A horse is a very beautiful and graceful animal. There are more than two hundred breeds in the world, fifty of them are bred in the countries of the former USSR. This article will discuss their classification, and will also provide descriptions and photographs of some of the most popular ones.
In one of the developed classifications identified 3 main groups.
The first group included bred breeds of horses with their inherent high performance, which were created under conditions specified by man. This group was divided into 4 types depending on purpose and specialization :
- heavy-drawn vehicles (Soviet heavy truck, Russian heavy truck, Vladimir heavy truck, Percheron);
- harness (Russian trotter, Oryol trotter, Finnish breed and others);
- riding (purebred, Budennovskaya, Andalusian, Trakehner and other breeds);
- horse-drawn (Hungarian, Morgan, Wielkopolska, German “half-breed” and others).
In the second group, bred animals are distinguished, but in conditions closest to natural ones. This group is also highly efficient. More homogeneous (upland, upper - harness), however, differ significantly in biological qualities and therefore their divided into zonal subgroups:
- mountain,
- steppe,
- Southern Deserts.
The third group includes breeds formed by natural and artificial selection in the most similar natural conditions.
They have no specialization in terms of productivity (workers and meat and dairy workers); are distinctively adapted to local conditions and are divided according to distribution zones :
- steppe,
- northern forest,
- mountain and
- island ponies.
In this article we will look at the most common breeds of the first group for each type. And since today horses are of the greatest interest in sports and horseback riding, let's start with the riding horse.
Budenovskaya horse breed
Budenovskaya - riding, pretty common mixed breed. It was recorded in 1948. The breeding of this breed was carried out by the First Cavalry Army and other horse breedings located in the territory Rostov region, their leader was Marshal S.M. Budyonnov, in whose honor this breed was named. Don and Black Sea mares were crossed with purebred riding stallions. Thus, Budennovsky horses had strength and racing qualities.
Initially, this breed was created for the cavalry; it was necessary to achieve the endurance of the horse when creating it. However, when there was no longer a need for cavalry horses, the purpose of breeding became sport and horse riding, and the infusion of blood from racing breeds increased.
Budennovskaya differs in reference rack, her temperament is energetic. She has massive shapes, well-developed muscles, straight wide back and lower back, broad chest, strong limbs, her head is proportional, her neck is straight and long. The height of the Budennovsk horse reaches about 170 cm.
The most common color of the Budennovsky horse is red (as in the photograph presented), there are also brown, bay and raven colors.
Morgan
Morgan is a riding and draft horse breed.
Surprisingly, American Morgans are descended from one stallion, named Justin Morgan. He was height no more than 142 cm, and weighing no more than 386 kg, however, became famous in competitions in carrying heavy loads and racing under saddle and in harness. This made him an exceptionally strong horse.
In appearance, Morgans give the impression of a compact horse (see photo) - deep body, short back, muscular croup. They have a wide forehead, large eyes, short protruding ears, a lush mane and tail. They have a light, springy step, which is perhaps why they are considered the best walking horses.
Morgans reach an average height of 144-157 cm at the withers and a weight of about 450 kg. May have black, bay, brown and red color.
Oryol trotter
The Oryol trotter is a draft horse, it is also called the Oryol trotting horse. A characteristic feature of him is that he is able to run at a brisk trot.
This Russian breed bred at a stud farm at the end of the 13th century early XIX century thanks to Count A.G. Orlov-Chesmensky, in whose honor it was named. The Orlov Trotter was developed by crossing approximately fifteen different breeds.
The head size of this animal large sizes, humpbacked trotters are common. The neck of the Oryol trotter is straight and long; a swan-shaped withers of medium height is also often found. They have small and erect ears and large eyes. The back is long and laid down, the croup of this breed is lowered, as can be seen in the photo.
The Oryol trotter appears tall due to its wide chest. These horses move beautifully look smart and beautiful in harness. They have endurance and significant strength. Oryol trotters come in snow white or dapple gray, grey, black, bay, red and, very rarely, karak.
The Soviet draft horse is an unusually strong and large breed of horse with a high carrying capacity.
Their weight can reach about a ton, and their height is 170 cm. This breed has muscular forms (just look at the photo), large, wide chest, back, lower back, very wide croup, medium-length legs, has coarse hair in the mane and tail, medium-sized head. Predisposed to body fat . Temperament is calm, phlegmatic, and at the same time energetic. Mares are capable of producing large quantities milk.
The Soviet heavy truck was bred more than 60 years ago by crossing Ardennes, Brabançons, Percherons and Bityugs.
The most common colors are red, bay, and less often black and brown.
Interesting and famous fact in the world, the record in lifting weights (which has not been broken to this day) is associated with a representative of this breed - a stallion named Force - he managed to remove a load weighing 22991 kg and walked 35 m with it.
And although interest in horses faded with the development of technological progress, and they lost their original purpose, thanks to connoisseurs who saved many breeds after wars and other troubles, the world can still enjoy the beauty and strength of horses.
According to various sources, there are from 200 to 300 different breeds of horses in the world. To systematize the description of breeds, numerous attempts were made to create a classification based on various characteristics, but a unified and comprehensive base was never created. Let's look at some of the most common existing classifications.
Classification by purpose
Horses on this basis are divided into 5 groups:
riding;
horse-drawn;
light-harnessed;
heavy-duty;
horse-and-pack.
Classification according to zonal and climatic characteristics
In this case, there are 3 groups:
Classification by breeding methods
This method also involves the identification of 3 groups:
factory;
herd;
cultural herd.
Classification by origin
Based on this characteristic, all horses are divided into 3 groups:
cultural;
transitional;
Classification of the USSR Horse Breeding Research Institute
During the Soviet period, a classification was created that attempted to combine several characteristics. It identifies 3 main groups, within each of which several types are considered.
Group 1 - factory breeds of horses, bred in artificial conditions through selection and characterized by high performance. Includes the following horse types:
riding horses (Budennovskaya, thoroughbred horse, Trakehner, Gunter, Terek, Andalusian, etc.);
horse-drawn (Hungarian, German half-breed, Morgan, etc.);
harness (Russian and Oryol trotters, American standardbred, Tory, Finnish, etc.);
heavy-drawn (Perscherons, Clydestals, Suffolks, Russian, Vladimir and Soviet heavy trucks, Belgian heavy trucks etc.);
Group 2 - factory breeds of horses, bred in close to natural conditions and also distinguished by high performance. According to working productivity, these are riding and riding horses, which are divided into zonal types:
steppe (Don, Kustanai, etc.);
mountain (breeds of the Caucasus, Central Asia, etc.);
breeds of the southern deserts (Ahal-Teke, Arabian, Shiraz, Barbary, etc.);
Group 3 - local breeds bred in conditions close to natural, through selection (without selection). In terms of working productivity, they are not specialized; they belong to breeds for working and meat-and-milk production. Based on the zonal characteristic, the following types can be distinguished:
mountainous (Kyrgyz, Altai, Tuvan, Azerbaijani, Hutsul, etc.);
northern forest (Yakut, Vyatka, Pechora, Mezen, Polesie, etc.);
steppe (Kazakh, Mongolian, Transbaikalian, Bashkir, etc.);
island ponies.
Now let's take a closer look at some of the most common breeds.
Budennovskaya breed
A riding breed bred in the first quarter of the last century at the stud farms named after S. M. Budyonny by crossing Don breed with purebred riding and Black Sea breeds.
Large animals with a harmonious build, height at withers and body length up to 166 cm, chest girth up to 195 cm, pastern girth 20 cm. Color can be bay, brown, red.
The horses are distinguished by their high performance and are superior to other domestic breeds in agility. Currently used in equestrian sports and to improve local breeds at stud farms.
Akhal-Teke breed
One of the oldest breeds, also recognized as the most purebred.
The nomadic Turkmen tribes preserved the purity of the Akhal-Teke for thousands of years, preventing mixing with other breeds. The breed's homeland is the Akhal-Teke oasis, located in the southern part of Turkmenistan.
The animals are distinguished by a unique physique, inherent only to this breed: legs are correctly set, very dry and strong, a head with a straight profile, dry, very mobile long ears, large expressive eyes, a thin straight neck, muscular rib cage, low withers, short ribs. The development of hair is weak, the color is golden-brown, golden-bay, golden-red. Height at the withers and body length - up to 159 cm, metacarpal girth - 19.3 cm.
Animals have a fiery temperament, are very nervous and sensitive, often do not allow strangers to approach them, recognizing only the owner. This is one of the best breeds for equestrian sports. Widely used to improve existing riding breeds and breed new ones.
Russian draft breed
Brought out in Russia at the beginning of the last century by crossing local draft breeds with Belgian, Ardennes and other heavy draft breeds. The physique is squat, dense, massive.
Height at the withers is up to 150 cm, body length is up to 162 cm, pastern girth is 22 cm. The color can be red, bay, sometimes black and gray. The breed is distinguished by early maturity, fertility, and high life expectancy (25 years).
Russian heavy trucks have high endurance and great draft power. Weight Limit The load that a representative of this breed can pull is 20 tons. The breed is promising for use in the meat industry.
Don breed
Horse-drawn breed, which was formed on the basis of local breeds in the Don Cossack villages through improvement by crossing
with eastern breeds of riding horses and subsequent selection within the crossbreed. The formation of the breed began back in the 18th century, when the Cossacks crossed mares with Persian, Turkish, Turkmen and other horses. A strict selection was carried out within the crossbreed for endurance, strength of physique and other qualities necessary for military service. Modern representatives of the Don breed are large in size and have a strong constitution.
The body is wide, massive, with an elongated body. The color is golden-red, often with white markings on the head and legs. Height at withers - up to 163 cm, body length - up to 165 cm, metacarpus girth - 21 cm.
This breed is unpretentious to keep, tolerates harsh weather conditions, works well both in harness and under saddle. It can be used in equestrian sports, although compared to other riding horses it is inferior to them in agility.
Russian trotting breed
This breed of light draft horses was bred in the 1st quarter of the last century in the USSR by crossing the Oryol trotter with the American trotter breed. Subsequently, selection was carried out among the crossbreeds for agility and the breed improved “in itself.” The Russian Trotter is inferior in beauty to the Oryol breed, but surpasses it in agility. The animals have a strong, muscular build.
Height at the withers is up to 160 cm, body length is up to 162 cm, pastern girth is 20 cm. The color is usually bay, sometimes it can be black, gray or red.
Currently used for equestrian sports and to improve local draft horse breeds.
New Kyrgyz breed
This breed of draft horses was developed in Kyrgyzstan in the middle of the last century by crossing local breeds with Don and purebred riding breeds.
Within the breed, there are 3 varieties - the main (horse-draft) and 2 additional (massive and riding). The animal has a harmonious, strong physique, a slightly elongated body, and well-developed muscles.
The color is often bay, black and red, sometimes gray. Height at the withers - up to 156 cm, body length - up to 158 cm, metacarpal girth - 20 cm.
Representatives of this breed are unpretentious in keeping, have high endurance, and adapt well to year-round herd keeping. Promising for dairy production - the mare gives up to 15 liters of free milk (in addition to feeding the foal) during the feeding period. These horses are also used for riding, in national sports sports, to improve local breeds.
Its health and performance depend on how well a horse eats. The feed must contain the required amount of vital nutrients, and the nutrition itself must be balanced. The daily diet consists of a certain amount of feed units, biologically active substances, mineral supplements, etc. Both undernutrition and overfeeding are equally harmful.
Breed- a group of animals of common origin, which is characterized by a set specific signs and properties that are inherited. Animals of the same species, but different breeds, can differ strikingly from each other in type, appearance, body size, and performance.
From history
In the article " History of the origin of horses", we have already mentioned that this species was domesticated around the beginning of the 4th millennium BC. e. Already by the second half of the 3rd millennium BC. e. we can talk about the emergence of new breeds of horses, specially bred by people.
Some of them, due to their qualities, are used in agriculture for various jobs. In some places, certain breeds of horses are bred as production animals for meat and milk. Quite a few horses with corresponding breed characteristics performs in equestrian sport and show performances.
Breeds are grouped into breed groups based on certain common characteristics. There are several classifications of breed groups. The most used today is the one proposed by Charles Darwin back in 1859. According to it, all horse breeds are divided into aboriginal (natural, local), factory (artificial) and transitional - depending on the degree of human influence on their creation. A unified classification of horse breeds has not yet been fully developed; there are several variations.
Aboriginal breeds, in turn, are divided into steppe, mountain and forest - depending on the natural living conditions of the horses. Among the factory and transitional breeds, based on the nature of their performance, riding, trotting, draft, riding and draft horses are distinguished.
Almost every country in the world can boast of its own original breed. It is clear that man-made breeds can exist for a very long time, or they can disappear over time due to a number of circumstances. So, we will no longer see the Rostopchinsky riding horse, Streltsy, Black Sea, Herrenhausen, Senner, Flemish, Norfolk and many others.
Currently, there are more than 250 breeds of horses and ponies in the world, bred for a wide variety of purposes. Of course, it is difficult to even list them all, so we will focus only on a few - the most famous and widespread.
Quarter horses (quarter horses) are the general name of originally cowboy horses, bred taking into account the specifics of the work of shepherds. Among other features, such horses had to be capable of exceptionally high-speed dashes at short distances(1/4 mile) and subsequent sudden stops to control the movement of the herd.
Native horse breeds
These animals are well adapted to the natural conditions of a certain area, are quite versatile, and have a number of average qualities. They are distinguished by their short stature and great endurance, since they were formed in an environment of year-round life on outdoors, often with a lack of feed, temperature changes, and long journeys, unlike stabled horses. As a rule, humans took little part in the development of such breeds.
Among the mountain native breeds can be called Kyrgyz, Altai, Tuvan, Hafling, Karabakh, Hutsul. The forest ones include Vyatka, Yakut, Polesie, Estonian, Pechora, Mezen. The Bashkir, Kazakh, Mongolian, Canadian, Argentine, Transbaikal, and Buryat languages are considered steppe.
Mustang isn't really wild horse, but wild. According to one version, in New World Colonists brought it from Europe back in the 16th century.
These breeds were bred by man specifically for certain economic purposes: military operations, transportation of heavy loads, long journeys, agricultural work, etc. Generation after generation, people selected individuals with certain qualities from the offspring of horses, created the necessary conditions for keeping and training them, and carefully cultivated the necessary properties and rejected unsuitable ones. The result was highly specialized breeds that were very well adapted to perform specific tasks. Factory breed horses usually require extensive human care.
Horse breeds steel Akhal-Teke, Arabian, thoroughbred riding, Terek, Ukrainian riding, Yomud, etc. These horses are quite dry, light, with long limbs, energetic, free and very fast movements.
Trotting breeds- Oryol, Russian, American, French, Dutch and other trotters. Their main feature is the ability to move for a long time at a fast, flying trot. By the way, most of them were developed not so long ago, in the 18th–19th centuries.
Harnessed They consider Cleveland, Frisian, Torian, Belarusian, Finnish, Voronezh sled dogs. These are horses of medium height and massiveness, bred to work in various types of harnesses, transport carriages and agricultural work. Their main gaits are walk and trot.
Horse-drawn horses are slightly heavier in type than riding horses, sometimes have an elongated body. They can equally successfully carry riding loads and be harnessed to a carriage. These are Budennovskaya, Donskaya, Trakehner, Hanoverian, Kustanai, Kabardian and other breeds.
Heavy trucks- Soviet, Russian, Vladimir, Lithuanian heavyweights, shires, percherons, ardennes, Clydesdales, Brabançons, Suffolks. As the name implies, the main specialization of these massive horses is to transport loads over long distances at a leisurely, steady pace and at a gentle trot.
For example and comparison, consider several native and factory breeds in the table below
| Aboriginal horse breeds | ||
| ALTAI |
BASHKIR |
VYATSKAYA |
| Factory horse breeds | ||
| AKHALTEKE | THOROUGH BRED |
ARAB |
| BUDENNOVSKAYA | ||
| ORLOV Trotter | TRAKENEN |
FRISIAN |
| KABARDINSKAYA | SOVIET HEAVY TRUCK | |
|
BELARUSIAN DRESS |
||
horse breed crossing hybridization
The main method of creating a new breed at present is reproductive crossing, which allows one to obtain the desired results in a short time.
For this, most often 2-3 breeds are chosen, and in some cases more. The work of breeding a new breed is divided into periods, in each of which the role of one or another breed is greater or lesser.
In the final period, crossbreeds of the desired type are bred “inside”, resorting to some adjustment of the type only to a small extent using horses of the original breeds.
In addition, it is necessary that appropriate zootechnical documentation be issued for horses of the new breed, and that their breeding with high economic efficiency is carried out by 1-2 breeding farms and several farms.
The choice of breeds, the determination of their optimal combinations for crossing, a sufficient number of horses, appropriate selection and selection cannot yet ensure success in creating a new breed, since for the formation of the type and qualities of horses of a new breed, methods of keeping and feeding, the system of rearing and training are of great importance and testing of young animals. Only the right decision All of these issues could lead to the creation of a valuable new breed of horse.
The above situation is confirmed by the experience of breeding new breeds of horses in our country. In particular, when creating horses of the Terek breed, they tried to combine the elegant forms and quality of movement of Streltsy horses with the unpretentiousness of the conditions of keeping Don and Kabardian horses.
This goal was achieved as a result of complex breeding work and a cultural herd system for keeping horses. The desire to preserve the type and appearance of Streltsy horses with a very limited number of purebred animals was expressed in the use of fairly close inbreeding (in degrees II--II and III--II).
Possible negative consequences of this were prevented by the fact that close inbreeding was carried out against the background of crossings when constitutionally strong Don and Kabardian mares were used as breeding stock. Introductory crossing of horses with purebred Arabian sires helped to consolidate the riding type and elegance of Terek horses, as well as reduce the possibility of inbreeding depression.
Strengthening the constitution and adaptive qualities was achieved by keeping the breeding stock in cultural herds, and not in stable conditions, as was practiced when breeding Streltsy horses. Raising, training and testing of young animals corresponded to the techniques adopted for breeding factory-bred riding horses, which contributed to the formation of the desired exterior and performance qualities in young horses.
As a result of such work, horses of a new, Terek breed, retained best qualities old Streltsy horses acquired a stronger constitution, excellent adaptability to cultural herd maintenance in the foothills of the North Caucasus and high performance.
Similar methods of keeping, raising and testing horses were used in the development of the Budenovsky breed. However, the methods of breeding work were already different. Inbreeding was almost never used, and the desired type of horses was fixed by strict selection of the breeding stock.
In addition, only two breeds of horses took part in the crossing: the Don breed as the uterine breed and the purebred riding horse, represented by stud stallions. In a number of cases, to maintain the type of strong, hardy horse, crossbred mares of the first and second generations were again mated with stallions of the Don breed.
As a result, horses of the new, Budenovsky breed consistently inherit the best qualities of the Don breed, such as strong constitution, adaptability to being kept in herd and cultural herd conditions, endurance when working on land. long distances, and are also distinguished by high agility, large stature, pronounced riding forms of build - qualities characteristic of a purebred.
In the stud farms of our country, horses of 30 breeds and breed groups of various economic types and purposes of both domestic and foreign origin are bred.
For purposeful and effective work on improving horse breeds, plans for breeding work with them are developed. Leading experts working with a particular breed take part in the preparation of such plans.
In terms of breeding work with the breed, the basic methods of training and testing young animals are indicated that best meet the objectives of producing horses of the required type and purpose.
For horses of the most common and valuable breeds, technological schemes for maintaining and feeding the production team, reproduction, rearing and training of young animals are also being developed. When drawing up these schemes, we proceed from scientifically based norms and diets for feeding horses of all ages, as well as from maintenance methods that meet the requirements for the normal development of animals.
Based on plans for breeding work with the breed, published in the prefaces to state stud books or in the form of separate publications, plans for breeding work at stud farms are drawn up.
The basis for summing up the results of breeding work can be recognized as the presence of a sufficiently large number of animals that have a common origin and are similar in appearance and constitution, character and level of productivity and persistently transmit these qualities to their offspring. At the same time, there must be at least 2000 mares and 100 stud stallions for a newly created breed, 1000 and 50 for a breed group, 500 and 25 for an intrabreed type, 200 and 10 for a factory type, and 50 mares and 6 improvement stallions - for the new factory line.
In newly created breeding achievements it is necessary to have structural units at the time of approbation: for a new breed 6 factory lines and 12 families, for a breed group and within-breed type 3 lines and 6 families, in a factory type - 2 and 4 each and in a new factory line 2 families.
In the chronicles of Ancient Rus' it was reported that all horses were divided into merciful, bag and driven. These definitions may well be considered the first horse breeds. But we will remember those that are known today.
Gracious, smart, motivated
Princes rode merciful horses; they were sent as expensive gifts for faithful service to their subjects, and only the highest ranks of the princes' squad had the right to own such a horse. Bag horses were used to transport goods - bags, packs, and military campaigns. Driving horses were commercial horses, they were clumsy, and therefore were only suitable to be used exclusively in convoys. The horse in Rus' was incredibly highly valued. Thus, in the 11th century, Prince Yaroslav the Wise published a collection of laws, which ordered the person guilty of killing someone else’s horse to pay 12 hryvnia to the treasury and another 1 hryvnia to the victim. What is the basis of domestic horse breeding today?
Don horse
Large, unpretentious, bursting with health, like the Cossacks themselves, Don horses were born for service. They form cavalry and mounted police regiments. Their ancestor is the steppe horse, which the Don Cossacks improved at the expense of Turkish, Persian, Karabakh, and Turkmen breeds that came to them in the 18th and 19th centuries during the Russian-Turkish wars. Then they were crossed with the Oryol breed, with purebred riding horses and Arabian half-breeds. One of the French generals who took part in the war of 1812 wrote that the horses of the Don Cossacks “are not inferior to them in art and seem to be part of their body.”
Oryol trotter
The creator of this breed is Count Alexey Orlov-Chesmensky. He dreamed of combining beauty and grace in one horse Arabian horses with the massiveness and power of the Danish, Dutch, Norfolk and Mecklenburg draft breeds. The ancestor of the breed was the Arabian stallion Smetanka, whom the count bought from the Turkish Sultan for 60 thousand rubles. For comparison: in those days, a groom received 3 rubles a year, and the total state income from horse trading was about 5 thousand rubles a year. Oryol trotters have spread widely in Russia. They were used, first of all, as roots in Russian troikas.
Russian riding
The Russian horse can be called the sister of the Oryol trotter. Its creator is also Count Orlov-Chesmensky, and its founders are the Arab Smetanka and Akhal-Teke stallion Sultan. They were crossed with English Thoroughbred and Arabian mares respectively. The count horse breeder sought to create a horse suitable for war and dressage riding. By the end of the 19th century, Russian horses, dark colors, graceful, flexible, were frequent winners not only of Russian, but also international exhibitions. After the revolution and the Second World War, the breed practically disappeared, but was recreated in the 80s and 90s.
Russian trotter
If the Russian horse is the sister of the Oryol trotter, then the Russian trotter is his son. This breed developed at the beginning of the twentieth century on the basis of the Oryol, crossed with the American Trotter and the Dutch Friesian. American trotters, although inferior to Oryol's in beauty and gracefulness, were superior in speed. Therefore, Russian horse breeders began to crossbreed mares of the Oryol breed with fast Americans. Their mixed-breed children began to regularly outpace the Oryol ones, but still turned out to be slower than the American trotters. Over the past twenty years, due to unsystematic crossings of Russian and American trotting breeds, the agility of horses has increased, but their appearance has also changed: the breed has ceased to be purely Russian. Nevertheless, the Russian trotter remains the most common breed in our country.
Russian heavy truck
It’s a gift that he is small in stature: a peasant cannot find a better assistant than a Russian heavy truck. Unpretentious, prolific, early ripening and at the same time energetic, it is capable of pulling a load weighing up to twenty and even up to twenty-six tons. It is as efficient as a small tractor, but more economical. Some experts consider the Russian draft horse to be the ideal draft horse.
