Archive for December 2009
Hucul
Also Known By: Huculska, Hutsul, Hutul, Huzul, Carpathian Pony
Hucul is a very typical type of mountain horse breed. It is an indigenous breed of Carpathians. Native country of this breed is the Huculsko region of Eastern Carpathians in what is now Romania. Roots of Hucul breed come from original Carpathian type of Tarpan. Kertag horses, as well as later Arabian, have contributed to the breeding of the Hucul.
First reference to the Hucul horse can be found in 1603. Originally bred in modest and harsh conditions of Bukovina Carpathians, Hucul has all features of a wild horse. In 1856 Hucul Stud Luina (Romania) was built close to the Radovecky Stud. During the period of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, that encompassed the native region of the Hucul, they began to be systematic selected for use as cavalry mounts. Since that time herd books have been kept. The oldest lines of Hucul horses trace back to this period. Read the rest of this entry »
Holsteiner
Description: The Holsteiner horse is the product of systematic breeding that has been ongoing in the northermost province of Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, for 750 years.
Originally the horse was valued by German farmers for his strength, steadiness and reliability, and by the military for his courage and agility. The age of mechanization and conditions in post war Germany necessitated a new direction for the breed. The Holsteiner developed into one of the great German sporting horses, particularly suited for jumping, dressage, driving and eventing. This was accomplished through careful infustion of English Thoroughbred and Anglo Norman blood which added elegance, refinement and jumping ability to the superior character of the Holsteiner foundation stock. Read the rest of this entry »
Hokkaido
Description: Generally called Do-san-ko in Japan as a term of endearment, the Hokkaido pony is an old breed. The Hokkaido horse is thought to have been brought during the Edo era (1600-1867) to Hokkaido by fishermen. These original importation came from Honshu. The fishermen came to Hokkaido in search of herring and the horses were used for transportation. But the horses were left in Hokkaido when the fishermen returned home in autumn. The horses were expected to survive without assistance in a land which is virtually nothing but snow throughout the winter with the exception of bamboo grass found in the mountains. The fishermen would return next spring with new horses and would also utilize the surviving horses. The enduring strength for which the Hokkaido is know is thought to have been developed in this way. Read the rest of this entry »
Highland Pony
Description: The Highland Pony has been and remains, one of the truest British native types. The breed has a long recorded history and proven pedigrees that date back to the 1880′s. Two hundred years ago it was the universal workhorse throughout the highlands and islands of Scotland, and even in the borders of Scotland where it had a close affinity with the now extinct Galloway. Because of the isolation of the highland glens and islands in the 18th and 19th century many sub-types arose such as the Islay, Rhum, Mull and Barra strains, and it is also apparent that the Eriskay was also regarded as a Gocon(Gaelic – Lark) or lighter type of Highland Pony like the closely related Barra and Mull Gocans.
Queen Victoria started the long association of the Royal Family with the breed which continues today with Her Majesty. The Queen’s personal interest was in the breeding and showing of Highland Ponies and her patronage of the Society. Read the rest of this entry »
Hequ
Also Known By: Nanfan, Khetsyui (Russian)
The Hequ is found in the Qinghai Province of China and is used as a pack and draft animal as well as for riding and racing. Hequ means “river zig”. The breed originated in the border area of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces where the Yellow River makes a large “zig”. Prior to 1954 the breed was known as Nanfan which is often misapplied to the Tibetan horse. During the T’ang dynasty the Hequ horse was a favored spoil of war in the region.
During the T’ang dynasty (618-917) the emperor established a large horse facility to develop the calvary. To do so he imported large numbers of horses from western Asian countries to use on the local Tibetan stock. Read the rest of this entry »
Hanoverian
What is a Hanoverian
The Hanoverian is a noble, correctly proportioned warmblood horse with natural balance, impulsion and elegant, elastic movements characterized by a floating trot, a round rhythmic canter, and a ground-covering walk. The breed’s historic home is in today’s state of Lower Saxony, in northern Germany, the former Kingdom of Hanover where a flourishing horse-breeding industry has existed for 400 years. The Hanoverian has dispersed to all five continents and represents today one of the most prominent breeds of riding horses in the world.
What special attributes make the Hanoverian so valuable as an all-around riding and a performance competition horse excelling in many different disciplines?
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Haflinger
Description: The Haflinger is an old breed of small horse that originated in the mountains of the Austrian Tyrol. The name comes from the village of Hafling, part of Austria prior to the end of World War I, but now, located in Italy. The beginning of today’s Haflinger can be traced to the year 1874 and the birth of the stallion, “249 Folie,” out of a refined, native Tyrolean mare and sired by the half-Arab stallion, “133 El’ Bedavi XXII.” All purebred Haflingers trace their lineage to this stallion.
The Haflinger came to North America in 1958. Tempel Smith of Tempel Farms, Wadsworth, Illinois, imported them from Austria to begin a breeding program along with his imported Lippizzan horses. Others soon began importing Haflingers, and today there are a number of importers and breeders throughout the United States and Canada. While Haflingers are imported from Germany, Holland, England, and Italy, most continue to come from Austria. Read the rest of this entry »
Hackney
Elegance on the Road
The development of the Hackney breed matched, stride for stride, the improvement in both the quality of life and the use of public roadways in Britain. Prosperous farms, not nobility, were responsible for developing this high-tech carriage and riding horse. As noblemen were busying themselves with fox-hunters and Thoroughbred race horses, the wealthy farmers took to the roads to show off the tangible fruits of their labors. A pair of perfectly matched bays with elegant head carriage, trotting along smartly, their knees rising almost to their noses…ah, that was the proof of abundant crops, calves and lambs.
The origins of the Hackney as we know it began in Norfolk, England where the horses called Norfolk Trotters had been selectively bred for elegant style and speed. Seeking to improve on both counts, Read the rest of this entry »
Guangxi
Description: The Guangxi pony is distributed in the Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. It is even smaller than the Jianchang and Lijiang, with a wither height of about 100 cm, the lowest being 86 cm, as observed in a survey conducted at Jingxi. Further studies are necessary on these interesting ponies.
Groningen
Also Known By: Groninger, Groningse paard
The Groningen originated in the Netherlands during the late 1800′s from Oldenburg horses bred to the local draft breeds. The breed almost was lost in the 1970′s as most of the animals were obsorbed into the Dutch Warmblood breed. At that time only a single purebred stallion remained. Oldenburg blood has been used to reduce the inbreeding during the reestablishment of the breed.
Reference:
Hendricks, Bonnie L., International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, Univ of Oklahoma Press, 1995. Read the rest of this entry »