Striking the Superb Figure of the Morgan Horse

Justin Morgan was a teacher, composer, businessman, and horseman who acquired a small, rough-coated bay colt of relatively unknown lineage who was born in 1789. He named him Figure and he was a rather unremarkable horse that nobody wanted because he was too small, yet he became the foundation of an entire breed of horses recognized for quality and dependability.

The ancestry of this colt named Figure who founded the Morgan breed is unknown, but is thought to be of Dutch, Thoroughbred, or Arabian breeding. History's best guess is that his sire was True Briton, who was respected for his excellence and who sired quality horses. His unnamed dam was described as being of the "Wild-air breed” with her sire being a son of Church's Wildair by Wildair (Delancey's) out of a mare named Wildair.

There is quite an in-depth history and many stories about this particular little horse, including a Disney movie in 1972 called "Justin Morgan Had a Horse" that was based on a book of the same name. Figure's ability to out walk, out trot, outrun, and out pull other horses was legendary. For example, it is said that he pulled a log that no draft horse could budge, and that he outran the most winning racehorse central Vermont had ever known. From these anecdotes came the Morgan Horse owners' claim that "this horse can do anything", and apparently the breed does. Whatever equine discipline you can think of, the Morgan Horse will be found to be a part of it and likely excelling in it. Even when harness racing was popular in the 1800's, the world's fastest trotting stallion was Ethan Allen 50, Justin Morgan's great-grandson.

After Justin Morgan's death, Figure was passed on to new owners and in the tradition of the times, he became known by his former owner's name, Justin Morgan. He spent his life working on farms, hauling freight, and as a parade mount at militia trainings. Over a period of 30 years, the little horse remained sound in limb, stamina and sight, throughout a lifetime of two ordinary horses. He also had showy, ground-covering gaits with speed to spare at any one of them and was an extremely gentle horse around children.

Justin Morgan's most valuable asset was the prepotency of his genes. No matter what type of mare he was bred to, draft or light racing horse, his offspring inherited his image, his abilities and his distinguishing characteristics. And not only his offspring inherited the traits, but the prepotency also went through several generations. Today, every registered Morgan Horse traces back to Justin Morgan through his most famous sons Woodbury, Bulrush, and Sherman. Sadly, the little Justin Morgan died in 1821 from an untreated kick received from another horse, so his true longevity was never realized.

Morgan Horses were used as cavalry mounts and artillery horses. They were sensible under fire; could march tirelessly all day; could maintain their condition on unpredictable rations; and were loyal to their riders. The only survivor in the Battle of Little Big Horn was Keogh's Morgan-bred horse, Comanche. The First Vermont Cavalry was mounted entirely on Morgan Horses but of their more than 1200 horses, only 200 survived the war and in 1894, the first volume of the American Morgan Horse Register was published by Colonel Joseph Battell.

The American Morgan Horse Farm was established in Weybridge, Vermont in 1907, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the breeding and preservation of the Morgan horse. But it was not until 1909 that the Morgan Horse Club (MHC) was formed at the Vermont State Fair. In 1921, the MHC presented the Justin Morgan statue to the U.S. Morgan Horse Farm on the 100th anniversary of the death of Justin Morgan, and it is still exhibited there today.

The Morgan Horse ranges from 14.1 to 15.2 hands high with some individuals that are taller or shorter. They come in wide variety of colors, from bay, brown and black to silver dapple, roan, palomino, buckskin, dun, grulla, cremello, perlino, smoky cream, gray, flaxen, sabino, splashed white, and others.

The head is expressive with a broad forehead, large prominent eyes and a straight or slightly dished short face. The ears are short and shapely, set rather wide apart and carried alertly with mares having slightly longer ears. The throatlatch is deeper than other breeds. The neck is slightly arched with the top line of the neck being considerably longer than the bottom line and the stallion has more of a crest. The body of the Morgan Horse is compact with a short back and high-set tail that is carried gracefully and straight. The feet are in proportion to the size of the horse.

The Morgan Horse is distinctive for its stamina and vigor, personality and eagerness and strong natural way of moving. The Morgan walk is rapid, flat-footed, and has a four-beat elastic cadence with the accent on flexion in the pastern while the trot of the Morgan is a two-beat, diagonal gait that is animated, elastic, square and collected with the rear action in balance with the front action. The overall impression is a unique combination of draft-like substance, Arabian-like heads with a Saddlebred-like elegance.

The Morgan Horse is considered to be the oldest of all American breeds and was strong enough to contribute greatly to almost every other American light horse breed while retaining its own identity across two centuries. The American Saddlebred, the Quarter Horse, the English Hackney, the American Standardbred, and the Tennessee Walking Horse, among others, all owe much to the Morgan Horses in their own 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 Buckskin Horse is Not Just A Color

Although not a specific breed, the Buckskin is a common color found in many breeds of horses. In the simplest sense, a Buckskin horse should be the color of tanned deer hide with black points. Somewhat like the Siamese cat or the Himalayan rabbit pattern, but on a horse. In the more complex description, Buckskins are horses with a base coat color of either bay or brown that varies in shade from pale cream to a deep rich golden color, with dark legs, dark manes and dark tails that are either black or very dark brown. The coat may change shades with the seasons.

However, contrary to common beliefs, the Buckskin or Dun horses are not mere "colors" in the world of horses. Buckskins, along with Grulla and Duns, are noted for many qualities that are not characteristic of other types of horses. The color seems to be an indication of some superior genetic qualities that they possess. They have more stamina, more strength, more determination, harder feet, surer footing, better boning, and are generally hardier than other colored horses within the same breed. Buckskins were highly regarded by the cowboys of the early west and were used for pack, harness, and saddle and given a choice a cowboy would almost always choose the Buckskin or Dun horse.

The Buckskin horse traces its lineage through a direct line of Dun- or Buckskin-colored ancestors, which go as far back as the available recorded history. The Buckskin is thought to have originated from the now nearly extinct Spanish Sorraia of the Iberian Peninsula. There are also many indications that an ancient breed known as the Norwegian Dun or Norwegian Fjord from Scandinavia may also have obtained the Dun coloring from these same horses of Spain. Since the blood of both the Sorraia and the Norwegian Dun have filtered into nearly every breed found in the world today, Buckskin, Dun or Grulla may be found in nearly every breed that allows all colors of equines in their registries.

Discussion of the Buckskin however cannot be complete without a brief discussion of the genetics involved, although to anyone but a breeder who would like to either produce Buckskins or avoid them; it may be a bit confusing.

Those who studied genetics used to believe that the Dun horse was the result of a dilution gene, and that breeding Duns to Buckskins often resulted in the birth of an albino foal. However, this has been proven to be in error. It is the agouti locus that affects the shade of the Buckskin horses. Different alleles of the agouti locus seem to be responsible for the different shades of yellow through cream, as well as affecting the distribution of the dark pigment on the legs, mane and tail.

Smokey black horses are sometimes called black buckskins or, if in the UK, dilute blacks. These are black horses with a cream gene that may be very difficult to identify because they may look bay, brown, liver chestnut or even faded black. The CCr allele is a semi-dominant and dilutes red pigment to yellow when in the heterozygous form but it has only a very subtle effect on black pigment. The wild-type C+ allele is recessive since it needs to be homozygous for there to be no dilution of the base color at all. Buckskin and Dun genetics are thoroughly discussed on the Coat Color Genetics web site of the University of California - Davis Genetics Laboratory, as well as other horse coat color genetics sites.

The American Buckskin Registry (ABR) keeps track of these lovely colored horses. It was founded in the United States in 1962 and opened its registry not only to the Buckskin, but also to Grulla and Dun colored horses. It also includes the Red Dun with varying body shades of red, and the Mouse Dun or Coyote Dun, a slate color resembling a salt-and-pepper coloration.

Unlike some color breeds, the ABR will not enter any horse into its registry that shows signs of below-average conformation for its breed, regardless of the desired coloring. The mature horse is to stand at least 14 hands in order to be registered with the ABR.Ponies and horses showing a predominance of draft horse blood are not eligible.


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 Nokota Mustang Horse - Created by Lightning

The earliest horses to occupy the Northern Plains were Indian horses that were also known as buffalo horses. The Nokota Mustang is the last remaining strain of these Northern Prairie horses and the last known strain of war horses from General Custer’s battle at Little Big Horn and once ran wild in the Little Missouri Badlands of southwestern North Dakota. These horses were also known as Montana horses, Northern Plains Ranch horses, and Cayuses.

The Dakotah and Lakota tribes of the Northern Plains of the United States traditionally believe that the North American horse did not become extinct after the last ice age but that there have always been horses (Sunkakan) here, and that they were not brought by the Spanish conquistadors. It is a controversial theory but the Dakotah Indians believe that the Nokota Horse is a descendent of the original pre-ice age Dakotah horses. In Dakotah tribal culture, lightning or "wakinyan tonwairjpi", is a very powerful, mythical and spiritual force and in their legends, the horse originated when lightning struck a large whirlpool in the Missouri River. It is said that when their horses run fast and hard in a thunderstorm, lines of sparks trace and fly off of the horses ears.

The less romantic origins of the Nokota Horse have been traced back to the horses that were confiscated in 1881 by the United States government from Chief Sitting Bull when the Sioux Indians surrendered at Fort Buford, North Dakota. Approximately 350 of their horses were sold to local trading posts who then sold 250 horses, including all the mares, to the French Marquis DeMores, founder of the town of Medora. Many of these were war horses that had been through the battle of Little Big Horn with scars from the rifles of General Custer's troops. The Marquis had intended to do large scale breeding with these Sioux mares as the foundation stock.

In 1884, A.C. Huidekoper of the HT Ranch bought 60 of the Marquis' mares and he also purchased Percheron and racing Thoroughbred stallions from Kentucky, including the famous Thoroughbred sire, Lexington. Huidekoper Ranch horses were crossed with these stallions since this was the common practice to produce larger, long-winded, fast and strong saddle horse that were preferred on the Northern Plains. They stood 15-17 hands and this mix was called the American Horse. Now they are referred to as the Ranch Type Nokota and dressage riders jokingly call them Nokota Warmbloods. They are generally larger and heavier boned than the Traditional Nokota Horse and possibly have larger Iberian strains such as Andalusian in their heritage. They share the same colors, temperament and some conformation points of the Traditional Nokota. Ranch Nokota Horses are currently being used as dressage horses, fox hunters, show jumpers, and as pack and trail horses.

When the Marquis DeMores died in 1896, some of his herd was rounded up and sold and the remaining horses were left to roam in what is now Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This area became known as wild horse country and these wild horses are the foundation for the Traditional Nokota Horse. Charles Russell and Frederic Remington, frontier artists of the early American West, both rode and painted many ranch and Indian horses that looked like today's Nokota Horses and Remington once noted that horses of the Northern Plains such as the Cayuse had developed a distinctive phenotype.

Frank and Leo Kuntz from Linton, North Dakota are primarily responsible for saving the Nokota when these brothers bought a few horses from a 1978 U.S. Park Service roundup in Medora and immediately recognized that the horses were a unique breed. Through their efforts and determination to preserve this historic Indian horse, including blood typing and research, the Nokota was recognized as a registered breed in 1991. In 1993, the North Dakota legislature declared the Nokota Horse as the State Honorary Equine for its role in the history of the state. The Kuntz family also privately developed a line of pony crosses for driving, riding, barrel and pole racing, and these make outstanding children's ponies. This variety ranges from 12-14 hands but the Nokota Pony Registry is inactive with less than 35 ponies registered.

In 1999, the Nokota Horse Conservancy was established as a non-profit organization to preserve the Traditional foundation-bred Nokota Mustang. Out-cross horses can be recognized in the Nokota registry but they cannot be part of the conservation effort.

In 2000, the last Traditional Nokota Mustang was removed from the National Park during a roundup, leaving what is known as the Nokota Park Cross. These Park Cross horses must be at least 50% foundation-bred and all non-Nokota influence must have come from the original Kuntz breeding stock used in the first few generations when the gene pool was small. Kuntz breeding stock horses included a Quarter Horse stallion, a champion American Paint Horse mare, and several grade mares from Standing Rock reservation. Some Park Cross horses are more than 95% foundation bred and some of the foundation Nokota lines are only represented in Park Cross descendants, but no longer found in the Traditional Nokota lines.

The traditional Nokota stands 14.2 to 15.3 hands and resembles the Andalusian. The head has a straight or slightly concave profile, large kind eyes, broad forehead, thick mane and low-set thick tails. Their ears are often slightly hooked at the tips. They are more square on the quarters than most breeds and this gives them an uncanny jumping ability. Many have feathered fetlocks. They are large boned and have feet with thick hoof walls that rarely need to be shod. The Nokota has unusual strength and endurance that makes it an ideal mountain trail horse and some individuals exhibit an ambling gait.

The most common colors of the Nokota Horses are blue roan, red roan, gray and black which are the colors originally described in the 1800's. Blue roan is a relatively rare color in most breeds, but so many Nokota Horses carry it that it has become a hallmark of the breed. Blood bay and overo are also part of the color patterns with some having blue eyes and bald faces. Some Nokota lines produce dun and gruella offspring that have pronounced tiger stripes on their legs and withers and sometimes even a dorsal stripe along their backs. Some horses change colors over their lifetimes and roans may be born dun or black and then turn gray as they age.

The Nokota Horse is extremely hardy and could starve through the winter, but as soon as the grass returned, the horse filled out and was ready for any ride, even covering great distances in a short time. The Nokota has a natural instinct when it comes to cattle and tends to remain calm, studying the cow. The breed possesses a keen intelligence and a calm, quiet but curious, disposition. They are very well behaved and tend to mature slowly.


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 Ancient Akhal-Teke - The Horse with the Metallic Sheen

The Akhal-Teke is a hot-blooded horse from the southern region of Turkmenistan, in northern Iran. Its name identifies the Teke tribe from the Akhal oasis located in the arid plains on the Northern slopes of the Kopet-Dag Mountains.

It has been assumed that the Akhal-Teke is descended from the ancient Tarpan Horses and Przewalski Horses of southern Asia or from the ancient Turkmene Horse that was developed in Russia from Asiatic stock that was originally thought to be an ancient Scythian type and one of the four original horse "types" that crossed the Bering Strait from North America during prehistoric times.

The Scythians were nomadic people and among the earliest people to master the art of riding in 8th and 7th centuries B.C. As early as 700 BC they had huge cavalries and the Akhal-Teke horses were originally bred as war and raiding horses and renowned as cavalry mounts and racehorses for nearly 3,000 years.

From the Scythians, the nomadic Teke people descended and regularly traveled to summer or winter ranges. This meant that they often came in conflict with other nomadic tribes doing similar travels. This led to the Tekes invading these tribes to take what was necessary and then ride off on their swift horses. So they bred animals of incredible stamina and fiery temperament to withstand these long-distance raiding journeys.

Eventually the fame of the Akhal-Teke spread throughout the ancient world and they became highly desired. In 141 B.C., Chinese Emperor Wu Ti sent an expedition with large amounts of gold to exchange for these horses, but his offer was refused so several years later, he sent 60,000 soldiers and was finally presented with 10 of these elite horses.

The lineage and breeding of the Akhal-Teke was kept pure by an oral tradition of maintaining bloodlines and also because of their relative isolation. The Teke people were very proud of their horses and were highly devoted to them. Horses were brought into the family tents, blanketed against the cold; and given the best foods that could be found such as grains, animal proteins and fat such as butter and eggs mixed with barley, which is low in bulk, but high in protein. Horses were valued as the single measure of true wealth and were highly prized.

When Russia's takeover of Central Asia regions prevented raiding, the Turkmene focused on racing their prized Akhal-Tekes instead. But the saddest period of the breed came as a result of the Bolshevik revolution and Communism when thousands of horses were slaughtered. This tore at the very soul of the Teke people and rather than allow their prized horses to be slaughtered, they either disappeared into the deserts with their horses or turned their horses loose.
During the long history of the breed, it established a reputation of great endurance and courage. In 1935, the amazing stamina of the Akhal-Teke was demonstrated when 15 horses were required to participate in a 2,600 mile forced march from Ashkhabad to Moscow that took 84 days on minimal feed rations and included traveling 255 miles across the Kara-Kun desert for 3 days without water. This feat was repeated in 1988.

Today the Akhal-Teke horses are bred throughout the world. The first Akhal-Teke Horses in the United States were imported in 1979 after being purchased at Moscow auction in 1978. The Akhal-Teke Association of America was started in 1982 and 20 years later, in 2002, there were 189 purebred Akhal-Teke Horses registered. To keep the breed pure, the Akhal-Teke foals are registered on the basis of parentage only.

The Akhal-Teke stands between 14.3 and 16 hands high although the average is 15.1 hands. The overall impression is of length, without showing weakness or frailty and lithe athleticism without excessive musculature. The Akhal-Teke should be longer than it is tall, which gives it a rectangular silhouette. The Akhal-Teke has a small, long, narrow head with long thin ears, a long thin neck. The expressive eyes are often hooded and have an oriental appearance. The horse has a short, silky, sparse mane, or none at all with little or no fetlock and a low-set sparse tail. Native to an arid, barren environment, the Akhal-Teke is a true desert horse; hardy with a long, fast stride and lots of stamina. .The hooves are small, round and extremely hard. The Akhal-Teke has superb natural gaits and is among the most elegant of the world's horses.

The skin of the Akhal-Teke is very thin, with the coat and unusual hair structure being quite fine. The Akhal-Teke has a fantastic metallic glow to this thin coat and it is a much desired characteristic. The glow is caused by the structure of the hair in which the opaque core is very small in size and may in some areas be totally absent. The transparent part of the hair, called the medulla, takes up this space and acts like a fiber-optic tube with bending light through one side of the hair and refracting it out the other side, often with a golden cast. Few horse breeds can claim the variety of colors that are found in the Akhal-Teke and there are no disallowed colors or markings in the Akhal-Teke breed although roan appears to have died out. Akhal-Tekes typically have white markings and sabino pinto markings are not at all uncommon. Rabicano or roan is also seen. Grays are fairly common in the breed and are often beautifully dappled and may turn completely white with age. Here is just a sample of the more distinctive colors to be found in this breed.

Black, also called Electric Black and Raven Black, is very common in the Akhal-Teke and when added to the famous Akhal-Teke Glow these horses glitter with a blue or purple sheen. This color is so special it has its own name in Russian, voronaya. Cremello is also a common color in the Akhal-Teke and the glow to the coat is so strong it is visible even in a darkened barn.

Golden is the archetypical color of the Akhal-Teke horse and is called bulanaya in Russian. Because of the unique structure of the hair, Golden horses may be quite dark in color and may even be confused with Bay. In the sunlight, the Golden versions of Bay, Dun and Buckskin coats glitter with gold in a way that a camera simply cannot capture. The Akhal-Teke produces some spectacular Bays with coats that glitter with reds and golds, and the Mahogany Bay has a special gene modifier that gives a black tipping to the hairs and produces many lovely variations. The breed also produces some truly stunning palominos that usually have plenty of chrome, which is a term for lots of facial white or high white on the legs.

The Akhal-Teke is very spirited, stubborn and bold which makes it an outstanding sport horse and the breed is currently competing in endurance, jumping, dressage, eventing, and western events, as well as being used as pleasure horses. Racing Akhal-Tekes and the maintenance of the breed itself is a principal source of national and cultural pride.


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.

Hot-Blooded Plus Cold-Blooded Equals The American Warmblood Sporthorse

The American Warmblood, like many of the European Warmbloods, is generally thought to be any horse that fits into the warmblood type that is used primarily for jumping or dressage competition. It originated in the United States, and an American Warmblood must have been born in the United States, Canada, or Mexico to be registered in the American Warmblood Registry. It has also been called the Sport Horse, the American Warmblood Sporthorse, or simply Warmblood.

American Warmbloods often excel in dressage, show jumping and eventing, which is what they are being bred for.

The American Warmblood is a result of breeding hot-blooded horses (Thoroughbreds) with cold-blooded horses (drafts) to produce an athletic, well-rounded "warm-blooded" mount. Many American breeders claim that all the various European Warmbloods are highly intermingled and do not represent distinct breeds, but rather various types of Warmbloods. So, rather than splitting up the various types in the United States, the American Warmbloods have been grouped into a single registry. Out of this desire to combine all imports, the American Warmblood Registry has been registering European imports and their American offspring on an equal basis. The combining of all European Warmbloods into one American Warmblood Registry is believed to be a way to save the Warmblood from being ruined by too many splinter groups trying to control small numbers of horses.

The American Warmblood has been influenced by Thoroughbreds for speed, Arabians for stamina and has also added other European Warmbloods to further enhance the American breed. The European Warmbloods also have draft horses in their backgrounds. Horses of nearly all bloodlines are acceptable for registration as long as they are of a sport horse or warmblood type, and are able to meet the appropriate studbook selection or performance criteria. Yet the American Warmblood breeders consider them to be a more distinct breed than the European Warmbloods, even though they are mixed with the Europeans and thus share the same backgrounds. Even though they are still selecting breeding specimens to very high standards, the American Warmblood type is a work in progress at this time. Since the stud books are still open to outcrossing, they are not yet a pure breed.

American Warmbloods come in all shapes, colors and sizes, but average between 16 to 18 hands. They have many of the quality characteristics found in other competition warmblood types in Europe, such as being powerful and balanced with elastic gaits. Its head is similar to the Thoroughbred, as well as having the sloping shoulders with powerful, well-muscles hindquarters, which are much needed in jumping competition. Its short back makes it an excellent horse for all riding events. All colors are accepted, but the solid colors and Bay are the most common.

There are two main gaits of the American Warmblood. The Quality Walk is four even beats in length as well as height. When stepping forward from behind in a generous & athletic way, it creates a swinging momentum throughout the body. The horse should be freely reaching forward through the shoulders down to the hooves showing articulation in all the joints which results in a harmonious and balanced walk with a marching tempo. The Quality Trot is two even beats in length as well as height. When stepping clearly forward from behind with there is an "uphill" profile with suspension off the ground. The head reflects the balanced self-carriage of the horse being nearly vertical.

The American Warmblood is a noble, well mannered and attentive horse with an alert presence. It possesses a willing, yet calm, attitude and is attentive, obedient, tractable, and eager to please to its handler or rider. The energetic way that the horse approaches its work, and the concentration and focus it has, shows an inner drive that indicates a propensity towards performance.

There are two registering bodies for the American Warmblood, neither of which is affiliated with the other.

The American Warmblood Registry (AWR) was established in 1981 and is the one most people consider to be the main registry. The American Warmblood Registry has a goal to develop the American Warmblood Sporthorse to the highest possible standard in North America through careful maintenance of their registries, studbooks, and annual breeding stock approvals. They have chosen a distinct and unique brand to identify these American-bred Warmblood Sporthorses.

There is also the American Warmblood Society (AWS), which is an International, non-profit Performance horse corporation founded in 1983, that is dedicated to the development of Sport horses from grass roots through the Olympic levels. As one of the Associate Members of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH), the AWS promotes, represents, nominates, records and registers horses for the Olympic sports and for combined driving.

American Warmbloods are rapidly gaining ground as the horse of choice in the demanding sports of 3 Day Eventing, which includes dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping. The American Warmblood has also proven to be competitive at the world class level in dressage.


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 World's Most Famous Draft Horse - The Clydesdale

Clydesdales are a breed of heavy draft horse that originated in Scotland from native farm horses during the eighteenth century and that have since evolved into one of the most recognizable breeds throughout the world. They are recognized for their strength, style and versatility, and have been made popular through T.V. commercials world-wide, most specifically shown in multi-horse teams hauling wagons of beer. The vivid body colors, bright white faces, and long white feathered legs with a high stepping gait and a head held proud leave no doubt in your mind that you are looking at a Clydesdale. The breed derives its name from the Scottish district where it was founded, Lanarkshire, through which the River Clyde flows, and which was previously known as Clydesdale.

The Clydesdale horse can be traced back to Flemish stallions that were imported into the Clyde Valley of Scotland in the 18th century. Scottish farmers later began mating some of the larger English and Flemish stallions to the smaller native draft mares. Eventually they produced a powerful horse with a long stride that had a hoof the size of a dinner plate; perfect for working in the soft soils of the rough Scottish farmland. The Clydesdale was primarily bred as a farm and agricultural workhorse but their great strength has been used in the coal mining industry, for forestry work and for general draft and hauling work in cities and towns. In fact, the major cities of Scotland and the North of England and Northern Ireland probably housed as many Clydesdales as the agricultural areas did.

The popularity of the Clydesdale flourished in Scotland in the late 19th century and this led to large numbers of horses being exported to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. In Australia and New Zealand, the Clydesdale Horse Society was formed in 1877; nearly a century and a half after the breed first began to evolve; with the first stud book published the following year. The American Clydesdale Horse Association (ACHA) was formed ten years later in 1878.

As with all heavy draft horses the Clydesdale breed hit a low point in the 1960's and 1970's due to wide-spread mechanization after World War II and little need for draft horses anymore. The breed was kept alive by a number of people out of sentiment more than anything else and now their numbers have increased to a fairly healthy level. The United States has the largest number of Clydesdale horses, with Canada, Great Britain, and Australia trailing in numbers, with over 600 Clydesdales being registered in the United States every year.

Today the Clydesdale is the only draft breed in its native Scotland and it is still a favorite in all nations.

Early drawings of the Clydesdale draft horses show chunky, solid colored horses that were short and close coupled, but by the time photography was in use, the early examples were also mainly dark colored horses with dark legs, still short coupled and very powerful. Gradually, the well-known white legs became fashionable and the breed as you see it now became more clearly defined.

Today, Clydesdales are used mainly for breeding and showing. Horses are exhibited in the Scottish tradition of line and harness events. The breed is also popular with carriage services; and street parades would not be complete without at least one Clydesdale team. Saddles are offered in draft horse sizes and many owners compete in shows next to the more typical riding horses. Under saddle, the Clydesdale excels in many pursuits including dressage, hunter jumper, and for therapeutic riding. They make exceptional trail horses due to their calm disposition.

The Clydesdale has gone through several changes over the years to meet the demands of the times. In the 1920's and 1930's, the demand was for a more compact horse while currently, the demand is for a taller horse. Currently, mature Clydesdale horses range in size from 16.2 to 19 hands high and weigh between 1600 and 2400 pounds, or about as much as a Volkswagen Beetle car. But no matter what the changes have been, one trait has always been retained: the sound legs and the huge sound hooves.

The Clydesdale has a very distinctive look compared to other draft breeds. A Clydesdale should have a nice broad forehead, a flat, straight profile, a wide muzzle with large nostrils, and bright, clear, intelligent eyes. Ears are large and the neck is well-arched and long. The back should be short with well sprung ribs like the hoops of a barrel. The quarters should be long, with thighs well packed with muscle and sinew and the horse stands with the hocks close together. The long, soft, silky hair on the legs that flows to the ground and accentuates the high knee action and hock flex is called the feather and originally helped protect the horse's legs though now it is primarily just for show.

The impression created by a thoroughly well-built horse is that of strength and activity, exhibiting action by lifting the foot high and taking a long stride to cover ground rapidly and easily.

Clydesdales are mostly bay or brown but can be black, chestnut or sorrel with various roans also seen. A white blaze or bald face and four white legs are common, but black legs are also in the genes. White spots can occur on the body, as well as some white on the stomach, but color is usually ignored in the show ring. But a matching team of traditional colors is quite impressive and the increased popularity of large hitches has led to an attempt at stabilizing the color patterns.

The Clydesdales are very easy to train and strong enough to pull many times more than their own weight. They are agile and docile with a willingness to work.

For anyone desiring a stylish and active yet tractable, intelligent and serviceable draft animal for work, show, or simple pleasure, the Clydesdale should come under their serious consideration.


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.

Germany's Rarest Warmblood Olympian -- the Holsteiner Horse

The Holsteiner Warmblood Horse is the product of carefully organized breeding for over 750 years in the northernmost province of Germany. The horse was originally bred to provide valuable characteristics such as strength, steadiness and reliability for farmers and courage and agility for the military, but the Holsteiner has since developed into one of the great German sporting horses that is particularly well suited for jumping, dressage, driving and eventing of Olympic caliber.

The Holsteiner horse originated in the Schleswig-Holsteiner region and was bred primarily in the areas surrounding the city of Elmshorn. Early breeding was done in the monasteries with emphasis on creating an elegant riding and carriage horse that could also work the fields in the harsh climate of the region. After the Reformation, breeding was done by the state and individual farmers. Great pride was taken in selecting the best quality mares and stallions and in keeping accurate breeding records. Numbers known as stamms, or stems, were assigned to each new mare line and these numbers were passed down through the generations from mother to daughter; this practice is still in existence today.

In the 16th and 17th century, both Spanish and Neapolitan stallions were crossed in to the breed. This dominated the appearance of the Holsteiner with features such as a “Roman Nose” and an impressive size until the 19th century when during the Prussian time of Holstein, the state stud at Traventhal was founded in1867. In 1891 the breeders on the marshes united and in 1896 the Geest region breeders also founded a society, the German Holsteiner Verband. Of great importance was the founding of the riding and driving school at Elmshorn in 1894. The state stud Traventhal finally closed in 1960 and each stallion was transferred to the breeder's association.

The elegant carriage horses of the 1800's were produced by the inclusion of the Yorkshire Coach Horse and the Cleveland Bay from imported stallions. When the shift toward breeding horses specially suited to the Olympic disciplines of dressage, eventing and show jumping, the Holsteiner Verband brought in the English Thoroughbred, Anglo Arab/Norman and Selle Francais stallions to change the Holsteiner type.

The Holsteiner Warmblood stallions influenced many local breeds or were even used as foundations. When the state stud at Celle was founded in 1735, 13 Holsteiner stallions were in the foundation of the Hanoverian breed. Further, Holsteiner Warmbloods were used in Westphalia to improve the small local breeds and in 1780 some Holsteiner were sold to Oldenburg.

The Holsteiner Warmblood horse was praised so highly as a riding horse that the French bought thousands of them for cavalry horses. Just before World War II, there was a great demand for the Holsteiner Warmblood horse in South America and other countries, while in Germany it was mostly used as an artillery horse. Eventually the Holsteiner was in great demand all over Europe as a carriage and riding horse particularly noted for its high knee action.

Today's Holsteiner Warmblood horse is similar to the English or Irish Hunter which is a powerful horse that is suited for show jumping as well as driving .But it was the introduction of Thoroughbred blood from a steeplechase stallion in the 19th century that at last dominated the appearance of the Holsteiner riding horse.

The Holsteiner Warmblood's conformation is different from that of other German warmblood horses such as the Trakehner. It is similar to the Hanoverian Warmblood, only a bit heavier. The Holsteiner is heavily built with a compact rounded body and a long, crested neck topped by a small head with large intelligent eyes. . The barrel is large and the croup is heavy with a broad back and a well set tail. The legs are comparatively short and strong boned with powerful hindquarters that make them great at show jumping. They have an excellent movement (needed for dressage), and sloping shoulders that make them great gallopers.

This conformation adapts easily to "self-carriage" which is an expressive, elegant quality of movement that is essential in modern equestrian disciplines. When the Holsteiner takes his first strides, his reputation as one of the world's finest sport horses is evident. He moves forward with elevation and suspension, giving an impression of strength, balance and elasticity. This fluid movement makes him the ideal Sporthorse. Dependable, relaxed, and coupled with renowned intelligence, the Holsteiner is known for its kind temperament and willingness to work.

But only solid bay, black, brown, chestnut, and gray-colored horses are eligible to receive the Holsteiner brand. Even though a dark buckskin Thoroughbred stallion named Marlon xx produced a number of buckskin and palomino Holsteiner offspring, these colors are not allowed in the studbook. Additionally, white spots larger than a dinner plate or evidence of pinto or leopard patterns are considered to be disqualifications.

In North America, the American Holsteiner Horse Association (AHHA) functions as an independent registry organization while maintaining an informal working relationship with the German Holsteiner Verband (GHV) and carrying out the breeding practices of the GHV. The AHHA conducts annual breeding stock inspections and only those horses which are of sufficient quality are eligible to produce registered offspring.

When naming that offspring, certain conventions must be followed as required by the German Holsteiner Verband. Each year a filly's name must begin with the letter designated for that year, so for the year 2008 a female offspring’s name must begin with the letter = "A". Male offspring must be named such that the first letter of the colt's name is the same as the first letter of his sire’s name, although use of the sire’s name as part of the foal’s registered name is discouraged.

The Holsteiner studbook is one of the smallest equine studbooks in Europe. Approximately 6% of the total horse population. But in spite of its small size, it has consistently produced some of the world's most successful international horses in all equine disciplines. For example, the Holsteiner dominated the proceedings in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal in Dressage, 3-Day Evening and Show Jumping.

That high performance quality is still being carried on into the 21st century. Holsteiner stallions continue to produce some of America's top dressage horses, with several earning United States Dressage Federation "Horse of the Year" awards at various levels.


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 Spotted Saddle Horse - The Gaited Horse of Many Colors

The Spotted Saddle Horse is a relatively new breed of naturally gaited horse that is known for having spotted coats of many colors. They are versatile, good natured with strength and stamina. The disposition is typically a gentle one, and they are easy to handle and train.

The Spotted Saddle horse was developed in the United States by crossing Spanish/American-type spotted ponies, such as Mustangs, with other established gaited breeds such as the Tennessee Walking Horse, Standardbred, Missouri Fox Trotter, Peruvian Paso, Paso Fino and the Racking Horse to produced a naturally smooth gaited, colorful horse. However, since the Tennessee Walking Horse was used extensively and has a predominant influence in the breed, the Spotted Saddle Horse more closely resembles a heavier Tennessee Walker than any of the other breeds in its pedigree.

At this time, any horse, regardless of background, may be registered as a Spotted Saddle Horse, provided that the horse is spotted and exhibits a saddle gait, which may be a flat walk, running walk, pace, rack, or a combination of all gaits. As an interesting side note is that the horse cannot trot.

Although many breeds have been used in the Spotted Saddle Horse's development, it closely resembles a smaller, slightly stockier Tennessee Walking Horse. The horse is well muscled and smooth, not bulgy or knotty; not as developed as a Quarter Horse, but more of a heavier build than the Tennessee Walking Horse. The horse is physically balanced, with muscle development of forehand and hindquarter being equal. This is true with most breeds that perform the smooth or easy gaits since they push off with the rear and pull with the front.

The head is of moderate length, refined, with a soft, gentle expression with a profile that is straight to slightly convex. The Spotted Saddle Horse ranges from 13.3 to 15.2 hands with the average horse being 15 hands. While the NSSHA is working towards the larger individual as the breed's ideal, it does not discriminate against any of them simply on the basis of size.

The Spotted Saddle Horse has been gaining in demand and popularity as both a pleasure horse and a show horse. They are currently being trained in the areas of Show, Trail, Field Trial, and purely backyard pleasure. It is shown in a number of different disciplines such as pleasure, in hand, under harness, adult riders & youth riders. Show classes are also divided by gender and/or age of either horse or rider and even further divided by the height of the horses.

The National Spotted Saddle Horse (which is a horse registered with NSSHA) is shown with a bridle of leather featuring either buckstitching, silver, or plain. It is similar to the type used by the Tennessee Walking Horse, but the rhinestones and colored browbands are prohibited. He is shown under a western saddle and the rider's show attire is also western, complete with long-sleeved western shirt, western slacks, western boots, a cowboy hat, bolo tie and optional chaps.

All of the recognized colors of the equine world are accepted as long as they also include white in a spotted pattern with color above the hock, but not counting any facial markings. The horse must possess at least one spot midway between the center of the knee and the floor of the chest and midway between the point of the hock and the center point of the stifle. And a horse must exhibit a spot TWO INCHES OR MORE in diameter with underlying contrast skin in the area described above or in the tail. Facial markings, mixed tails, and/or high stockings alone do not qualify as the required spot.

The Spotted Saddle Horse markings are the same as the standard Pinto and Paint type patterns. The horse can be Tobiano, Sabino, Overo, or Tovero. Many Spotted Saddle Horses have the Tobiano pattern, yet with bald or bonnet faces as found on Overo or Sabino. Some also show ragged edges and isolated "other type" spots on basically Tobiano type patterns. NSSHA insists that all horses show spotted coloration.

But the best part of all is that the Spotted Saddle Horse has an extremely comfortable gait. The required "saddle gait" of the Spotted Saddle Horse includes the stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot, flat walk, running walk, pace, rack or a combination of all gaits. The Spotted Saddle Horse can also perform a canter, but cannot trot.

Of the 7-plus possible gaits found within the breed, the Spotted Saddle Horse is only shown in three gaits: the Flat Walk, the Show Pleasure, and the Canter. All three gaits must be able to be performed as a four year old. Before the age of 4, the horse must be able to perform at least 2 gaits.

In the Flat Walk, the horse should be striding behind and breaking in front while picking up his feet smartly. The Show Pleasure gait is simply the Flat Walk with a noticeable increase in speed and added "flashiness." When the horse is performing the Canter, he should be under control at all times and should always be on the correct lead.

Additionally, he should be able to do a "Back In Line-Up". This requires that the horse backs up straight at all times and should not throw his head or even open his mouth. However, only keg shod horses can back. A keg shoe is a machine-made horseshoe that is available in various sizes. Most horses wear this type of shoe.

There are several breed registries and with only minor exception, these registries all still allow animals to be registered that exhibit the spotted coat pattern and the smooth intermediate gait.

The National Spotted Saddle Horse Association (NSSHA) that was formed in 1979 serves as the official breed registry for spotted, gaited horses and it keeps accurate records of all spotted saddle horses that have ever been registered with NSSHA. The NSSHA is dedicated to establishing a uniform breed of saddle horse that is naturally gaited and that can perform without the use of punishing training aids or substances.

The Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (SSHBEA) was established in 1985 to promote the Spotted Saddle Horse and has established official rules for registering and showing of the breed. The SSHBEA closed half of the studbooks in 1999, so it is now a requirement that at least one parent must be registered with SSHBEA in order to register the offspring.

The American Spotted Horse Association (ASHA) was established in 1999 and its registry is based on promoting the sound, gaited western style Spotted Horse.

If you are looking for a colorful, versatile, gentle, flashy gaited horse, you may have just found it in the new Spotted Saddle 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 Ancient Portuguese Bull Fighting Lusitano Horse

The Lusitano is an ancient breed of horse native to Portugal that is filled with tradition. It has historical links to the military, to bullfighting and to the classical training methods of the “Haute École”. It is known by many names such as Lusitanian, Betico-lusitano, National Horse, Peninsular Horse, Pura Raza Española (PRE) and Portuguese Horse and has inspired powerful descriptions such as "a horse for a King in days of victory", but the official Lusitano breed name comes from the word Lusitania, which was name that the ancient Romans gave to the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lusitano has a natural ability for concentration and learning quickly, with a great disposition for High School work. It is courageous and enthusiastic for what are known as the gineta exercises, which include combat, hunting, bullfighting, and working with cattle.

The Lusitano is very similar in conformation to the Andalusian horses of Spain and the two breeds are thought to have originated from a common source, the rare and nearly extinct Sorraia, which is a smaller horse that is characterized by a dun colored coat with primitive markings. In fact, until 1960, Lusitanos and Andalusians were registered together in the Spanish Stud Book of the Associação Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano (APSL), also known as the Portuguese Lusitano Breeders Association. However, selective breeding in the Lusitano resulted in a more convex profile reminiscent of the older Andalusian or Iberian horse whereas the Andalusian has developed a more Oriental head shape. The modern Lusitano is on average a cleaner-moving, braver, and tougher-built horse than the average modern Andalusian. They are now considered to be separate breeds and in the United States they are represented by the International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA).

Additionally, the Lusitano's history is identical to that of the Spanish or Iberian horse. For most of their common history, Portuguese and Spanish horses were bred as if they were one breed. The Iberian horse was called Andalusian, Estremenjo, or Castillian, depending on the region it was bred in, and it was called Lusitanian in Portugal. Today, the breed is known as Lusitano or "Puro Sangue Lusitano" (PSL), meaning pure-blooded Lusitano.

The ancestors of the modern Lusitano were incredible horses. When the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthagians landed on the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, which is now Portugal, they came across riders whose horses were of superior speed and whose fighting ability from horseback was incredible. This perfect union, the connection of horse and rider as one entity, led to the myth of the Centaur, and it was thought that this half-human/half-horse creature, stemmed from the delta of the river Tejo. The tale told to explain the fantastic speed of these horses was that "they conceived their foals by the wind."

In Portugal, the horses were sought after over the centuries as a war horse and were bred in a continuous effort to produce the best war horse or bullfighting horse. When the Iberian horse was no longer needed as a war mount, mounted bullfighting became the horse's main use. But when mounted bullfighting was prohibited in Spain by a royal decree for several centuries, the sport lived on in Portugal without interruption. The Lusitano continued to be bred for its bullfighting agility, which happens to be identical to their ability and agility for high school dressage.

The Lusitano has all the courage of the Spanish Horse coupled with remarkable agility, quickness and balance, which makes the Lusitano the perfect horse for mounted bullfighting in Portugal. These bullfighting horses are highly trained to swerve instantly, yet still remain calm when a charging bull approaches, and they also need to possess an extreme dose of "bravura", agility, and obedience. In Portugal, the bull is not killed in the bullring, but calmly exits the arena after the fight escorted by tame steers, so the horse must obediently remain still. However, these days, the Lusitano has become so expensive that many bull fighters cannot afford a pure Lusitano, and if they can, they will not risk injuring their horse while fighting the bull. This means that cruzados, or mongrels, are being ridden in the bullrings instead, but they are often able to excel nearly as well. A cruzado may be a crossbreed, but it could also be a true Lusitano whose pedigree is incomplete or unregistered.

Today, the Lusitano horse is recognized for its ability to perform well in a plethora of equestrian disciplines. In the attempt to become more competitive with the world-wide sport horses, the European Warmbloods, and targeting events like show jumping and modern dressage in which the warmblood excels, the Lusitano is starting to lose its Iberian type.
Traditionally, the Lusitano is a horse of medium size. At the age of six years, the average height is 15.1 hands for mares and 15.3 hands for stallions, although they may be found over 16.0 hands high now, while also looking more like Northern European warmbloods. They weigh approximately 1100 pounds.

There is no discrimination against any solid color. Originally, the Lusitano was grulla or dun, but buckskins, palominos, cremellos, and perlinos can also be found. However, the gray gene has taken over the breed, and most Lusitano horses are various shades of gray, depending on their age. It has become the most appreciated and esteemed color of the breed. Their overall body profile is described in the official breed standard as "sub-convex (with rounded outlines); a silhouette that can be fitted into a square."

The Lusitano has a well-proportioned noble head of medium length that is narrow and dry, with the cheek inclined to be long. It has a slightly sub-convex profile with a slightly curved forehead narrowing to a finely curved nose. The eyes are elliptical or almond-shaped and are large, alive, expressive and confident. The medium-length ears are fine, narrow and expressive. The neck is of medium length and arched, ending at a narrow junction with the head. The body is short-coupled with powerful shoulders, a deep rib cage and broad powerful loins. The mane and tail are abundant and silky with the tail set rather low on an unobtrusive hip. Even when excited, the tail is not carried very high.

The Lusitano has a trait that is often associated with Iberian horses. It is called "campaneo" in Spain, and it is the action of the front leg that does not show a straight forward movement, but rather swings out laterally to a degree. It appears to be an inherent trait of the Iberian horse. Just as in the Andalusian breed, some Lusitano horses can be found that do a lateral gait.

While the Lusitano was not bred for its gait, but for its agility in the bullring, there are still some individuals that have retained the gait and the action of these Lusitano horses is showy. The cannon bones are comparatively long and lend to the knee action and proud, elevated movements. The hind leg is positioned well underneath the body axis, producing the hock action so suited to collection and impulsion. The movements are agile, sure-footed, elevated forward and uphill, and carry the rider in comfort. It is a gait that there is no clear written description of, and one that must be seen or ridden to be fully appreciated.


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.

Living Large in the Land of the Shire Draft Horse

The largest breed of draft horse in the world is the English Shire Horse, which originated in the central shires of England. Members of this breed have been recorded up to 23 hands high or 7.5 feet tall measured at the withers and weighing nearly 3 tons. The Shire has been known by many names, such as the Great Horse, Giant Horse of Lincolnshire, English Cart Horse, War Horse and Large Black English Horse.

The origin of the Shire breed is lost in the mists of antiquity, which is true for many breeds, but it is believed that it is a descendant of the Old English Black Horse whose ancestors were considered the 'great horses' during medieval times. During the period between the reign of Henry II in 1154 and that of Elizabeth in 1558, the British government was constantly seeking to increase the size and number of horses called the Great Horse because the weight of a horse soldier in armor was nearly 400 pounds. During the reign of King John, from 1199 to 1216, one hundred stallions of large stature were imported from Flanders, Holland, and it is from the blending of these animals with the English breeds some 800 years ago, that some strains of England's heavy horses trace back to.

But the Shire Horse's history in England is not that simple. A direct ancestry could not be determined until the mid to late 18th century and up to that point it is still sketchy. The earliest suggested ancestor was the English War Horse that was used for jousting and cavalry purposes, but although these horses had size they did not have the traditional characteristics of the Shire today. With the invention of gun powder, the War Horse was not as valuable to the army and the cavalry wanted smaller, faster horses to ride, so the Great Horse was now turned out to pasture and to work on the farms. Horses declined in numbers during this time, but farmers were still breeding the remaining animals for size. Many believe this is where the Shire was really bred from: the horses of the Flanders and the smaller black Friesians.

Eventually there was a need to organize the breed as its own, so in 1878 the English Cart Horse Society was formed. But it was not until 1880 that the first copy of the stud book was actually published with 376 entries. The Society changed its name to the Shire Horse Society (SHA) in 1884. The first Shire Horse Show was held in 1890 and the breed's popularity soared. By 1905 there were 3781 entries in the stud book.

The Shire started out in Canada and the United States at roughly the same time. The new found popularity for the Shire was not only in England, but had spread to America. There had been importing of Shires since the mid- to late 1800's. The information before 1850 is sketchy, but there was a stallion named Tamworth described as a Shire that was brought to Canada by British troops in 1836.

The creation and promotion of the English Shire registry in the U.S. was partly due to Americans wanting registered stock, and of course, they wanted to continue with keeping records once the horses arrived on American soil, as well as having the desire to improve the quality of the breed. Since it was in the best interest of the SHA to insure a quality animal in the U.S. in order to continue their exports and fill an ever-increasing demand, the British contributed funds to help organize the registry in the U.S. and in 1885, the American Shire Horse Association (ASHA) was incorporated. Therefore, there have been close ties and good relations between the Shire Horse Society in Britain and the American Shire Horse Association, much more so than with the other draft breed associations. However, in the late 1900's, with limited knowledge and a spirit of independence, some of the American breeders appeared to resent those ties, so a continued effort for unity has been an ongoing topic of concern by the leadership of both associations.

Between 1900 and 1918 almost four thousand Shire Horses were imported to the United States, but when horses were replaced by cars, this led to a decline in demand for draft horses and then following World War II, this ancient horse was almost lost when the invention of the modern farm tractor nearly made the breed extinct. The low point came in 1950's. The 1960's saw a resurgence in the draft horse business as Americans rediscovered its usefulness. The Shire breed became so popular that in 1971 the National Brewing Company of Baltimore assembled an eight horse hitch of Shires for publicity purposes and traveled to two hundred and seventy-three parades between 1971 and 1973 promoting the company and the breed.

The Shire Horse is an animal of enormous size, standing from 16.2 and up to 19 hands or more, with 17.1 being average for the breed. The tallest horse on record is a Shire that stands approximately 23 hands at 4 years old, and he's still growing. This behemoth weighs nearly 3000 pounds, but the average Shire horse tips the scale at a mere 2200 pounds, with mares and geldings being slightly less massive. The traditional Shire Horse today can be black, bay, brown, or grey in color. Any horse that is roan, chestnut or splashed with white is not considered to be a true Shire Horse.

The head of the Shire Horse is long, lean and masculine, neither too large nor too small with the nose being slightly Roman. It has a long, slightly arched neck with a good crest that is in proportion to the body and that gives the horse a commanding appearance. Geldings tend to have a thicker, masculine neck. The eyes are relatively large, wide-set and alert, with the ears being long, lean, sharp and sensitive. Shoulder should be deep, oblique, and wide enough to support a harness collar with the horse also being wide across the chest. The Shire Horse's back is short, strong and muscular and should not be either dipped or roached and the body has a substantial barrel. The tail should be set well up and both head and tail should be carried erect. The legs are long and the abundant feathering should be fine, straight and silky. Mares may be slightly smaller with a feminine, matronly appearance and should have plenty of room to carry a foal.

When in motion, the Shire should move with force, using both knees and hocks, with the latter being kept close together. A 1-ton Shire is capable of moving a 5-ton load, yet it is one of the gentlest of horses.

Today the Shire horse is flourishing all over the world. There are approximately 3000 Shires in England and 1000 in the U.S. with the Canadian population at 130 horses and the popularity of the Shire has begun to grow again. The Shire is still one of the major breeds in Great Britain and will probably remain so for many years.

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.

Draft Horses - the Gentle Giants of the Equine World

A draft horse is a very large, yet compact and stocky looking, horse which has been bred for extreme strength in both muscle and boning to give the horse the ability to handle very heavy labor such as pulling a plow through hard or even frozen soil; or hauling a fully-laden cart or wagon used to transport heavy items such as lumber, coal, marble, or casks of beer and wine. They are often hitched in matching teams of two or more when the items to be hauled are extremely heavy; or if speed is essential in getting a heavy load to its destination, there may be several teams hitched together. Draft horses are quite recognizable because they tend to be extremely large equines that stand 15 to 17.5 hands high; larger than the average family riding or carriage horse. Some of the more common draft horse breeds include Percherons, Shires, Gypsy Vanner Horses, Belgians, and Clydesdales. Americans are probably the most familiar with the Clydesdales, since this breed of draft horse has been used extensively in advertising for Budweiser beer over several decades. And many have been surprised to learn that Clydesdales are not th only draft horse breed; they are simply more in the public eye than the others.

The draft horse appears to have originated in Europe with many draft horse breeds being centuries old. Some biologists support the “four foundations” theory of horse breeding, which suggests that modern horses evolved from four different horse populations, or types, which means that the draft horses are probably descended from the aptly named draft horse type. The Belgian draft horse is thought to be the oldest modern draft type going back to the "Great Horse" of medieval time, and that all other draft horses have Belgian in their foundations.

These horses have been used in a wide variety of environments; from farmlands to forests to urban settings for hundreds of years. They were once the main source of power for humans, before the engine was invented, and the mechanization of transportation such as trains (the Iron Horse) and automobiles (the horseless carriages) lessened the need for the heavy draft horse. To this day, engines are still rated in "horsepower"; a term that was coined by James Watt in the late 18th century, who determined by experimentation that a horse could move a total of 33,000 lbs a distance of one foot in one minute while hauling coal from a coal pit. However, that is actually about 50% more than the rate an average horse can sustain for an entire working day.

A number of things about the physical build, or conformation, of a draft horse set it aside from other horses. Draft horses are quite large yet they tend to have short legs and short bodies with very muscular hindquarters designed for pulling. They also have extremely strong shoulders and front legs for the same reason. Their heads tend toward being Roman-nosed, with broad flat faces that many people find endearing.

In addition to being bred for strength, the draft horse has also been bred for a very special workable temperament. Draft horses are extremely gentle and very friendly; children can ride them and play around their feet without fear. They are also docile and very patient; some well-trained draft horses will stand when told without needing to be tethered, for example, a very useful trait in horses used for deliveries. A rogue draft horse that cannot be trained or trusted would be the most dangerous horse that one could imagine.

But despite their heavy builds, many draft horses are very graceful and quite beautiful. Many breeds have feathered feet, which means that they have tufts of long hair on their fetlocks above the hooves and it is quite enjoyable to see that hair in action, since many breeds have a flowing, high-stepping gait; it's almost like they know their feet are beautiful and people are watching.

These gentle giants continue to be used for agricultural work in many regions of the world, and some become beloved pets as well as revered show animals in many of the equine exhibition disciplines.


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 Arabian: The World's Oldest Horse Keeps Getting Better with Age

The Arabian horse is also known as "Al Khamsa" in Arabic and is a unique breed because it does not exist as a result of selective breeding with other breeds, but as a breed that stands alone and has been cherished for its purity for thousands of years.

Arabians are thought to be the oldest breed in the world, dating back at least 5000 years. The Bedouin tribes who lived in the deserts of the Middle East believed the horses were a gift from God and that they could "fly without wings". They bred them for centuries and breeding was done carefully to create horses that could withstand extreme conditions of the Arabian Desert and tribal wars. Arabians were bred with a large lung capacity, incredible endurance and superior stamina and courage as well as speed and agility.  This unique breed has had a distinctive national identity throughout recorded history and is an original breed that many other breeds owe their ancestry to.

However, there is controversy as to just where the Arab originated and its history is full of romance, legend, complexity and contradictions. One thing we do know is that the original Arabian horse was somewhat smaller than today's specimens. Otherwise the horse has essentially remained unchanged throughout the centuries.

The Bedouins valued purity and many tribes owned only one main strain of horse. The five basic families of the breed include Kehilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Hamdani and Hadban. Other, less "choice" strains include Maneghi, Jilfan, Shuwayman, and Dahman. Substrains developed in each main strain which were named after a celebrated mare or Sheik that formed a substantial branch within the main strain. Each strain developed characteristics that could be recognized and identified when bred pure.

The Kehilan strain was noted for depth of chest, masculine power and size and stood up to 15 hands. The heads were short with broad foreheads and great width in the jowls and were most commonly gray and chestnut.

The Seglawi was known for refinement and almost feminine elegance. They were likely to be fast rather than have endurance and had fine boning, longer faces and longer necks than the Kehilan. The average height is 14.2 hands and usually Bay in color.

The Abeyan strain is very similar to the Seglawi and tended to be refined. They had a longer back than a typical Arabian, but were small horses, rarely taller than 14.2 hands. They were usually gray and carried more white markings than other strains.

Hamdani horses were considered plain with athletic, almost masculine, large boning. The heads were straight in profile, lacking an extreme Jibbah. It was one of the largest, standing as much as 15.2 hands and commonly gray or bay in color.

The Hadban strain was a smaller version of the Hamdani but sharing big bones and muscular build. They also possessed an extremely gentle nature. The average height of a Hadban was 14.3 hands and the primary color was brown or bay with few, if any, white markings.

In the 17th century, the Turkish rulers of the Ottoman Empire began to send gifts of Arabian horses to European heads of state. Such was the nature of the Godolphin Arabian (sometimes called "Barb") who was imported to England in 1730 as well as the Byerley Turk (1683) and the Darley Arabian (1703). These three "Eastern" stallions formed the foundation upon which a new breed, the Thoroughbred, was to be built and now 93% of all modern Thoroughbreds can be traced to these three stallions.   

For centuries, Arabians have been used to improve and refine many different breeds of horses either by direct infusion or through the blood of the Thoroughbred. In other words, the Arabian has contributed to some degree, either directly or indirectly, to the formation of virtually all the modern breeds of horses. In fact, the Arabian, as the original racehorse, is becoming more and more popular competing at racetracks throughout the United States. They race distances similar to Thoroughbreds and there are more than 700 all-Arabian races every year. As an endurance horse, the Arabian has no equal.

In 1908, the Arabian Horse Club of America was formed and the first stud book was published. Recognition of the Arabian stud book by the U.S. Department of Agriculture established it as a national registry and the only one for the purebred Arabian breed. At that time, 71 purebred Arabians were registered in what is currently known as the Arabian Horse Association. Now there are more living Arabian horses in the United States than in all the other countries in the world combined and many breeders strongly support naming Arabian horses with traditional Arabian names, which to them, is as important as maintaining breed purity.

In terms of temperament, The Arabian is one of the 5 "hot-blooded" horses, which means they have more sensitivity and energy. This sensitivity has manifested itself in an interesting way. You see, the severe climate required the nomads to share food and water and they sometimes even shared their tents with their horses. As a result of being such a close companion, Arabians developed a gentle, pleasant personality and a close affinity to man with a unique ability to bond with their owners. An Arabian will take care of its owner as no other horse will. It has a loyal and willing nature that is unparalleled by any other breed. Foals, for example, have no fear of man, and are usually indifferent to sudden noises. The Arabian gentleness and tractability, while originally the effect of education, is now inherited, and is observed in foals bred in a foreign environment.

Today 's Arabian will never be mistaken for another breed of horse because of their distinctive dished profile on a wide forehead and large, wide-set eyes, small muzzle, small, curved ears and large, efficient nostrils. They have a graceful, arched neck, and a broad chest with a strong short back and are fine to medium boned. Arabians have a high, proud tail carriage. These horses weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds, stand 14.1 to 15.2 hands high, and are usually grey, bay, chestnut, black or roan in color. They are an extremely sound breed, also.

Arabians have several unique genetic characteristics. They have 17 ribs, unlike other breeds which usually have 18.  They also have one less lumbar vertebra and one less tail bone than other equines, and their skin is always black no matter what their coat color is.

Unfortunately they also have many disturbing genetic Diseases and Disorders such as Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA) where balance and coordination are affected; Guttural Pouch Tympany (GPT), a defect that can be corrected by surgery; Juvenile Epilepsy Syndrome (JES) that is treatable by medication; Lavender Foal Syndrome (LFS)/ Coat Color Dilution Lethal (CCDL) rare, but results in euthanasia of the foal; Occipitoatlantoaxial Malformation (OAAM) where the cervical vertebrae fuse together in the neck and skull causing injury to the spinal cord; and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) which is the only genetic condition that can be tested for.

The traits that were bred into the Arabian since ancient times has created a versatile horse that is not only a beautiful, loyal breed, but one that excels at being an all-around family horse, show horse, competitive sport horse, race horse, and work 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.

Go For the Gold with the Golden Palomino Horse

The modern Palomino is only a color and not a breed, as evidenced by the color being present in most equine breeds. The ideal body color is that of a golden coin, but the shade can vary from light, medium, to dark gold. The mane and tail should be white, ivory, or silver, with not more than 15% dark or sorrel hair mixed in. The word "Palomino" is a Spanish surname which was derived from a Latin word meaning "pale dove" and many Palominos are pale. Additionally, the coat of many Palominos changes shades from cream in the winter to golden in the summer, and these are referred to as seasonal Palominos.

Palomino horses are found among the finest bloodlines of many breeds; their coloration and appeal is clearly international. They are admired not only for their beauty but for their versatility, maneuverability, and endurance and multi-purpose use across all disciplines within all breeds. Some have even become TV stars such as, Mr. Ed, Trigger, and Trigger Jr., all of which were registered with The Palomino Horse Association. And of course, who can forget the strikingly beautiful dark golden Palomino in the movie "Blazing Saddles"?

But nowhere has the history of the Palomino been recorded and the origin of the golden horse will probably never be determined since myths and legends of various countries cloud its beginnings. Although most agree that all light colored horses have descended from the Arabian and the Barb, they still aren't sure where it may have come from before that. The golden horse with ivory-colored mane and tail appears in the ancient tapestries and paintings of Europe and Asia, as well in centuries old Japanese and Chinese art dating back 2000 years. It was the choice of ancient royalty and also the beloved steed in Greek mythology. There are stories about them among the Arabs and the Moors. There are stories linked to the maille-clad Crusaders who saw the Golden Horses on the battlefield when they fought the desert chiefs of Saladin who rode them. During the days of the Crusades, the Emir Saladin presented Richard the Lion-Hearted with two splendid war horses; one was a gray and the other, a Golden Palomino.

Palominos were favored by her Majesty Queen Isabella de-Bourbon of Spain who kept 100 of these animals in the Remuda Real. Only the members of the royal family and the nobles of the household were permitted to ride them and commoners were forbidden to own one. History records that Queen Isabella sent a Palomino stallion and five mares to her Viceroy in Mexico to perpetuate the Golden Horse in the New World, and from there, the color spread from sea to shining sea in the Americas.

The Palomino of Spanish times was known as the Golden Dorado and was very close to being a breed. The Dorado was of Arabian, Moorish Barb and Spanish blood and was not bred by being crossed with sorrels as the modern Palomino is. The Spanish had many shades of golden horses, and when they used corral breeding (a way of isolating a mating pair); a light color Palomino mare would be mated with a very dark-colored Palomino stallion. This has been noted in a book that was printed in Barcelona in 1774.

There are two Palomino Horse Registries in the United States that began in the 1930's. The Palomino Horse Association (PHA) is the original Palomino registry which officially began in California in 1935, with the registration of the golden stallion El Rey de los Reyes by Dick Halliday who had researched the golden horse for many years. He wrote many articles that brought the Palomino into the attention of the public, and created a great deal of interest in the Palomino. Within a few years, hundreds of breeders were specializing in the production of this color. Horses from many different countries and from every breed have been registered with the PHA.

The PHA does not discriminate against any breed and recognizes all breeds based on color and conformation. If a particular horse is not registered with a breed registry and the color proves to be Palomino it will be registered on color. In the last few years they have decided to allow the creme colored horse with blue eyes claiming it has been researched and proven that these light colored Palominos always produce a Palomino and therefore, they are definite breeding stock for the Palomino. Yet on many horse genetics websites it is stated that Palomino horses do not breed true at all -- they produce both chestnut and cremello foals when bred together because the Palomino color is defined by a heterozygous dilution gene. However, Champagne is a dominant gene that dilutes pigment from black to brown and red to gold; and Champagne on a chestnut background (gold) produces a gold body color and often a flaxen mane and tail that can be mistaken for Palomino.

The other one is the Palomino Horse Breeders of America, Inc. (PHBA) that was founded in the late 1930's in California by a group of horse lovers who had a passion for the golden horse. PHBA became a corporation in 1941 as a member-owned, non-profit organization for the purpose of registering and improving the breeding of Palomino Horses. It is a color registry for Palomino horses standing between 13 and 17 hands high and exhibiting body color, with variations from light to dark, of a 14-karat gold coin. The Palomino's skin is usually grey, black, brown, or mottled without underlying pink skin or spots except on the face or legs. The eyes are usually black, hazel, or brown, never blue. The mane and tail must be white with no more than 15% percent of dark, sorrel or chestnut hairs.

There are three basic divisions for the Palomino horses within the registry. The Stock type is the western horse that is mainly represented by the Quarter Horse. The Golden American Saddlebred division is typically represented by Saddlebreds and the Pleasure type is represented by the Morgan, Arabian, and Tennessee Walking Horses.

Horse enthusiasts who own Palominos that are registered with any of the following breed registries: American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA), American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA), Arabian Horse Registry (AHR), International Arabian Horse Association (IAHA), Jockey Club (TB), and the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA) are eligible to file for color registration and participating in events with the PHBA. Palomino Horses not registered with any of the above recognized breed registries are eligible for registration with PHBA only if one of the parents is registered with any of the above recognized breed registries. However, owners are asked to provide documents to verify bloodlines. Individuals with Palomino geldings and spayed mares of unknown parentage may also apply for PHBA registration based on color and conformation standards since they are incapable of reproducing.

Now, in these trying financial times, wouldn't you really rather invest in gold? The gold of a Palomino, that is.


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 Myth of the Mysterious Mule and Molly

Mules are hybrid animals of the equine family that result from the mating of a donkey stallion (called a jack) with a horse mare. In genetic terms, this is classified as an F1 hybrid between Equus caballus X Equus asinus. Male mules are called mules or Johns, and are unable to reproduce. However, although they are genetically sterile, they are still affected by the same male hormones as any other stallion and they can become dangerous if not castrated. An uncastrated male mule cannot participate in shows and it is useless to keep them as a stallion. Since no male mule has ever sired a foal, you cannot mate two mules and expect offspring. In fact, there appears to be no authenticated instances of mules breeding among themselves even when the stallion has not been castrated. Interestingly, jack donkeys appear to be reluctant to mate with horse mares and many have to be trained to do so, though in these more modern times, artificial insemination can be attempted if all else fails.

In contrast, a fertile female mule (called a molly) can sometimes occur from this breeding combination. But this is so rare that the Romans had a saying, "cum mula peperit," meaning "when a mule foals" which is similar to saying "when hell freezes over." In some regions, a mule giving birth can trigger fear and superstition. When a mule produced a foal in Albania in 1994, it was thought to have unleashed the spawn of the devil on the small village; and when a mule in Morocco produced a foal in 2002, the locals feared it signaled the end of the world.

But it is true that a molly can be mated to either a horse or a donkey stallion; sometimes with very interesting results. It has been reported that a mare mule in Brazil has produced two 100% horse sons sired by a horse stallion. In the 1920s, when a molly at Texas A&M named "Old Beck" was bred to a horse stallion, she produced a horse son and when bred to a donkey, she produced mule offspring, including a mule daughter. And according to the American Donkey and Mule Society, there is an unverified case of a mare mule that produced a mule daughter. The daughter was also a fertile mule and produced a horse-like foal with some mule traits which was called a "hule". However, there are no reports as to whether the hule was fertile since it may have been castrated. It has also been reported that female hules may be fertile, but their offspring are usually feeble and die at birth. In another case, a molly gave birth to 2 foals in Nebraska in the mid-1980 and this was the first genetic testing of a mule's offspring. Tests showed no evidence that the mother had passed along any genetic markers from her donkey father, who was also the father of the foals. This is called "hemiclonal transmission". It is now known that in most fertile mule mares, they only pass on their maternal horse DNA.

However, even if sterile, mollies still have the female hormones coursing through their veins, which give them a strong maternal drive. They have been known to kidnap the foals of other equines sharing the same paddock.

The hinny is also a hybrid equine, but it is the result of the opposite mating: a horse stallion crossed with a donkey mare (called a jenny) but it is much less common. They are harder to produce because a stallion/jenny mating is less likely to result in pregnancy. This was once believed to be due to the donkey mare having a smaller womb, but the difficulty in impregnation suggests that it is largely a genetic issue. Donkeys (Equus asinus) have 62 chromosomes while horses (Equus caballus) have 64 chromosomes; infertile mules and hinnies have 63 chromosomes that are a mixture of one from each parent. The chromosomes have different structures and with the difference in number, too, this usually prevents the chromosomes from pairing up properly and creating successful embryos. In attempts among other species to create hybrids, the hybrid is much less likely to occur when the male has more chromosomes than the female, than when it is the other way around. It is almost like the female egg does not recognize sperm that has too many chromosomes, but does not seem to mind if the sperm has too few. Hinnies are also sterile, but a fertile female hinny in China is believed to be a unique case.

Hinnies and mules look slightly different from each other, yet for all practical purposes, hinnies, mollies and mules are classified and shown together under the general term of Mule.

The rarer hinnies are often said to be more horse-like than the mule, but more often it is difficult to tell them apart. The mule has a large head that is more donkey-like than horse-like, while the hinny has a smaller head that is more horse-like. The tail of the hinny is much more like that of the horse than is the tail of the mule. Generally, this is accounted for by the males of both species transmitting with greater power these parts of their structure. Hinnies are smaller and finer boned than mules, simply because of the fact that most donkeys are smaller than horses.

Mules come in every size and shape imaginable and all colors except overo (again due to genetics). Miniature mules under 36" can be seen all the way up to 17 hand Percheron draft mules (by Mammoth Jacks). The Poitou donkey was used exclusively for breeding huge draft mules from a breed of draft horse called the Mullasier - the Mule producer.

Mules' ears are usually somewhat smaller than a donkey's, but longer than the ears of the horse parent, and are roughly the same shape. Every mule will have a unique bray that is a combination of the horse's whinny and the grunting of the donkey's bray. And they show a natural resistance to disease and insects.

Mules are used in the same sports as horses; under saddle, in harness, for cutting, roping or dressage. They have more stamina and can carry more weight than a horse of equal size. This is due to what geneticists call "hybrid vigor". There is one aspect where the mule outshines the horse: high-jumping. Mules only 50 inches tall at the withers have been known to clear jumps of up to 72 inches. Amazingly, these jumps are from a standing start inside a marked area, not from a galloping approach.

Mules are not really stubborn, they simply will not put themselves in danger. A horse can be worked until it drops, but not a mule. That stubborn streak is the mule's way of telling humans that something is not right. It is not a good idea to abuse a mule, for they are clever and seem intelligent enough to plot revenge. However, treated kindly, they will do their best for their owner and with the utmost patience.


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.

When Is A Horse Not A Horse? -- When It's A Donkey

A donkey is a long-eared equine that looks similar to a horse, shares the genus Equus with the horse, but is a completely different species.

Donkeys (Equus asinus) have 62 chromosomes while horses (Equus caballus) have 64 chromosomes. Crossing donkeys with horses results in hybrids called mules or hinnies, each of which ends up with 63 chromosomes. The male mules are always sterile, but on rare occasions, a fertile female can occur. The chromosomes between the two species have different structures and with the difference in number, too, this usually prevents the chromosomes from pairing up properly and creating successful embryos.

However, donkeys bred to donkeys always produce donkeys. You may hear many of the following terms: donkey, burro, ass, jackass, jennet, miniature donkey, mammoth, jackstock, standard, Mexican burro, and all of them are terms for donkeys. "Burro" is a colloquial term for the Spanish or feral type of donkey (wild burros). The term is used almost exclusively in the West and is correct only when referring to donkeys that are feral.

So where does the donkey come from, if not from a horse?

Well, after collecting and analyzing skin samples from donkeys in 52 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa; and the dung from wild asses in Sudan, China, and Mongolia; scientists have concluded from mitochondrial DNA that African wild asses in Northeast Africa are the true ancestors of modern donkeys. These findings suggest that two populations of wild asses in Africa were the first to be domesticated about 6,000 years ago: the Nubian ass (Equus africanus africanus) and the Somali ass (Equus africanus somaliensis). Both of these wild asses are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. These two sub-species are thought to have had a role in the development of the modern donkeys that traveled with humans to other parts of the world.

The earliest domesticated donkey bones date to 4600-4000 BC, at El-Omari, a predynastic Maadi site in Upper Egypt near Cairo. Bones also have been discovered at sites in Syria, Iran and Iraq between 2800-2500 BC. In addition, donkey burials have been found at some sites which may reflect the value of a trusted domestic animal. Analysis of the skeletons revealed that they had been used as pack animals, judging by the signs of strain on their vertebrae. And the body morphology was midway between that of wild asses and modern donkeys, leading to the argument that the domestication process continued as a slow process over periods of several centuries. Interestingly, domestic donkeys are smaller than the wild ones, and in particular they have smaller feet.

The history of donkeys is tied to human history because when and where they were first used tends to mark the shift to more a mobile, trade-oriented society. But despite the critical role that it played in transportation throughout human history, the donkey is the least studied of all domesticated animals. Donkeys are desert-adapted and can carry heavy loads through arid lands allowing shepherds to move their households along with their herds. In addition, donkeys were ideal for the transport of food and trade goods throughout Africa and Asia.

Donkeys range in size from the Miniature Mediterranean that is less than 36 inches to the elegant Mammoth Jackstock that is 14 hands and up. The rare French Poitou donkey, which is characterized by a huge head and ears, and a very thick, shaggy, curled black coat, can stand 14 to 15 hand high. Unfortunately, there are estimated to be about 400 purebred Poitous left in the world today.

Donkeys in the USA are not grouped by "breed" but rather by type. The only exception to this is the Miniature Donkey. As of May 2008, they may now be recognized as a breed since they pass their unique breed traits on to their offspring consistently. The types of donkeys are labeled by their sizes; 36" and under are Miniature Mediterranean, 36.01-48" are Standard, 48.01" to 54" are Standard jennets or 56" for Large Standard, and 54/56" and over, Mammoth stock.

Donkeys differ from horses in conformation and the most noticeable difference is the ears. A donkey's ears are much longer in proportion to their width than a horse's. The necks are straighter than in horses, and most donkeys and all zebras lack a true wither. The croup and rump are also a different shape in the donkey since they lack the double-curve muscled haunch. Hoof shape varies as well; donkey hooves are rounder with more upright pasterns. The tail resembles a cow's; covered with short body hair and ending in a tassel of course hair. The coarse mane hair is stiffly upright, rarely laying over. Donkeys do not have a true forelock, although sometimes the mane grows long enough to comb down the face between the ears. Show donkeys wear their manes clipped short or shaved close to the neck.

Donkeys come in most of the same colors and patterns that horses do, but they look just a bit different. The colors of true pinto, horse aging gray, appaloosa, palomino and buckskin do not occur in the donkey or the mule or hinny. They also have a few unusual colors that are unique to the species such as dappled roan, blue-eyed ivory, frosted spotted and a unique spotting pattern called tyger spot that is similar to Appaloosa. Most donkeys have dark ear marks; dorsal stripes and shoulder crosses; as well as the light points of white muzzle and eye rings, and white belly and inner leg. Leg barring may be present as well. Occasional small dark spots at the throatlatch are called collar buttons and are good identifying markings. These typical donkey markings may be passed on in part or whole to mule or hinny offspring.

Donkeys can also perform all the gaits horses or mules do, and some are even gaited and can perform a single-foot gait.

Donkeys (geldings) can be wonderful guard animals for an entire herd of cattle, sheep or goats, or even a flock of chickens, geese or ducks. Their natural aversion to predators and inborn dislike of dogs will inspire the donkey to severely discourage any canine or coyote attacks on the herd. Dogs and donkeys usually don't mix, although they can be trained to leave the family dog alone. Only large Standard geldings, at least 3 years old, are recommended for guard duty. Miniatures are not suitable as guard donkeys.

Donkeys characteristically get by on less food than a horse of similar size, and need a lower protein content in their feed. Good grass hay and pasture is usually all a donkey needs.

Donkeys can be used just like horses under saddle and in harness, although donkeys are more laid back. . Donkeys are not really stubborn; they simply will not put themselves in danger. That stubborn streak is the donkey's way of telling humans that something is not right. It is not a good idea to abuse a donkey, for they are clever and seem intelligent enough to plot revenge. However, treated kindly, they will do their best for their owner and with the utmost patience, unless you are asking them to get their feet wet.

Otherwise, they are very friendly, and their versatile nature makes them excellent for children.


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.