FRIESIAN HORSES

As the name suggests, the Friesian Horse comes from Friesland in the Northern Netherlands. It is assumed that the breed came from the primitive forest horse. The Friesian has a known history of 400-600 years.

The Romans took the Friesian horse to England, and it might have influenced other horse breeds, including the Shire Horse, Clydesdale, Fell pony, and Dale pony.

In the Middle Ages, the horse was used to carry the Knights, who had heavy armour, into battles because of the Friesian's size and strength. A suit of armour could weigh well over 100 pounds. The horses' stylish appearance might have influenced the knights' decision to use them, also.

In the 12th and 13th century, through the crusaders, the eastern horses were mated with the Friesians. From the15th century until the 17th century, when the Netherlands linked with Spain, the demand for heavy war horses decreased as the battle armour changed. Andalusian blood was added to lighten the weight, and they became suitable for work as an urban carriage horse.

Friesian horses were also used in France and Spain by high dressage schools. They are still popular for their gentle temperament and their graceful appearance. Friesians have glossy black coats and long, wavy manes and tails. They have a pronounced high-stepping gait that is especially noticeable at the trot. These handsome mounts have long necks, expressive eyes, and small ears.

There are two basic types of Friesians - the baroque and the modern. Baroque Friesians have the typical body type of the original breed, with heavier bone and more substance. The modern Friesian is more of a sports horse, with more refinement and more height than its heavier cousin. With their beautiful heads, powerful bodies, and graceful movement, Friesians are gaining popularity in the United States, as well as in Europe. They can often be seen in the show ring, especially in dressage competitions. By doing a quick search on the internet for "Friesians for sale," you'll see that these horses are often very expensive.

HANOVERIAN HORSE BREED

HANOVERIAN HORSE

  Warmblood breeds

The Hanoverian is one of the most popular of the warmblood horse breeds. The Hanoverian actually began with George II, king of England. Not only was George the ruler of England, he was also the Duke of Hanover, Germany. In 1735, he started a stallion facility in Celle, Saxony, known as the State Stud at Celle. There, he kept stallions that excelled as work horses, cavalry mounts, and coach horses. The studs were bred with local mares, which included introducing new blood into the local equine populations, from Andalusian, Cleveland Bay, Thoroughbred, and Holsteiner stock. The resulting Hanoverians became popular as coach horses with the wealthy, and as mounts for the military.

A Law was passed in 1844 that only stallions that were passed by the commission were allowed to be Aused for breeding. Breeders start to produce a coach and military horse, and a stud book was started in 1888. From then on, the Hanoverians were just about the most popular horse breed for coach and military work in all of Europe.

After the First World War, the demand for military horses fell, and the Hanoverians were bred for general agricultural work. Once World War II ended, the demand for sport horses and general riding horses required that the breed adapt to these new demands. As a result, Thoroughbreds, Arabians, and Trakehners were used to give the Hanoverian horse more refinement. If you have a good eye for horseflesh, you can see evidence of Thoroughbred breeding in the Hanoverian's body and legs, and its Arabian ancestry is obvious in the Hanoverian's head shape.

Most Hanoverians are around 16 hands tall, but slightly smaller and slightly larger individuals are also common. Hanoverians are powerfully built, with elastic gaits and excellent balance. In temperament, a Hanoverian should be calm, willing, and able to handle stressful situations with ease. Because of this, along with the breed's superior athleticism, Hanoverians can often be seen in show jumping, eventing, and dressage.

The Hanoverian's popularity and success is largely because of rigorous selections, a large breeding stock, and constant tweaking and improvements in the breed. For example, the Hanoverian horses' well kept records help breeders to follow the bloodlines over many generations, which helps to match the best stallion and mare. The strict selection makes sure the Hanoverians are athletic and good jumpers, for show jumping and eventing, with the gaits and agility necessary for dressage.

PASO FINO HORSE BREED

PASO FINO STALLION

The Paso Fino is a beautiful horse breed with a distinct and unforgettable movement. The very name Paso Fino means "fine steps." These steeds seem to almost float as they prance along. This is a natural-gaited light horse that has been imported to the Caribbean from Spain.

A Spanish land owner bred them in Puerto Rico and Colombia from Barb, Spanish Jennet, and Andalusian horses. The combination of horse breeds resulted in a mount that proved to be useful on plantations for a comfortable ride. The heritage comes from Per Paso, the American Mustang, and Colombian-Spanish horses.

Horses from Puerto Rico and Colombia, along with Paso Finos from Cuba and from European countries, have been interbred many times in the US to produce the modern American Paso Fino show horse.

In 1493, Christopher Columbus brought from Spain to the Americas twenty horses and five mares to the isle of Borinquen at the Bay of Aquada (Anasco). In May of 1509, the governor of the island, Juan Ponce de Leon, took horses from his Hacienda to Puerto Rico.

It had been said that they have not a trot or gallop, but a type of pace (Andadura). The gait is so precipitated the eye can't follow the movement of the legs.

Ramirez de Arellano, at the beginning of the American invasion in Puerto Rico, found that the Paso Fino was perfect in transport work as well as in agricultural work.

The legendary Paso Fino 'Duce Sueno' was born in 1927 in Guayama and influenced the breeding of the modern Puerto Rico Paso Fino.

In 1943, The Federation of the Specification of Paso Fino Horses of Puerto Rico was established, and the breed was specified.

In 1947, Gustavo A Ramirez de Arellano wrote, "At present, the descendants of the famous stud "Dulce Sueno" are the ones that have the most obtained titles and trophies."

The introduction of Paso Fino to the US began in 1950. The armed services stationed in Puerto Rico bought Paso Finos and brought them back with them.

Ranchers went to Colombia to buy cattle and also brought Paso Fino horses to the USA. The two types of horses are still bred separately in the USA to keep the purity of the blood. It also gets crossbred to get the best horses of both strains of Paso Fino.

Under the Paso Fino Horse Association, regulations are strictly followed in the USA and overseas, making sure the bloodlines are kept pure. However, the Colombian bloodline increased significantly over the Puerto Rico bloodline, and it is therefore under preserved breed status.

The Puerto Rico Paso Fino is known for its fine, delicate step which is quite different to the Colombian Paso Fino, which has a rapid, piston-like action.

CLYDESDALE HORSE BREED

                                             

                   

Draft horses - draft horse breeds

The Clydesdale is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds. Clydesdale horses are a heavy breed and were originally bred in Clydesdale, a government district in Scotland. They are used purely for pulling heavy loads for industrial and urban settlements. The breed is around 300 years old, and you could still see them in the 1960s, pulling heavy carts of milk and vegetables.

A Clydesdale typically stands between 16 and 18 hands at the withers and can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds. They have an arched neck, long legs, and good withers. They also display a striking leg movement, with an active lifting of the hooves. The coat of a Clydesdale might be roan, bay, grey, black, chestnut, skewbald, or piebald. White markings on the legs, body, and face are common. Clydesdales are very intelligent and are fairly easy to train. They're generally considered to be gentle, but they're often more spirited and lively than some of the other draft horse breeds.

How was the Clydesdale breed developed? The breed came about as a result of Flemish stallions being brought to Scotland, where they were bred with native mares. By 1826, the term "Clydesdale" was being used to describe the horses, and a registry was established in 1877, the Clydesdale Horse Society of Scotland.

Originally, there were around 140,000 Clydesdales in Scotland, but by 1949, only 80 were left. In 1975, they were classed as a Rare Breed by the Rare Breed Survival Trust. However, their popularity grew again, and the population went up to 500

They were exported to the Commonwealth, South America, Russia, the European continent, Canada, and the United States. In 1879, the American Clydesdale Association was formed. In the US, they became famous for advertisements for various beer brands. The famous Budweiser Clydesdales have become a part of Americana, and they can be seen in television commercials, in parades, and at special promotional events.

Clydesdales are now numerous in the United States, and at the last count, there were 600 foals. Sometimes Clydesdales are crossed with other horse breeds to add size, power, and durability. In the US, the Clydesdale is sometimes crossed with the Thoroughbred to create heavier hunter-jumpers. Clydesdales have also been crossed with Dales ponies and Irish draft horses, and the breed was instrumental in the creation of the Gypsy Vanner horse and the Australian draft horse.