Arabian horses are the oldest purebred horse in the world and also, the most influential. Their blood lines have been used to improve many other well-known breeds throughout the world today.

In fact all Thoroughbreds in the world today can trace their ancestry through to 3 Arabian sires that were imported to England between 250 and 300 years ago. They were The Byerley Turk (about 1684-90), The Darley Arabian (1700) and The Godolphin Arabian (1730).

There are many different lines within the Arab breed. One of the most famous lines is the desert stock, which is also known as the Original or Elite Arab, bred by the nomadic tribesmen, the Bedouin. They needed a horse tough enough to handle the rigours of life in the desert – hunting, battles etc. – but also beautiful enough to be proud of. Very selective breeding methods were used over centuries to achieve this.

Other well-known lines included the Persian (or Crabbet), Egyptian and Polish. The Crabbet and Polish lines tend to be more solid, & less ‘extreme’ with their features, than the Egyptian Arab.

Breed Features

• Sure footedness on rough going.
• Refined head.
• High tail carriage
• The ability to exist on a sparse diet.
• Intelligence.
• Stamina/endurance.
• Hereditary soundness
• Speed

The head of Arabian horses tends to be short, with a prominent forehead, a concave face and a small muzzle. The eyes are set well apart and are large, almost ‘poppy’ in appearance. They have a deep jaw line and the ears are small, alert and curved.

They have a beautifully curved neck (Egyptian Arabs tend to have a slightly longer neck than the other lines) which comes into a short, strong back. They have a broad chest and a deep girth which provides a large chest cavity – essential when used in extreme desert conditions.

Perhaps one of the most well-known features of the Arabian horses, is their high tail carriage. Not so easily noticed though, is the fact that Arabian horses have one less lumbar vertebra in their backbone – 5 instead of 6 – than other horse breeds, and also 1 less rib.

Common Uses
The Arabian horses are perhaps most well-known for their success in endurance riding around the world. After having been selectively bred by the Arabs for centuries for stamina and soundness it’s little wonder.

They are also used for the high prize money desert racing (similar to endurance, but over shorter distances so at a higher speed) in Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, where it’s not uncommon for a good Arab racehorse to change hands for hundreds, if not millions of dollars.

Arabs are also brilliant allrounders – pleasure horses, pony club, show jumpers, show horses, dressage horses etc. They have an excellent temperament and are very intelligent.

Rider/Owner Level

Beginner – Experienced
I would not suggest an Arab for most beginner riders. They are a smart horse, and they do not appreciate being incorrectly ridden or handled – something which many people, from beginners to even the most experienced, do without even realising. However, they can suit any level, providing you are willing to learn the correct way to treat a horse – the best way is through one of the many natural horsemanship techniques.

Arabs don’t need to be handled any differently from any other breed…the problem is that many riders don’t even know how to properly handle other breeds. The difference is, most other breeds of horses (which are often not as intelligent) will put up with rough or incorrect handling…the Arabian horses won’t.

However, if you know how to handle horses correctly or are willing to learn, an Arab will be your friend for life, will do anything for you and will have one of the most trainable temperaments you’ll find on any horse.

Balance
Arabian horses have superb balance, symmetry, and harmony of proportion. They are distinctly athletic and although balance is essential for all horse breeds, the apex is achieved with the Arabian horse. In other words, the Arabian is the “epitome of all things that a quality horse should have” in a compact form. Also, to have a correct physical build, balance is fundamental. It is equally essential in establishing the foundation of type. Without balance, the Arabian horse would fail to be a creature of serviceability, which is what has so endeared him to man. Of course, some Arabians in the breed may exude an extreme in one or more specific attributes such as the head, neck, height, or movement. The ultimate goal, though, is balance when it comes to a supremely useful Arabian horse. The true beauty of the purebred Arabian is in their harmonious body movement; this comes from having excellent balance.

Quality
Quality is an attribute that can be elusive and quite hard to quantify, but for those who have seen it, it is unmistakable. It has been referred to as beauty, elegance, presence, charisma, radiance, or vitality. Quality is the single element that defines the Arabian horse best. Whatever you want to call it, it can be seen in the alert command of the Arabian stallion, the confident maternal bearing of an Arabian mare, or the young foal who shows a zest for life. When looking at Arabian type, it is important that any Arabian horse should have irreproachable quality.

Movement
Also vital to defining Arabian type is movement and how capable and efficient the horse is. From a historical perspective, Bedouin mounts were expected to be both swift and have a high stamina as they were used as warhorses and for transportation. Through the centuries, the Arabian horse was selectively bred with these traits intact to become an equine of superior soundness, agility, and versatile athleticism. Arabian horses were expected to have great dexterity back in the ancient Middle Eastern desert as they were the original surefooted vehicles of war.

They needed the agility to charge swiftly into raids or battle and be able to make an abrupt turn on their haunches for a quick getaway. Having this agility required an ample muscularity and harmonious strength. The stride of the Arabian has always been long, light, powerful, and purposeful. Their movement has such an efficiency of exertion and fluidity of motion. These defining traits of the Arabian horse’s movement have carried forward to today as any Arabian of superior type should exude an abundant athletic ability.

Disposition
Just as important as balance, quality, and movement to the fundamental definition of Arabian type is disposition. If the disposition is lacking, then all of the other aspects are of little consequence. Purebred Arabians as a breed have always been:

o Highly intelligent
o Kind
o Willing and fairly easy to train
o Courageous
o Curious and social amongst humans

They have been blessed with a highly spirited character while still being manageable. The Arabian horse is unrivaled as a companion within the equine world. In the ancient Middle Eastern deserts, Arabians were forced into an intimate coexistence with the nomadic Bedouins so that both would survive. This demanded a highly compliant and agreeable disposition. This is, in all likelihood, the most intangible quality that has most endeared the Arabian horse to mankind.

Concisely defined, type in the Arabian breed of horse is the ideal combination of beauty and serviceability. Neither should be sacrificed at the expense of the other if true Arabian type is to be attained. The fundamental elements of beauty can be broken down to quality and disposition of the purebred Arabian while balance and movement would be the crucial components of serviceability. For many Arabian horse enthusiasts, these are the breed hallmarks that define Arabian type.

Randy Meyer, along with his family, are well-respected breeders of high-quality, beautiful purebred Arabian horses
on their farm, Red Oak Arabians. They usually have fine quality Arabian horses for sale at all times.

 Those who first encountered an Arabian horse are aware that something is different about him. It seems – compared to horses of other breeds – rare and exotic, it has come from another part of the world. Arabian horses represent the different and unusual type of horses, they are distinguished from the other horses.

Arabian horses perform an exotic fascination. There are people for whom everything is exotic unpleasant; they are suspicious of everything foreign. These are and will remain grounded and keep familiar. Others are fascinated by the strangeness. Impressions of other cultures, continents and climatic zones contribute to them magnetically. The latter may show more enthusiasm when an exotic car such as the Arabian horse is standing in front of them – a creature of a now-defunct culture.

The Arabian horse is largely a product of its original environment, which was formed by the strict selection process by the hard living conditions in the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula. Delegates from princes and royal houses purchased Arabian horses from the region of origin, and led them to their new home in order to use it as a finisher in the national horse breeding, but also promote the propagation of.

The Arabian horse has a triumphal march around the whole globe and is now available in more than 50 countries around the world, bred and cared for. Since 1949, the Association of Breeders and Friends of the Arabian horse care breeding organization operating nationwide as its members and advises them on all aspects of breeding, rearing, feeding, husbandry, training and riding the promotion of the Arabian horse. Furthermore, this zoo technical recognizes breeding organizations responsible for the registration of thoroughbred Arabian horses of the Arabian breed, Shagya Arabian, Arabs, Anglo-Arabs and Arab half-breed.

There are many Arabian horses which belong to different racial group. “Arab” is not a generic term for breeding Arabian horses of all directions, even if it is used by outsiders so often. As a race-or better, group term, he would merely serve as a kind of catch-all for all Arabian horses, which can not assign the broad groups of Arabian Horses, “” Shagya-Arab, Anglo-Arab “or” Arab half-breeds “.

One of the most beautiful Arabian horse breed with a nice palomino color is Golden Gayr El (El Gayr or Lady Gold). An Arab has said little sloppy, a horse that is not pure enough for an Arabian, but not enough for an allogeneic blood has Anglo-Arab or Partbred, and because of the very small proportion of foreign blood is not the Shagyas that can be attributed to. In any case, this race is very popular. The composite structures the nationwide breed in different regional groups similar to the provinces, promotes regional activities, seminars and courses as well as dog shows and equestrian competitions in the different disciplines.

Breathtaking radiance and beauty draws many people into their orbit. He keeps and maintains contacts with national and international umbrella organizations and associations and is responsible for implementing national and international events, advertising, breeding advice and assistance in all matters responsible. Before buying some horse like this you must search for many guides which will give explanations about the historical development, the roles and functions of the association which will provide guidance on the breeding objectives of the Arab Association of race and managed to convey a sense of the diverse investment and the specific characteristics of this noble breed of horses in the world, without whose influence can exist in the long run, no other horse breeds. This horse deserves only the best because he is the best.

Want to learn more about Arabian Horse Breeders? Kristoffer writes about it here and on www.love-your-horse.com

When Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, he found a continent without horses. After returning to Spain, upon his return to the Americas, he brought back mares and stallions from Andalusia and Cordela. These horses were a mixture of Andalusian, Barb, and the now-extinct Spanish Jennet. The resulting offspring of this mixture was a horse with a very smooth and comfortable gait suitable for the varied terrains of the New World. Because of a trait contributed by the Jennet, of passing the most desirable characteristics along to its offspring, the horse quickly became favored by the Conquistadors. This was the founding stock of the Paso Fino breed. The breed established a place in the history of Western Civilization, being cited as instrumental in the conquest, exploration, and development of the Americas.

Over the 500 years since the introduction of the founding stock in the Western Hemisphere, the Paso Fino has been selectively bred and refined. And although they can be found elsewhere Peru, in South America, claims the most famous and purest bloodlines of this breed.

The most outstanding characteristic which makes the Paso Fino unique is the pattern and even cadence of its instinctual 1-2-3-4 gait. The hoofbeats are individually and distinctly heard as the horse moves. The movement is smooth and lateral, rather than diagonal. The rider feels very little, if any, up-and-down movement when the horse is in motion. This most unusual gait is performed at three speeds:

Classic Fino – Used for show purposes only, this is the same forward speed as a slow walk. The horse is collected and balanced. Watching the leg motion is fascinating.

Paso Corto – this is similar in speed to a trot. It’s a moderate speed, yet allows one to cover a good distance in leisurely fashion. Because of the smoothness of the stride, both horse and riders can go for hours tirelessly.

Paso Largo – this is a faster speed with a longer stride. The actual speed is different for each horse because it will reach its top speed in natural coordination with its tempo and stride.

Description and Conformation

The Paso Fino’s colors run the gamut of the equine color range. There is no one defining color assigned to this breed as being necessary for it being registered as a purebred horse and they can be with, or without, white markings.

This breed ranges in height from 13 to 15.2 hands (52 to 60.8 in,. or 132 to 154 cm.), with the most typical being 13.3 to 14.2 hands (53.2 to 56.8 in., or 135 to 144.2 cm.), which is considered small to average height for a horse. The weight ranges from 700 to 1100 pounds (49.7 to 78.1 stones). The full size of the Paso Fino may not be reached until it is five years of age.

The Paso Fino is often described as being of noble appearance. The immediate impression that one has is that of power, grace, and overall athletic balance in this horse. Its mane and tail are luxurious and flowing. The neck is sinuous, arched, and muscular. The shoulders are well-defined, but not prominent. The back is short and connects with slightly sloped hindquarters. The legs appear short, but powerful. The breed is naturally sure-footed with extremely durable hooves. Unless the horse is habitually used on rock or hard surfaces, it is rarely shod.

This beautiful breed of horse possesses a natural affection, is very intelligent, and is built for hard work. It performs well in gaited events, for showing, trail riding, and for pleasure riding.

Some History of the Lipizzaners

The aristocratic Lipizzaners are descended from the Iberian Horse, which is the oldest breed in the world. Iberians were used as war horses from 4000 years before Mohammed, when camels were used as mounts in warfare and their Lipizzaner descendants today are trained to perform movements which were originally taught to military mounts so that they were more effective in battle.

The breed was first established in 1590, by the Archduke of Austria, Charles II. He began the first stud farm in Lipizza, then a part of Italy, and began breeding the Iberian with the native breeds of Italy. Until well into the late 1700s, these horses were crossbred with the finest of horses from Spain, Italy and Arabia. They were used, during that time, as family and carriage horses for the Royal Court in Vienna.

In 1735, Charles VI of Austria established the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. It is the oldest riding school in the world (so named for the Spanish horses who were a large foundation of the breed), and for more than 400 years has trained riders and horses to perform the classical dressage movements which have made the Lipizzaner famous. When Charles began the school, he also began recording the bloodlines of the breed.

Of the nine original studs used to establish the breed, six bloodlines are used solely for breeding at the Spanish Riding School and Lipizzaners of South Africa at Kyalami. These are the ones which they recognize as the purest of the breed. Those six stallions were:

- Pluto, born in 1765, grey in color – Conversano, born in 1767, black in color – Favory, born in 1779, dun in color – Neapolitano, born in 1790, bay (brown) in color – Siglavy, born in 1810, grey in color – Maestroso II, born in 1819, grey in color

Although the two breeders mentioned here tend to favor the light-grey and white stallions for showing, they consider it bad luck if there is not at least one bay horse in their stables.

Lipizzaners are branded with a special symbol to indicate from which bloodlines they descended. They bear the symbol of their sire, and the symbol of their dam’s sire. This is called the “ancestral brand”. Foals are branded with a number so that one can easily locate them in the foal registry. In addition to these two brands, each Lipizzaner also carries the “brand of descent” on its left cheek. This is quite often an “L”. For more information about these symbols, see:

http://www.knet.co.za/lipizzaner/breedbrand.htm

More recently, two other bloodlines have been internationally recognized as purebred. Those are:

- Tulipan, born in 1850, no color stated – Incitato, no date of birth or color stated

While not indicated as being recognized by the two aforementioned breeders, these bloodlines are acceptable to many modern-day advocates of the bloodline purity.

In 1920, the decision was made to move the Lipizzaners from Lipizza (now in present-day Slovenia) to Piber, Austria. During World War 2 the entire inventory of the stock was moved to Holstau to prevent the animals from being seized and used in battle, or requisitioned as food supplies by hostile forces. The line almost became extinct (only 250 horses survived), and would have been wiped out completely without the intervention of General George Patton. He and his troops rescued the survivors so that they could move on to continue their incredible history.

In 1948, after having fled Europe, Count Elemer Jankovich-Besan moved some of the surviving horses to South Mooi River in South Africa. He gifted one of the stallions to Major George Iwanowski who, in turn, started the Lipizzaners of South Africa School. This is one of the two accredited Lipizzaner Centers in the world, the other being the Spanish Riding School.

Description and Conformation of the Lipizzaners

Foals are usually dark or black-brown when born. They go through several different color changes before finally achieving their adult color between the ages of four and ten. Most often, the color is light-gray or white. However, there are also duns and bays. They are simply not as common and it is a rarity to have an adult Lipizzaner be totally black-brown or black.

The breed is long-lived, and has been recorded to live as long as 34 years. It is not uncommon for a Lipizzaner to live well into its 20s. They are very loyal and are well-known for their magnificent stamina, agility, strength, and courage.

For training and showing, only stallions are used. And the breeders/trainers look for a certain conformation in those horses which are eventually trained for dressage. These include:

- the stallion should be 15.2 to 16 hands (a hand is four inches, or 6 cm) high, that is 155 to 160 cm – the head is slightly aquiline to gently Roman in shape, and the eyes are a good width apart – the neck should be crested, but not appear too heavy at the top nor too thick underneath – the back and the neck should be of equal length – the chest should be strong, and of medium width – the shoulders should have a good slope – the legs should appear shorter, so that the horse is better conformed to perform the “Airs Above the Ground” – the musculature should be pronounced, without making the horse appear too heavy – the hind quarters should be well-rounded – the mane and tail should be thick and full, but fine and soft to the touch.

“Classical Dressage”

The “Airs Above the Ground”, when performed and observed, bring to mind the movements of a ballerina. In a manner of speaking, the Lipizzaner is the ballerina of the equine world.

The exercises performed by these magnificent creatures include:

- the levade: a 45 degree position in which the horse is “haunched” over the ground – the courbette: the horse balances on his hind legs before jumping, and keeps his forelegs off the ground and his hind legs together while “hopping” – the capriole: the stallion leaps into the air, tucks his forelegs under him, and kicks out with his hind legs at the height of elevation – the piaffe: a cadenced trot which the stallion performs while standing in place – the croupade: similar to the capriole, but both front and hind legs are tucked under the body at the height of elevation

and many more. It is fascinating to watch these horses in performance, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which true horse-lovers should experience. They are stunning and, at times, awe-inspiring. They truly are the ballerinas of the equine world, and a marvelous site to behold!

The Slovenians consider the Lipizzaner to be the first pure-bred ever established in their country. As such, it will most likely be pictured on their new euro coins. This horse is highly prized in their country.

The breed is rare today, with only about 3,000 horses registered as purebreds. But, the numbers are increasing as breeders use the horses more in harness. Slovenians use the stallions for dressage display and to cross-breed with their own native stock for use in agricultural work. The Lipizzaner is still the only breed used by the Spanish Riding School in Austria.

A horse is a horse of course of course. Right? Well, not exactly. There are more breeds of horses than Carter has liver pills. We’re just going to touch on a few examples here, otherwise we’re going to need a book about 2000 pages long.

For example, and we’ll just start with the letter A, there is the Australian Stock Horse. This is one of those horses that arose from selective breeding due to the demands of the environment. The history of this breed actually began in 1788. When the first breed of horses was brought to Eastern Australia by the First Fleet. These horses were of mixed English Thoroughbred and Spanish stock and they were hardy enough horses that they were a perfect choice for the cavalry.

Moving along to the letter B, we have the Basotho Pony. This horse is found only in Lesotho, which is in South Africa. The horse is used almost exclusively for riding. The breed itself was developed sometime after 1825 from the Cape Horse. By the start of the 20th century this breed almost completely disappeared due to exporting of the horses and cross breeding with Arab and Thoroughbred horses. Fortunately, during the later part of the 20th century, a society was formed to revive the breed.

One of the most famous breed of horses starting with the letter C is the Clydesdale. This horse was developed in a district of Scotland. It is a heavy draft horse breed. The breed itself was developed by farmers in Lanarkshire, which is the old name for Clydesdale. This horse was mainly bred to meet the agricultural needs of farmers. The Clydesdale is a real work horse. Make no mistake about that.

The letter D gives us the Dartmoor Pony. This horse is one of nine breeds that are specific to the British Isles. This particular breed comes from a barren moorland called Dartmoor, which is located in Devon, England. These are very old horses which go all the way back to the reign of King Henry I. Today, Dartmoor Ponies are found all over Great Britain as well as countries like France, Sweden and Germany.

Moving along to the letter E, we have the Eriskay Pony. This particular pony is the only surviving variety of the Hebridean pony. It is found on the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland. Today this particular breed of pony is almost extinct. Recent DNA testing of these animals show that they are of very ancient origin. These horses are mostly used for transportation and common chores such as pulling carts and even taking children to school.

And in case you are wondering, yes there are breeds of horses that begin with the letter Z. One of them is the Zaniskari Pony, which is found in Northern India. This particular breed is what is called a riding and pack breed.

Yes, there are more breeds of horse than you can possibly imagine. If you’re interested in doing more research on these animals you can do so by going to http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/Horses-w.htm. You’ll have enough to read to keep you busy for many years to come.

Warmbloods are amazing animals. They are some of the most beautiful horses in the world, with a versatility that is unbelievable. Warmbloods, unlike what many people think, are a true breed. All of the studbooks are closed. What this means is only a horse of that breed can be registered in that studbook. The only exception is individuals of other breeding that are deemed to be able to improve the bloodline of the current breed. This is shown through performance records and the success of offspring in competition. The recent opening of the Trakhener studbook is due to a loss in type of modern Trakheners.

There are various types of Warmbloods:

• The Hanoverian:The Hanoverian’s originate from Germany. There primary use is for dressage and show jumping. These horses are mildly temperamental, with more of a calmness in nature than many horse breeds. The most common coloring in the Hanoverian are Chestnut, Bay and Grey.The Hanoverian Horse is a well built, well put together horse with much success in the disciplines of dressage and show jumping. This breed tends to be very versatile.
• The Holsteiner: The Holsteiner originates from Germany, usually reaching 16 to 17 hands. These horses are mildly temperamental and are used for show jumping, dressage and reining. They tend to usually be bay in color, but mostly any solid coloring. Most Hosteiners have a defined canter that tends to be very expressive, but lacks an impressiveness at the trot. They are typically well known as excellent jumpers but have made their imprint on the dressage community.
• Dutch Warmblood: The Dutch Warmblood’s originate from Holland and are very easy going, typically calm in nature. These good tempered horses are built well running around 16 to 17 hands. They are known to excel at whatever discipline they are trained by.
• Friesian: The Friesians originate from Holland and Germany with the studbook now kept in Germany, the FPZ. They are mildly temperamental growing to a huge size of 17 hands. They are primarily used for Dressage and reining but are sometimes seen on the show jumping circuit. These horses are also used for trick training, being widely versatile and very easily trainable. There are distinct characteristics of the Friesians. Baroque, which is mainly upright, with higher action and more feathering with a heavier mane and tail. Traditional, which is heavier and more drafty usually used for driving, and Sport Horse, which is used for all types of riding and driving. These horses are amazing. Very versatile with a very calm temperament for such an enormous horse.
• Swedish Warmblood: The Swedish Warmbloods originate from Sweden, obviously. They will grow to be 16 to 17 hands. The are used for show jumping, dressage and reining. There coloring is all solid, predominantly Chestnut. The Swedish Warmbloods are one of the youngest warmblood breeds , so true “type” is not quite defined. Mainly having solid movements, with the conformation and their temperament being highly variable.
• Trakhener: The Trakheners originate from Poland and East Prissuia. They tend to be a little more temperamental than a lot of other warmbloods. They are used for dressage, jumping and eventing. Coloring is mainly solid with defined characteristics of nice movements with good push from behind. They tend to be a bit stubborn and even difficult at times. Although there are some very lovely Trakheners. This breed possess a strong competitive drive owing perhaps to the large amount of Thoroughbred blood most carry. This is the only studbook still “open” in an attempt to further refine and define the Trakhener breed.
• Oldenburg: The Oldenburgs originate from Germany. They grown to the large size of 16 to 17 hands. These horses are very calm and loveable. There coloring is solid but any color. They are primarily used for dressage and jumping. They were the first studbook with an American Division. Interestingly enough, all American Warmbloods approved by the ISR are registered as Oldenburgs, regardless of their actual parentage.
• Andalusians: The Andalusians originate from Spain. They are smaller in height, ranging from 14.3 to 16 hands. They are used for dressage, bullfighting, parades and trick training. They come in solid colors, including mulberry. Bay and grey are the most common. Black and Dun are the least common. Andalusians are classically styled Baroque horses. They have thick manes and tails and tend to have high , lofty actions for their size. The Spanish Olympic Team was comprised entirely of Andalusians for the 2000 Games.

Horses are an amazing animal, no matter what the breed or bloodlines. They love their owners and one forms an attachment to their horse like no other. I couldn’t imagine my life without my horse.

The American Quarter Horse is the first breed of horse native to the United States. The breed evolved when the bloodlines of horses brought to the New World were mixed. Foundation American Quarter Horse stock originated from Arab, Turk and Barb breeds. Selected Stallions and Mares were crossed with horses brought to Colonial America from England and Ireland in the 1600’s. This combination resulted in a compact, heavily muscled horse that evolved to fill the colonists passion for short distance racing.

The amazing power behind a quarter horse enabled this great animal to run short distances over a straightaway faster than any other horse with the fastest being named Celebrated American Running Horse. The names for this breed has changed many times over the years until 1940 when a registry was formed to preserve the breed which officially became the American Quarter Horse Association.

In the year 1674 in Enrico County, Virginia the first American Quarter Horse Race was held. They were one-on-one match races down village streets, county lanes and level pastures. Many disagreements and fights were generated from heavy betting of large purse races by 1690.

The American Quarter Horse, due to their calm disposition and quick response time, the horse became known for its “cow sense”, being able to outmaneuver cattle. During the 1800’s as many pioneer folk moved westward, so did the American Quarter Horse. An abundant amount of cattle ranches stretched across the plains. Making this breed well suited for the cattle ranchers.

In today’s world, the American Quarter Horse still remains a great sprinter known for their heavy muscling, but they have exceeded way past the cattle horse. These amazing horses compete in almost every discipline available, from rodeo events, such as barrel racing and calf roping to English disciplines such as dressage and show jumping. The make a nice little children’s hunter as well, with the ability to jump a wide range of heights. They are one of the most versatile breeds in the world.

Many pleasure riders still look to the American Quarter horse for recreational riding, as they make a nice pleasure horse as well.

Breeders, since the creation of the breed over fifty years ago, have diligently been trying to perfect the bloodlines to produce a high quality versatile animal.. Strict guidelines have been set by the American Quarter Horse Association regarding registration of the American Quarter Horses. Some of these guidelines include: 1. Limited white markings on the face and below the knee 2. Only thirteen accepted colors recognized by the AQHA. These are sorrel (reddish brown), bay, black, brown, buckskin, chestnut, dun, red dun, gray, grullo, palomino, red roan and blue roan. The official gray color is what most people call white, but there are no “white” American Quarter Horses. 3. A quarter horse foal must be the product of a numbered American Quarter Horse dam and a numbered American Quarter Horse sire. There is an appendiz registry for foals with one numbered American Quarter Horse parent and one Throughbred parent registered with The Jockey Club.

Some other notable characteristics of the American Quarter Horse is their speed, versatility, gentle nature, heavy muscling and keen cow sense.

If you own an American Quarter Horse, no matter what discipline you choose to ride, your horse will excel. This breed is one of the most enjoyable horse breeds around today and one of the most popular.

Thoroughbreds are known as “America’s Racing Horse”. This breed of horse runs at the race track every single day around the world.

History of the Thoroughbred:

This breed of horse was originally bred in England due to the English horsemen’s desire to have a fast race horse. There are three that founded this bloodline which are: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian, named after their respective owners, Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin and Captain Robert Byerley. All of these stallions were imported to England from the Mediterranean Middle East between 1670 and 1710. The result was an animal that could carry weight with sustained speeds over extended distances. Approximately ninety percent of modern thoroughbreds have descended from Eclipse whose grandsire was Darley Arabian, who was never beaten in eighteen races.

This began a very selective breeding process which has been going on for nearly 250 years. Breeding the best stallions to the best mares to produce fast race horses, giving them superiority and excellence being established on the race track.

Around the turn of the 1700’s, breeding records for Thoroughbreds were sparse and usually incomplete, and many times, they would not name a horse until the young horse had proven them self worthy. A gentleman named James Weatherby, through his own research and hard work and by the consolidation of his own privately kept pedigree records published the first volume of the General Stud Book. This was done in 1791. The first publication listed 387 mares, each of which could trace back to Eclipse. The General Studbook is still published in England by Weatherby and Sons, Secretaries to The English Jockey Club.

Many years later, as thoroughbred racing proliferated in North America the need for a pedigree registry for American Bred Thoroughbreds, similar to the General Stud Book became apparent. In 1873, the first American Stud Book was published by Colonel Sanders D. Bruce. This man spent almost a lifetime researching the pedigrees of American Thoroughbreds. He followed the pattern of the General Stud Book producing six volumes of the register until 1896 when the project was taken over by The Jockey Club. The integrity of the American Stud Book is the foundation on which all Thoroughbred racing in North America Depends.

The first publication of the American Stud Book by The Jockey Club had a foal crop of around 3,000. In 1986 in had grown to an astonish 51,000. Today The Jockey Club runs an elaborate new computer technology to meet the registration challenges posed by the gigantic number of annual registrations. The Jockey Club owns and operates one of the most sophisticated computer operations in the world today, with its database holding more than 1.8 million horses on a master pedigree file, with names that trace back to the 1800’s. This is quite impressive genealogy. As well as bloodlines, this computer system also handles daily racing results of every Thoroughbred race in North America, as well as the ability to process electronically submitted pedigree and racing data from England, Ireland, France and other leading Thoroughbred countries.

Another descendant of Darley Arabian is Diomed; he won the first running of the Kentucky Derby in 1780. When he was twenty one years old he was brought to the United States where he produced the male line through his son, Sir Archie.

The most world renowned horse race is the Kentucky Derby, being the first race of the Triple Crown. The Preakness and The Belmont follow this historical racing event. Thoroughbreds are the horse of choice for track racing. Most thoroughbreds are born between January and April, but their official date of birth is January 1 of the current year. During their first year of growth, they are developing size and power with the youngster beginning his training as a yearling. The horse learns to accept a bridle and a saddle and soon after a rider on his back to break the horse and prepare him for the starting gate and the run around the track.

This heavy draft horse traces its roots to the early 19th century in the Lanarkshire (formerly Clydesdale) district of Scotland. There was a strong need for this large horse not only in the agricultural area but in the commerce area as well. The horses were used in the coalfields of Lanarkshire and for hauling wagons in the streets of Glasgow.

To achieve the desired traits of a horse with a longer stride and larger feet, that were necessary on draft horses who worked on the soft soils of the Scottish lands, English and Belgian stallions were imported and bred with the smaller local mares. The result was the founding line of the modern-day Clydesdales.

The breed’s reputation grew to the point that Scottish breeders began exporting them to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States. Today the Clydesdale is almost exclusively the only draft breed in its native Scotland, and is still favored in the other four countries as well.

In fact there is one very large and popular brewery in the United States which uses Clydesdales, exclusively, for pulling replicas of its original beer wagon in parades and at special events around the country. They make these magnificent animals available for one to go into their temporary stables and actually walk up to the horses for a close-up view. The horses are sort of goodwill ambassadors for their company. And darn good ones too, one might say.

Description and Conformation

Today’s Clydesdale typically weighs in from 1600 to 2000 pounds (113.6 to 142 stones). He stands 16 to 19 hands (162.5 to 193 cm., or 64 to 76 in.) at the shoulder. While this is larger than the original Scottish horse, today’s breeders have retained the large feet, the sound legs, and the distinctive looks of the ancestral Clydesdales. The colors of the coats are very vivid, the face is usually white, and the most popular trait for a performing team of these magnificent horses is four white socks which reach the knees. The legs are usually “feathered” in white hair from the knees down, and the most common color is a bright bay. Once can, however, still see Clydesdales in black, brown, and chestnut. And those are perfectly acceptable for registration as purebreds.

The overall take on this breed is that of a thoroughly well-built horse which is full of strength and activity. They naturally hold their heads high and seem very proud, almost aristocratic. One can see the strength, agility, and docility in their stance even while they are stationary. And once seen in action the Clydesdales leave an even more lasting, and awe inspiring, impression!