The Norwegian Fjord

 Norway is a mountainous country with fjords---narrow inlets of see surrounded by steep mountains---stretching inwards for miles. During the time when Vikings travelled the seas, conquering many parts of Scandinavia, there were no roads in Norway. The only form of transportation was by sailing on boats through the fjords. As the farmers settled the hills, they domesticated the small dun horses native to the area, using them as draft horses to perform farm work.

 The breed, named after the fjords in the area's landscape, is thought have existed in wild herds after the after the last ice age, up until it was domesticated by Vikings 4,000 years ago. Archeological excavations have shown that the breed had been selectively bred by Vikings for approximately 2,000 years after they had been domesticated.

  Fjords have developed powerful hindquarters, strength enough to transport a 200 pound man, or even  a cart, up steep, sinuous mountains, and sure-footedness from spending several millennia wandering about steep, precarious mountains. They have smooth gaits high knee action.

Some Fjords, mainly the heavier ones, are used to pull carts.
credit

Others make better eventing horses. credit

 One unique characteristic is that 90% of Fjords are brown dun, while the other 10% are either a red dun, whitish dun, grey dun(grulla), or yellow dun, a rare variation.  Some Fjords even have primitive markings, which may include zebra stripes on the legs or a dorsal strip down the spine.

 However, the breeds's most distinctive feature is their mane---black in the center, white on the outside. Fjord aficionados cut the breed's coarse manes into to crescent shapes, trimming the outer white part half an inch shorter than the inner part, clearly emphasizing the black hairs.

 Other characteristics include small, alert ears; large, intelligent eyes; a broad forehead and slightly dished profile; strong, crested neck; short-coupled body; and well-developed muscles. The legs are powerful with a good bone and hardy black hooves. Although they are not considered ponies, the can range any between 13.2 and 14.2 hands heigh, weighing 900 to 1,200 pounds once matured.

 Fjords are calm and curious, with charming, gentle natures. Males display strong, masculine traits and females soft, feminine traits.

 Fjords are very diverse, coming in different body types due to the fact that the usage of the breed changed with the times. Consequently, they can be doing a variety of activities and disciplines, with heavier types being more suited for cart-pulling and lighter types excelling at jumping, eventing, dressage, reining, and many other disciplines.

Bashkir Curly Horse

 In 1898, a father and son found a small herd of three curly-coated horses living in the foothills of a mountain range in Nevada. They brought them home and began breeding them.

 Where the breed came from is a mystery. Some believe that early settlers, maybe even Russians or Vikings, brought the breed to America in the 1800s, naming it after an ancient Russian breed from the Bashkortostan region. Still, many people disagree with this theory, arguing that the curly-coated Russian breed was not the Bashkir, but the Lokai.

This breed's most distinctive trait is its curly coat.
credit

 Although its history and origins are yet unknown, people have come up with various theories. Some people say that the Curlies traveled across the Bering Strait during the last ice age. Others believe that Russians took them to Alaska. Still, their is no evidence to support either of these theories, and the second one has actually been disproved by a man named Shan Thomas, who had researched the possibility extensively. He had discovered that there was no mention of importing horses in Russian ship logs. Even if Bashkir horses were imported, it would have been impossible for them to make the perilous 3,000 mile journey through bitter cold blizzards and blistering deserts, all the way from Alaska to Nevada.

 Sightings of Curly Horses in South America have been reported as early as the late 1700s. This means that Curlies, or horses with the same gene, could have been brought to the continent long before the 1800s.

 In a Serology Lab in UC-Davis, people have done blood tests on 200 random Bashkir Curlies, finding that none of them displayed similar blood characteristics, as animals of the same breed would. In fact, each had blood characteristics of various different breeds, so each Curly was different with different breeds in its bloodline. This means that Curly Horses aren't a genetically distinct breed, but a type!

 Along those same lines, when a Curly Horse is bred to a horse without a curly coat, there is a 50% chance that their offspring would bear a curly coat.

 Curlies are born with hundreds of type curls all over their body. They are hardy horses, able to endure all kinds of harsh climates, and are bulky and round, usually standing from 14.2 to 15.1 hands high.

 Because Curlies are sure-footed, and agile, they make excellent trail, gymkhana, and western horses. They are also found in the dressage arena.

Cleveland Bay

 The Cleveland Bay, which is the United Kingdom's oldest breed, developed in the Yorkshire and Cleveland areas of northeast England. Although most of the breeds that went into it are unknown, we do know that the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Barb appear somewhere along the line. Other types of Barbs, imported into the Port of Whitby in Yorkshire during medieval times, may also have played a role in creating the Cleveland Bay.

 The Cleveland Bay, called the Chapman Horse in medieval times, was once used as a pack horse for monasteries and peddlers. Later, as roads became better and more suited for wagons, they were used as coach horses, and then Thoroughbred blood was added to create a faster horse. Because of that, the breed split into two breeds: the Yorkshire Coach Horse, which continued to be used to pull coaches, and the Cleveland Bay, a similar version with the added Thoroughbred blood.

Cleveland Bays come in two body types: a strong, tall type resembling
the Yorkshire Coach Horse, and a slightly smaller, slender type, which is a result of the added Thoroughbred blood.
credit

 Cleveland Bays were imported to the United States as a coach horse in the mid 1800s, and later as a foundation horse for hunters in 1930. During World War II, population of Cleveland Bays in the UK plunged, with many dying in battle as they worked as supply and artillery horses.

 By 1950, only five stallions remained, and the Queen of England, among other avid breeders, have since worked hard to save the breed from extinction. Today, only 500 Cleveland Bays are registered worldwide, with 200 of them in North America alone.

 Cleveland Bays are elegant, athletic horses. Some of them move in graceful, sweeping motion, while others have a more upright stride. They are hardy horses, easy keepers, and stand from 16 to 16.2 hands high. Just like Friesians are black 99% of the time, Cleveland bays are dark bay, probably because the original herd of horses was all ark bay, and were bred until the color was fixed. However, there are rare genetic throwbacks when a foal comes out to be chestnut instead of bay.

 The Cleveland Bay is intelligent with a strong character. They are bold and honest. Because of their good temperament, they make excellent police horses.

 Because of their endurance, quickness, and versatility, Cleveland Bays excel in many disciplines, including jumping, hunting, dressage, eventing and trail riding. They are also good carriage horses. In fact, pairs of Cleveland Bays have been seen in FEI driving trials over the years.

The American Paint Horse

  In 1519, Spanish explorer Hermando Cortes began exploring Central America, bringing with him horses with pinto patterns, many of which were stolen, bartered for, or even abandoned.

 By the early 19th century, many feral horses, including ones with large colored patches on them, roamed the Plains. Native Americans loved the pinto colors, and were often found riding them across the Plains. The best horsemen on the Plains, though, were the Comanche, who owned large herds of pintos, which were also known as paints, piebalds, and skewbalds.

 Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the American Quarter Horse Association banned paints and other horses with white above the knees from its stud book. In efforts to preserve the beautiful color pattern, pinto aficionados formed many organizations with the sole purpose of promoting their horses, including the Pinto Horse Association in the 1950s. Later, those organizations merged into one and became the American Paint Stock Horse Association. Members not only strove to preserve the unique color pattern, but also the stock horse-type conformation.

 Founder Rebecca Lockhart had spent hours calling friends, including E. J. Hudspeth, Truman Moody, and Charlie Moore, three men from Gainesville, Texas who were interested in promoting the breed.

 They began by hosting a show at Waurika, Oklahoma. Afterward, they spoke to the Southwestern Exhibition and the Fat Stock Show organizers, and finally were able to get an open color class approved for a show in 1961.

 On February 16, 1961, Rebecca became the secretary of the American Paint Stock Horse Association. By the end of 1962, there were 150 members and 250 registered horses.

 In 1963, executive secretary Ralph Morrison took Rebecca's place as the secretary. That same yea, the Association moved to Amarillo, Texas and had its first show in the Aufil Sports Arena, in Lubbock, Texas.

 By the end of 1964 for, 1,269 horses were registered and there were 1,005 members.

At the same time, the American Paint Quarter Horse Association was formed, although it never took off, so it merged with the American Paint Stock Horse Association. In 1965, after quite some debating, the association became the American Paint Horse Association. It had 1,300 members and 3,800 registered horses.

 The American Paint is somewhat stocky, like Quarter Horses and other stock horses. They range from 14.2 hands high to 16.2 hands high. Although most Paints are pinto patterned, some, called breeding stock paints, are not. The rest are divided into two main coat patterns: tobiano and overo.

Tobiano

 Tobiano pintos have colored patches along their back and on their head. Often, their legs are white.

Splashed white overos, like the one above,
rarely have any color on them, except for on the back.
credit

 Overos usually do not have white on their backs, although they will have large patches of white on their faces. Their are three types of overo: frame overo, which means that a frame of colored markings is around the white markings; sabino, meaning that roan hairs surround the colored patches and white hair usually covers the entire face; and last but not least, splashed white horses have blue eyes, long white socks, white bellies, and white or blazed faces.

This tovero has a war bonnet on his face and a shield on his chest.
credit

 A third rare color, known as tovero, is a combination of the two main color types. Toveros are usually all white, except for one the head and neck. Native Americans gave this characteristic the name medicine hat and war bonnet, and this pattern was prized by chiefs and medicine men. Colored patterns on the chest is called a shield.

Pictures coming soon!

Rocky Mountain Horse

 Around 1890 a dark, chocolate colored colt with a flaxen mane and tail born in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States was brought to the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in Kentucky. Locals referred to him as "the Rocky mountain Horse." When he was older, he was bred to many native saddle horses, all of which produced beautiful foals bearing his unique colors. They also inherited his wonderful temperament and a superior, one-of-a-kind four-beat gait.

  Almost everyone in eastern Kentucky, where the breed originated, owned a Rocky Mountain Horse, which was really an all-around jack-of-all-trades kind of a horse. The families in that area were by no means rich, and used horses as work animals. Farmers put them to work pulling plows during the week and used them to pull a buggy to take the entire family to church on Sundays. Because they had to work hard all day, every day, they became a tough, versatile breed with a lot of stamina.

  Life in that area was not easy for the Rockies. Winters were harsh and forage was scarce, so they had to survive eating bark off trees, like deer. They never received special care like the pampered Thoroughbreds rich Kentuckians owned, and as a result, only the strongest, toughest horses survived to produce the next generation of survivors. The rest were culled out. It may sound like a rough life, and it was, but it actually benefitted the breed. Since only the strongest horses survived, only qualities from those horses were passed on. That's what people living in that area wanted: to create a strong horse with a lot of stamina---one that could work all week and still take the family to town on the weekends.

 A man named Sam Tuttle was a notable breeder of Rocky Mountain Horses for the better part of the twentieth century. His greatest stallion was Tobe, and people can from all over the country to breed their horses to him, even when tractors started coming into to use.

 In the early '60s, Sam used his horses for trail riding services in Natural Bridge State Park, Powell County, Kentucky. Most often, he would ride Tobe, but sometimes he let other people ride the special stallion, which had surprisingly good manners for a breeding stallion.

 Tobe was used for breeding until he was thirty-four, and died three years later. Over the years, he had passed on many good traits to his offspring and all of his descendants, including good temperament, fine gaits, and longevity.

Several decades later, in the '80s, a genetic researcher began studying the special breed. Over the years, since the breed had had little influence from the world outside of the county they had originated in, the bloodlines remained pure, and the horse developed both an distinct way of walking and a unique appearance.

Rocky Mountain Horses, or Rockies as they are commonly called,
are are usually a dark chocolate-like chestnut with a flaxen mane and tail.
credit

 Rockies have a straight profiles, complete with a friendly, expressive look in the eyes. They stand from 14.2 to 16 hands high and have a broad chest, slanting shoulders, a compact body, and a upright carriage; the latter probably an indication of their Spanish ancestors, most likely the Iberian horses. Rockies are usually a rich dark chestnut with flaxen manes and tails.

 Their special four-beat gait, called the single foot, is similar to the rack and can performed a various speeds. Each foot hits the ground independently

 Today, Rocky Mountain Horses are used for many different disciplines, including pleasure, endurance riding, and trail riding due to their sure-footedness. Sometimes, they are even used for competitive trail riding, a sport where horse and rider pairs are to ride of natural trails, maneuvering any obstacle they encounter along the way. At the end, the horses are evaluated on how well they performed and how good their manners, condition, soundness, and trail ability are. The riders are judged on how good their horsemanship and equitation is.

Check out the breed's official page: Rocky Mountain Horse Association

The Palouse Horse

 In the early nineteenth century, Danes began to selectively breed horses with small, round spots, a breed later known as the Knabstrupper. Other such horses were bred in Austria, too. It is likely that explorers of the New World took the forebears these special horses with them on their journey.  However, many escaped or were stolen by Native American tribes, who loved the horses spotted patterns. 

 The Nez Perce people, who lived in the area now called Oregon and Washington, were proficient horsemen, and adeptly bred their horses, only bringing out the desirable traits. Years of selective breeding produced a rugged horse with robust hooves, strong legs, sparse tails that would not catch on any brush while the horse rambled about the wilderness, and camouflage spots that were coveted by every tribe. Over the years, the number of spotted horses raised dramatically.

This Appaloosa has the coat pattern known as leopard.
The German word for this coat translates as "spotted tiger."
credit

 Then, in the early 1800s, pioneers trekking west noticed the spotted horses, referring to them as "Palouse" horses, after a river that ran through the area. In 1877, the U.S. Cavalry killed the Palouse horses after the Nez Perce had waged war on the U.S. Government for taking their land away.  Some of the horses escaped, and settlers took them, breeding them with heavy Spanish horses to produce a horse that could work on farms and ranches.

 Later, an "a" was added to the beginning of the name and the spelling changed a little(pronunciation remained the same). By 1938, the Appaloosa Horse Club was founded, and members endeavored to refine to the breed, which was then a stocky draft-type, with Arabian and Quarter Horse blood. Since then, their numbers have increased.

This Appaloosa, named Go Skippa Rock, has a dusting of white,
as if snow had lightly fallen on him. This pattern is known as snowflake.

credit

A third coat pattern(above) is called blanket.
It may cover only the hindquarters, like the one above,
or it may stretch all the way the withers.
Some blankets, called snowcaps, do not have spots on them.
credit

Marble coats, like the one above, is really no different than
a regular roan coat. credit

 Two basic types of Appaloosas exist: a bulky type, which most resembles the draft one used for farm work, and a muscular one with upright carriage.  Appaloosas are usually 14.2 to 16 hands high, and have a small, well-formed face and pointed ears(most like from the Arabian blood), with white sclera rings around the eye. They have sloped shoulders and are deep-chested. Another attribute is the mottled skin around the muzzle.

This foal is almost leopard colored, except for the fact that
that he has some brown on the knees, hocks, and face.
Some consider this to be a different color, known as near-leopard.
(click here if you are interested in seeing more coats)

 Of course, their trademark is their coat pattern. Several exist, including the snowflake, which is any solid color with a light powdering of white; blanket, which is a solid color that has a patch of white on the hindquarters, sometimes with colored spots inside of it; and leopard, a pattern with spots all over the body. Another pattern is a roan Appaloosa, with dark stripes, known as varnish, along the cheekbones.


 Appaloosas can be used in many disciplines, including combined driving, dressage, show jumping, endurance racing, and any western event. Also, on the West Coast, Appaloosas pound rapidly down racetracks, just like Thoroughbreds commonly do.

 Check out the breed's official webpage! Appaloosa Horse Club

American Quarter Horse

 In the colonial era, many people wanted a tough, sturdy horse that could work all day, everyday during the week and still be able race on weekends. They seemed to love match races that were a quarter mile long, so they began to develop a hardy sprinter. Among the breeds they used to create this breed were Thoroughbreds, English Pacers, Chickasaws, and French stock.

 One of the most influential Thoroughbred stallions used as a stud horse between 1746 and 1800 was Janus, who was directly related to Godolphin Barb, one of the foundation stallions of the Thoroughbred breed. Unlike most Thoroughbreds, however, he was stocky and had short legs, with a body that was not quite as long as is expected of Thoroughbreds. Today, you can clearly see his influence in the Quarter Horse---the strength, athleticism, and even conformation. It all traces back to a single stallion. In fact, nine of the eleven foundation stallions all trace to Janus. 

 Everybody loved the quarter mile races, but when they increased to half miles and miles, a new breed stepped into the racing spotlight: the Thoroughbred. Consequently, when pioneers headed West in the early 1800s, the Quarter Horse came with them. Quarter Horses seemed to have an natural ability, called cow sense, to read a cow's body language, so they became a cowboy's preferred mount. Today, they are still cowboy horses, and are used in many western disciplines, including reining, cutting, teaming penning and sorting, and just as a pleasure horse. Even some rural ranches still use them while working with cattle. 

 With 4 million registered worldwide, the Quarter Horse is today's most popular horse breed.

This chestnut Quarter Horse, whose name is Streakin' Six, was
inducted into the AQHA Hall of Fame in 2011. He entered in
nineteen races, winning ten, coming second in five of them, and
place third once. (Credit)

 Quarter Horse's usually range from 14.2 hands high to 15.3 hands high. Their head is compact, with wide-set eyes, small ears, large nostrils, and large cheekbones. Also, their shoulders are sloping, their barrels are deep, and their chests are wide, and many people say that their muscular hindquarters, which can easily thrust them forward, are remarkable. 

 They come in many colors, although sorrel, which looks like a burnished chestnut, is very common.

Morgan

 In 1789, a logging horse named Figure was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts. No one knew who his parents were, although some suspect the sire to be True Briton, a Thoroughbred, and believe that Friesians, Welsh Cobs, Norfolk Trotters, or even Canadian Horses to be somewhere in his lineage. Then again, these are just speculations. No one really knows for certain. 

 As a yearling, Figure was sold to Justin Morgan, a schoolteacher from Vermont, who lent the young horse to neighboring farmers to be used as a plow horse and a logging horse. It turns out that the small, 14 hands high colt was also good at racing. He would beat the fastest Thoroughbreds in match races, win trotting races, and could even out-pull heavy draft horses in log-pulling races, always winning, no matter how much extra weight was put on.

Morgans are usually found in bay,
black, and dark chestnut. They
can be used in many disciplines,
including western pleasure, like the one
above.

 It wasn't long before villagers asked for Figures stud services, breeding him mainly to Thoroughbred and Norfolk Trotter mares, although he successfully made his mark upon generations of horses, which became to be known as "Morgan's horse." Later, the name was shortened to "Morgan," which is used to this day. 

 The Morgan has large, intelligent eyes; a slightly dished profile; a crested neck, which flows smoothly into high withers; a short back, sturdy legs, powerful haunches, and stands between 14.1 and 15.2 hands high. Also, the breed is divided into two different types: the powerful, compact Morgan, which closely resembles the breed's base stallion, Figure, and the elegant, more refined type, developed more recently than he other type. Despite their physical differences, the two have three traits in common: liveliness, endurance, and a good-natured temperament. 

 Just like the Thoroughbred, the Morgan excels in many disciplines, including dressage, driving, endurance racing, eventing, show jumping, and just about any other discipline, English or Western. The fact that it is an all-round horse most likely goes back to the early development of the breed, when a farmer needed to have it ready to do harness work or another man had to use it for different purposes. 

Przewalski Horse

  Over the centuries and millennia, hundreds of horse breeds have resulted from mankind's influence. Some of these horses have escaped and are the ancestors of so-called "wild" horses. However, an animal is only truly wild if it has never been domesticated, or never has had any domesticated ancestors, unlike todays "wild" mustangs. Far away in Mongolia lies the only horse that fits the criteria: the Przewalski(sheh-VAL-skee).

 Scientists believe that it may even be another species of equine since it resembles the prehistoric eohippus than any other horse today. In fact, since it has remained untainted by human influence for millennia, or longer, they think it may even be a direct descendant of the ancient multi-toed equine.

  Around the year 1900, an animal trader gathered lots of Przewalski foals, shipping them to Europe. Many died along the way, leaving only 53 alive. After that, they were sent to zoos all over the continent. It was actually very fortunate that the breed was taken to Europe. About sixty years later, with the increase of agriculture, the horses were forced to retreat to the desert, where they became extinct due to inhospitable weather.

 In the seventies, Przewalski breed advocate became outrage at the breeding practices in zoos. Facilities rarely exchanged horses, so they began inbreeding the horses, which caused genetic diseases and a high foal mortality rate.

 Three people from the Netherlands made a huge effort to save the breed, establishing the Foundation for Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse, hoping that someday they could reintroduce the breed into the wild. They started a studbook before strategically crossbreeding horses from different zoos prevent inbreeding.

 With the help from the WWF-Netherlands, they purchased several horses and released them into reserves in Germany and the Netherlands. Every year mares would foal and raise their own offspring, and the mortality rate decreased significantly.

 In 1992, the Przewalskis from different preservations were released into a 50,000 acre nature reserve in Mongolia, called Hustain Nuruu, where they have been ever since. Twenty years have passed, yet there are only 300 horses in the reserve, which is now a national park, and efforts to save the breed continue in other preserves in Mongolia and China.

Notice the markings on the legs and the
black hair on the ears. These are both
signs that Przewalski horses are much more like
their ancestor, the Eohippus, than other horses,
like Thoroughbreds, Paints, and Quarter Horses
are. They also have low-set tails, like donkeys.
(credit)

 The Przewalski has fox colored coat with a light belly a mealy colored hair around the eyes and on the muzzle. It also has several primitive markings, such as black rimmed ears, a dorsal stripe, and zebra stripes on the legs. They stand 13 to 14 hands high. Przewalskis differ from today's horse by having 66 chromosomes, rather than 64. When mated with a horse, a Przewalski produces fertile offspring with 65 chromosomes, while a horse mated with a donkey(62 chromosomes) produces sterile offspring with 63 chromosomes.

Caspian Horse

 In the late 1950s, Louise Firouz moved to Tehran, Iran with her husband, establishing a children's riding school in Norouzabad once she got there. However, since only large hot-blooded horses were available to her, and she believed that such horses were not suitable for young riders, she decided to hunt for a smaller, more cool-headed breed.  For years she searched for the perfect mount for children riders. Finally, in 1965, while exploring the densely forested Elburz Mountains near the Caspian Sea, she found what she was looking for: a small, calm, Arabain-like horse. 

 She purchased one of the horses from a nearby villager, naming the breed Caspian since it had no other name. Then she collected some feral horses of the same breed. She had a feeling that she had found something important that day, as if she had rediscovered an ancient breed. Later, zoologists performed DNA, bone, and blood tests, proving that Caspians were direct descendants of Horse Type 4, an ancestor of the Arabian and other hot-blooded horses that was thought to be extinct for over 1,300 years. They believed that the Caspian had survived all these years because their homeland had been secluded from the rest of the world, blocked by Elburz Mountains on one side and the Caspian Sea on the other.

 After discovering breed, Firouz founded a breeding program to preserve the almost extinct horse breed.   However, in 1974, when war and political turmoil tormented the country, the breed almost became extinct. During that time, Firouz tried to export many of the horses as she could, but she was only able to export 33 mares and stallions. From those 33 horses, the breed began thrive in the UK, Australia, Scandinavia, North America, and the rest for Europe. 

 In the '90s, after the all the trouble in her country ended, Firouz began another breeding program, this time at Persicus Farm, which is currently overseen by the Iranian government.

Caspians, like the one above, resemble Arabians with
high-set tails, a dished face, and a prominent forehead.
Visit Equus Callabus for credit.

 The Caspian horse, unlike most other horses, quickly reaches full height of around 9 to 12 hands at the young age of 18 months. They resemble the Arabian in many aspects, with a dished face, a high-set tail, large eyes, a long neck, and prominent forehead. Their hooves a tough so they seldom are in need of shoeing. Although many people consider the Caspian a pony, they are incorrect since their skeletal structure is just like that of their full-sized cousins. In reality, they are small, well-bred horses.

Today, they are often used by children for gymkhana, dressage, jumping, and driving because of their athleticism and versatility, as well as their intelligent and willing nature.

 An interesting fact about the Caspian is that their genes seem to be dominant. Even if a mare has very little Caspian blood in her, she can throwback a foal with Caspian features. 

 Even after over thirty years of breeding, the Caspian is still considered a rare breed with critical status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, The international registrar states that there are only about 450 left in the U.S. and 1,200 worlwide. Since 1965, only about 2000 have been registered.

The Akhal-Teke Horse

When horse lovers hear someone mention the breed Akhal-Teke, they imagine a long, skinny horse with gleaming coat and thin neck supporting a small head. This beautiful, hotblooded, desert horse is popular today in all types of competitive events.

Historians claim that the Akhal-Teke is at least 3,000 years old, and is related to the Turkmene, a horse that has existed since 2400 B.C.

Akhal-Tekes shine like gold because their hair has very little
opaqueness in it. Instead, the opaque core is replaced with
transparent medulla, which refracts light, giving the horse a shiny appearance.(for original picture, see
Horse Nation)

Around the beginning of the sixth century AD, a nomadic Turkish tribe found the Teke and adopted it into their tribe, treating the horse as part of the family and even letting them sleep alongside the tribesmen in a tent. Weather was harsh, fluctuating from bitter cold to sweltering heat. Even so, the hardy horses survived, and even thrived, on the grain and mutton fat cakes they were fed.

In 1881, when Turkmenistan became part of the Russian Empire, the Russians called the horses Argamaks, meaning "cherished Asian horses." They later renamed them "Akhal Teke" after the Teke Turkmen who lived near the Akhal oasis.

 They tried crossbreeding the Akhal-Teke with Thoroughbreds in hopes of improving the breed, but with the added Thoroughbred blood, the once hardy horse could not withstand the harsh desert climate.

Akhal-Tekes are also recognized by their narrow frame
and cat-like eyes.

Consequently, in 1973, authorities decided that all foals would have to be pureblooded Akhal-Tekes in order to be allowed in the studbook. Any stallion not producing pureblooded offspring is scratched from the studbook. 

 Akhal-Tekes are use in almost every horse competition, including endurance racing, show jumping, dressage, and flat racing. 

The Arabian Horse

Arabians are probably the most popular horses in today's world. Because of there spirit, endurance, and athleticism, they excel in all sports, including jumping, dressage, and endurance racing.

 An Arabian's most distinctive features are its arched neck, dished face, high-set tail, and large nostrils on a small muzzle. Also unique to the breed is that it has five lumbar vertebrae, seventeen ribs, and sixteen tailbones, while other horses have eighteen ribs, six lumbar vertebrae, and eighteen tailbones. Furthermore, every Arabian has dark skin, which protected them from the blazing Middle Eastern sun.

 Arabians have lived with the Arabian Peninsula's nomadic tribesmen, the Bedouins, for thousands of years. The Bedouins were so fond of their horses that they even brought them inside their tents. Even Mohammed used the hardy, loyal horses as a way to spread the word of Islam.

For original photo,  click here

 However, it wasn't until the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, when the Turkish government sent forty-five to the event, that the Arabian finally became popular in America. At the time, a businessman by the name Peter Bradley had bought a lot of them. Thirteen years later, he funded an expedition for cartoonist Homer Davenport to buy more of the treasured horses and send them to America. Two years after that, Davenport, along with Arabian enthusiasts, founded the Arabian Horse Registry of America.

Then, in 1950, the International Arabian Horse Association was finally formed. It offered shows specifically for registered Arabians and half-Arabians. Finally, the two organizations(Arabian Horse Registry and the International Arabian Horse Association) united as the Arabian Horse Association.

Arabians are very spirited horses.(Click here for original photo)

   Arabians perform well in almost every event, both Western and English. Because of this, Arabians have been crossbred with other breeds to improve the breed and create good sport horses. Nowadays, most saddle horses can be traced to the Arabian.

Paso Fino

Click here for original photo.

The Paso Fino(Paso Fino means "fine step") is an incredible horse. They are definitely unique because of their special, natural gaits, and they do have a long history. In fact, their ancestors date back to the early 1500s.

 Back in the 1500s, when people from almost every country began to settle the New World, Spanish conquistadors brought horses with them to Santo Domingo(which is in the Dominican Republic). The horses  that came with them include Barbs, Andalusians, and the now extinct Spanish Jennet. The Paso Fino's unique gait, a key trait in the breed, is believed to have come from the Jennets.

  Only in the 1940s did Americans finally begin to import the unique horse from Columbia and Puerto Rican. After years of selectively breeding the finest horses in the group, a new, even better horse was created: the American Paso Fino.

 Today, the Paso Fino is recognized for its smooth gait and for how surefooted it is. Because of these traits, in conjunction with its stamina, speed, and agility, it also excels in endurance competitions, barrel racing, and pole bending. Furthermore, it has a wonderful gait unique to its breed.

 In shows, riders must ride their horses on long, wooden boards known as sounding boards. The judges listen carefully for the breed's hallmark, which is a rhythmic, four-beat gait, and judge the horses and riders by how evenly spaced the beats are.

 There are three versions of the Paso Fino's gait. The slowest, known as the Classic Fino, includes a short stride and rapid footfalls. The Paso Corto is unhurried involves slightly longer strides. Finally, the fastest gait, Paso Largo, has long strides and is not very collected.

Click here for original photo.

 However, the most prominent trait, in my opinion, is temperament. The Paso Fino is a people loving horse, full of spirit and eager to please. Even when riding the horse, you will find that it is reliable, consistent, and responsive to your commands. That is what makes a great horse, not anything else.

Paso Finos are all-round horses, great for competitions or just for riding. They are friendly and great around all people.

The Shire and Clydesdale: a Comparison

Imagine that you see two horses--a Shire and a Clydesdale. At first, if you know little about horses, you may say that they are the same horse. Though they are certainly quite similar physically, their historically backward has several differences.

Historical Background

Clydesdale(credit)

  First, the Clydesdale comes from Scotland, not England. The breed was first introduced in the early 19th century after many years of selectively breeding local mares to Flemish stallions. By the late 19th century, Clydesdales had become extremely popular.  Both Scotland and North America had there own breeding association for the horse. After World War I, the number of Clydesdales dramatically declined due to the fact that most farmers had stopped using horse drawn plows. It wasn't until 1975 that they were considered on the brink of extinction and people began to breed them in order to save the species. Thirty years late the number of Clydesdale was greatly increased, and today there is estimated to be about 5,000 worldwide.


 Shires, which originate from England, have a different story. They are believed to be descendants of the Old English Black Horse, which was used in the 17th century. Later on, Friesians, as well as Dutch horses, were bred with the English horse and by the mid-17th century, the Shire was first mentioned. It wasn't until the late 1800s that the breed was officially formed. In the early 1900s, the Shire became popular in the U.S. Then, during World War II, draft horses began to disappear because of purchase of livestock feed was strict. Finally, in the '70s, the horse became popular once more in both America and England.

Shire(credit)

Appearance

  In appearance, the horses are almost the same,  which is probably because of Clydesdale influence in the Shire. Both are big-boned and average  17 hands or more(a hand is four inches). Also, they  commonly have white markings on the legs and face with "feathers" around the ankles.

Uses Today

Today, both horses are commonly used for similar activities. Clydesdales often make great riding and sport horses and are often seen pulling carts or even doing agricultural work.  Shires, too, are used in sports such as cross country and obstacle driving, or just for everyday riding. 

Dales Pony

The Dales pony is a native British breed that has never been wild, being bred by man in captivity. It has descended from the Celtic pony, like many other British breeds. It also has other breeds mixed into it.

Long ago, the Fell pony and the Dales pony were pretty much the same breed. The Fell pony came from the west of the Pennine hills and the Dales from the east(the Pennine hills stretch through the northern half of England)Back then, both ponies were called Pennine ponies.

Dales ponies, known for being both good trotters and for their ability to pull heavy loads, were used by the army to carry ammunition to soldiers as well as to pull mine carts full of lead or coal. Also, it was ridden by farmers. Dales ponies can run a mile in three minutes and can carry up to 220 pounds.

Characteristics

The Dales pony is strongly built and has sturdy joints. Its hooves are hard and have bluish tint to them;feathers grow on the fetlock. Its face shows alertness, its ears are short, and its eyes are bright. The mane and tail are wavy. It can grow to be up to 14.2 hands tall. The pony can be either black, brown, bay, or grey.

Ancestry

The Celtic pony was crossed with a Friesian-Ariegeois cross bred horse that was brought to england by the Romans. In the 1800s, a Welsh Cob was added to the mix, and finally, Clydesdales were added for size.

Dales Pony's Uses Today

The Dales pony is mostly used as a trekking pony or a driving pony.

Friesian

The Friesian can have it's ancestors traced back to the Equus Robustus, a prehistoric horse horse that lived in the Netherlands at the ice age period. During the 16th and 17th century, Andalusians were bred with descendants of this early horse. This resulted Friesian breed. It was bred in Friesland, which is a province in the Netherlands. It was first developed as a work horse. In the Middle ages, Friesians travelled to European countries and knights used them as war horses. Friesians have been bred pure for centuries. The Friesian government has made many laws for good breeding of Friesian horses. By reading past records of Friesian breeding, we have learned that in days of old the Friesian horses were famous, even praised as early as the 16 century! On one occasion, during the 20th century, the Friesian almost became extinct. But rationing of fuel in World War II made people turn to Friesians as means of transportation. It is very, very, rare but occasionally a chestnut friesian is born.

The chestnut friesian comes from:

http://friesian-crazy.tripod.com/health.html

The black friesian is compliments of:

http://heavyequuscaballus.tumblr.com/post/5663634238/rearing-friesian