Romans arrived, the Welsh Mountain Pony was living in a semi-wild state in the hills and valleys of Wales where the winters were severe and vegetation was sparse. Shelter from the weather was not much more than an isolated valley or a clump of bare trees. Their survival under these conditions has led to a remarkable soundness of body, tremendous endurance and a high degree of native intelligence.

A very versatile animal, Welsh Cobs were used for plowing fields; carrying a farmer to market; driving a family to church; and were even ridden by knights in the 15th Century. It is believed that the Welsh pony carries a trace of Arabian blood. However, their own physical characteristics over the centuries appear to be quite dominant. The Welsh crosses very well with many other breeds and this an important aspect of their unusual versatility.

The Welsh Pony & Cob Society was founded in 1901 in Wales, but was not established as a breed registry until 1907. All Welsh ponies and cobs found in the United States are descended entirely from animals registered with The Welsh Pony & Cob Society in the United Kingdom. There are several closely related varieties of the Welsh Pony & Cob, so the Welsh Stud book is divided into four sections and the ponies themselves are officially referred to as Section A, Section B, Section C and Section D to avoid confusion.

The Section A Welsh Pony is also known as the Welsh Mountain pony and has the stamina and soundness of his ancestors. With a friendly personality and even temperament, this pony is extremely intelligent and easily trained. A large, bold eye, tiny head, short back, strong quarters, high set on tail, fine hair, hocks that do not turn in, laid back shoulder, straight foreleg and short cannon bone. The Section A pony may not exceed 12.2 hands high.

The Section B was originally added to meet the demand for a slightly larger riding type pony. They are not to exceed 14.2 hands high but have no lower limit on height. They are well known for their elegant movement and athletic ability but still retain the hardiness of their foundation, which is the Section A. Physically and temperament-wise, they have the same characteristics as the Section A with the only real difference is that they are allowed to be 2 hands taller.

The Section C is also known as the Welsh Pony of Cob Type and may not exceed 13.2 hands high. They are strong, hardy and active with pony character with as much density of body as possible. They are known for their gentle nature. Physically, they have bold eyes, strong laid back shoulders, dense hooves, moderate quantity of silky feathering, lengthy hindquarters, and powerful hocks.

The Section D is also known as the Welsh Cob and exceeds 13.2 hands high with no upper limit on height. During the 15th century, a Welsh Cob was used to lead the mighty British fighting war horses called "destriers". Since the destrier's natural gait was the trot,

Welsh Cobs had to cover great distances while trying to match the war horse stride-for-stride when trotting. Now, the forceful ground covering trot of the cob is legendary. Their dense body substance made them popular ponies for the British infantry and for pulling their heavy guns and equipment through rugged terrain. The Welsh Cob was the quickest transport for doctors and businessmen in the days before the automobile. Today the Section D has become a popular choice for dressage, combined training and combined driving.

Welsh Cobs are known for their gentle nature. Physically, they are a strong and powerful animal and are extremely hardy and active with pony character and as much density of body as possible. They have bold eyes, strong laid back shoulders, dense hooves, moderate quantity of silky feathering, lengthy hindquarters, and powerful hocks.

There is also a designation for the Half-Welsh variety. These are offspring that have been produced by breeders of both fine light horses and smaller ponies who have successfully crossed their breeds with Welsh ponies and Cobs. Because Welsh ponies and Cobs have an unusually high prepotency, or capability for transmitting the best qualities to an offspring, apparently to the exclusion of the genes of the other parent, variety, or strain, they are often used to improve many performance breeds through carefully selected crossbreeding,

The Welsh breed is ideal for the growing child and has the spirit and endurance to challenge an adult. Today Welsh ponies and cobs can be found competing in nearly every discipline...hunters, driving, dressage, combined training, combined driving, English & Western pleasure and heavy harness


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.

Irish Draught Horse - Not Your Typical Draft Horse

The Irish Draught horse is the national horse of Ireland The name Irish Draught may be misleading since the breed is a lighter, more free-moving animal than the traditional image of the heavy draft horse. The Irish Draught is neither as massive nor as heavily feathered as its name implies.

The breed has been in existence for at least a century or more and originated from the Irish Hobby Horse which was a small ambling horse that was similar to the primitive Garrano and Sorraia horses of Northern Spain and Portugal. Clydesdale, Thoroughbred and half-bred sires were used on the local Draught mares in the 1800's and early 1900's. Native Connemara Pony was also added to form the breed known as the Irish Draught today.

Traditionally, the Irish Draught Horse was the farm horse in Ireland and so it had to be versatile enough for use as a hunter or ridden or cart pulling and plowing. It had to be docile, strong and economical to keep. The traditional winter feed for the Irish Draught Horse was young gorse put through a chaff-cutter, boiled turnips, and bran or meal of some sort that could be spared from the cattle.

But even for all its usefulness, it has nearly gone extinct on several occasions. During times of poverty and famine in Irish history, many breeders gave up registering their animals and hundreds of Irish Draughts were going to the slaughter houses each week until there were very few left. The conservation status of this equine is considered rare. However, today the Irish Draught is more sought after for its breeding qualities with other equines rather than with itself. In England, brood mares are considered to be excellent dams for the Irish Sport Horse when mated with a Thoroughbred stallion. Now the Irish Draught stallion is being used more and more to get extra bone and substance in the progeny of the lighter type mare.

The Irish Draught Horse Society of North America (IDHS-NA) was established in 1993 to assist in the conservation and appreciation of the Irish Draught Horse and its successful crossbred, the Irish Draught Sport Horse throughout the world. The IDHS-NA maintains the studbooks for qualified Irish Draught and part Irish Draught horses in North America.
On their website can found information regarding the rarity of the breed. The following is a direct quote from "Report to The Irish Draught Horse Society, Ireland" prepared at the Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland; by Angela McGahern, Patrick Brophy, David MacHugh & Emmeline Hill and released in February, 2006.

"The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations classifies the Irish Draught (ID) horse as an endangered breed due to the declining population size. Falling purebred numbers, combined with a serious threat of genetic erosion, suggest that the ID population is in urgent need of conservation. Genetic diversity is an important component in the consideration of conservation strategies and measures of genetic diversity are becoming widely used in breed management systems. The Irish Draught Horse Society must now identify and preserve its rare bloodlines and explore the genetic resources available to preserve the broadest possible genetic base."

In terms of physical characteristics, the Irish Draught Horse stands between 15.1 and 16.3 hands. Any solid color is acceptable, including grays, but white above the knees or hocks is not desirable. The horse has a graceful head and a large kind eye. The neck is set high and carried proudly, showing a good length of rein.

The strong limbs have particularly short cannon bones and despite the power, this equine is free-moving and not ponderous. The feet are like those of a hunter and not like those of a cart horse. The feet are one of the horse's most important features and they are the reason why the Irish Draught is required for the breeding show jumpers -- the feet have to withstand the concussion from jumping, often on hard surfaces.

The traveling action of the breed is smooth without exaggeration and not heavy or ponderous. The walk and trot are straight and true with good hock flexion and shoulder freedom.

It is hoped that the traditional Irish Draught Horse can make a comeback. It has an intelligent and gentle nature and is noted for its docility and common sense, and has a proud bearing, as well as being an important ingredient in the creation of the Irish Draught Sport 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.

Made in America - the American Saddlebred Horse

Known as the "Peacock of the Show Ring", the American Saddlebred is a uniquely American breed that is famous for its showy gaits. They are elegant, stylish, and famously vain, loving the attention they attract when in the ring. Known variously over time as the American Horse, the Kentucky Saddler, and the American Saddle Horse, the American Saddlebred began with the Galloway and Hobbie horses brought to North America by British colonists in the 1600's. Through selective breeding, superior horses were developed in Rhode Island and Virginia and used throughout the colonies. Called Narragansett Pacers after Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, it is thought that Paul Revere rode one on his famous ride.

The first Thoroughbreds were imported in 1706 and crossed with Narragansett Pacer stock, but the prolific crossbreeding of Narragansetts with Thoroughbreds, combined heavy exports to Spanish colonists in the Caribbean islands, led to the disappearance of pure Narragansett Pacers. Canadian Pacers began to be introduced so the bloodlines would not be lost.

By the time of the American Revolution, an all-purpose riding horse called the "American Horse" was recognized. The American Horse was first documented in a 1776 letter to the Continental Congress from an American diplomat in France who wanted one as a gift for Marie Antoinette. The horses retained the gaits and stamina of the Narragansetts, but added the Thoroughbred's size and quality and the Saddlebred type had been established.

The American Horse was further developed in Kentucky in the 19th Century by plantation owners who wanted a good looking horse that was also comfortable to ride. Originally, these horses were known as Kentucky Saddlers. Later, they were known as American Saddle Horses, and eventually the name American Saddlebred was adopted.

While these horses were originally bred for pleasure riding and farm inspections, today, they have been successful in nearly all equine disciplines under both English and Western tack. From cow horses to jumpers; from dressage to carriage horses and saddle seat competitions, they can also be seen as parade mounts, where their graceful gaits are especially well-suited.

Saddlebreds are large equines, standing 15.0 to 16.2 hands high. They come in brown, chestnut, bay, gray or black, although chestnut predominates. Other colors are acceptable, and some have been especially bred for the palomino and pinto colors.

They have a narrow refined head with large honest eyes, long upright neck, deeply sloping athletic shoulders, good deep barrel, and strong muscular hindquarters with a level croup. The tail and the neck are carried high with good natural poll flexion, although some people have the neck surgically "set" for high carriage.

They are also famous for having long, flowing tails, which are often kept tied up in the stable so they can grow to incredible lengths without snagging by being dragged on the ground. Saddlebreds are usually left unbraided for competition to show off their streaming manes and tails. However, the breed is often ridden with their tails “set” with a special piece of harness that supports the tail, rather than allowing it to flow straight down naturally. Some people find the look of a set tail aesthetically pleasing, and some horses are "nicked" with a surgical procedure which allows them to carry their tails even higher.

Saddlebreds are either 3-gaited or 5-gaited horses. This means that in addition to the familiar gaits of walk, trot, and canter, they are also naturally capable of exhibiting other gaits. One is a four-beat slow gait which is like an ambling walk and the other is the "rack", a fast-paced, high-stepping motion off powerful springy hocks which is often on display in Saddle Seat competitions. In addition to being flashy, these gaits are also comfortable to sit, because of the flowing motion of the horse's body. As in the Tennessee Walking Horse, foot "soring" (causing pain) to give a more active foot action is sometimes done to the Saddlebred.

They excel at what ever they are trained for. If conditioned and trained properly, with kindness and empathy, they are capable of almost any task they are asked to perform and a Saddlebred will do his best to do what is asked of him and will do it with style. They are alert, aware, intelligent, eager, gentle friendly, good-natured, and very adaptable with a people-pleasing attitude and a love of human contact. They are prized for a pleasant temperament, eagerness, strength and stamina.

Because of the increased popularity of the Saddlebred, breeders began to ask for the formation of a breed registry in the 1880's. Charles F. Mills of Springfield, Illinois, began compiling pedigrees and formulating rules for a registry. A blurb in a Louisville, Kentucky newspaper called for a meeting on April 7, 1891 to organize the association and the American Saddle-Horse Breeders’ Association (ASHBA) was established that same day. It was the first horse breed association and registry in the United States for an American breed of horse.

In 1908, after years of discussion, the ASHBA formally acknowledged Denmark F.S. as the sole Foundation Sire of the American Saddle Horse. However, after careful review of bloodlines in 1991, Harrison Chief 1606 was also named a Foundation Sire for his contribution to the formation of the breed.

As the registry grew, the name no longer reflected the expanding functions of the Association, so on April 22, 1980, the name was changed to American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA). In 1985, when ASHA moved its headquarters, it became the first breed registry to call the Kentucky Horse Park home.

In 2005, by means of an internal corporate reorganization of the functions of the registry and a companion organization previously named the American Saddlebred Horse Association Foundation, the American Saddlebred Horse Association became the membership organization, with all functions of the registry in the American Saddlebred Registry which is a separate corporation.

The American Saddlebred Registry registers approximately 3,000 horses a year and their microfilm archives hold over 80 years of Saddlebred history and records. And there are now so many Saddlebred farms in Shelby County, Kentucky that they lay claim to being the "Saddle Horse Capital of the World."

As for genetic anomalies, 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.

The American Saddlebred may not be the largest breed in terms of numbers but it has often been referred to as "a jewel of a breed". And from the battlefield at Gettysburg to the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, the American Saddlebred Horse is truly "The Horse that America Made."

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.

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.