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Thoroughbred horses have many characteristic differences. Each breed bred by man is beautiful in its own way. The semi-wild horses of the Camargue are good, the tinkers and the mighty Ardennes horses are magnificent. Among all the variety of breeds, there are three "brightest" horses, which in beauty and grace have not yet been surpassed by other horses: the Frisian, Akhal-Teke and Arabian horses.
Friesian horse - black pearl of horse breeding
One of the oldest European breeds. The pitch black working horses were bred in the north of the Netherlands in Friesland. The Frisians have a powerful physique, a strong back, and a muscular croup. Legs are slender, with high brushes. The coat on them is thick, long, curly, falling in waves to the hooves. Thanks to this feature, the term "freeziness" arose, which began to be applied to other breeds. According to breed standards, the horse must be a solid black color, only a white spot on the mare's chest is allowed.
Friesland horses have a luxurious mane and an equally gorgeous tail.
Don horse breed
The progenitors of the Donchaks are Polovtsian and Nogai horses, as well as trophy horses of Arab blood. Over the centuries of the existence of this breed, the amazing color of the Donchaks has remained unchanged, for which they were nicknamed "the gold of the steppes". For its beauty, pedigree and working qualities, this breed is recognized as a national treasure of Russia.
The Don horse is an "intelligent" animal with a sense of its own dignity, as well as a loyal and devoted friend. Donchaks usually choose their own master - once and for life, protect him, forgive mistakes and trust unconditionally. Now the thoroughbred Don horse is a strong, tall, proportionally built horse of brown or golden-red color with a wide chest and well-developed lungs, allowing for a long time to run at a gallop. Thanks to its strong bones and wide hooves, it is able to make long transitions and carry an armed rider. And today the Don horse will require active and long-term training from the owner, will not tolerate neglect and lack of stress.
Holstein breed
The first information about the Holsteins dates back to 1225. Holstein horses were distinguished by their composure, fearlessness and pliability. The horses showed themselves in the best way in military operations and in knightly tournaments.
As a result of mixing the blood of Neapolitan, Arabian, Spanish horses, as well as the Yorkshire coach horse, an athletic majestic breed with a high step, excellent coordination of movements and a friendly character was formed.
Holstein breed
Among the advantages of the Holsteins: their disposition for training, the desire to always be the first and to win. These qualities allow them to be used in almost all equestrian sports. The Holstein horse has a proportional athletic build. The body is muscular, the play of muscles is visible under the thin skin. The hock joint is short, strong and well developed. This constitution provides speed and dexterity in running and jumping. But the most amazing, unique feature of the Holstein horse is its constant readiness to work.
American riding horse
Today, the American Saddlebred is considered the main riding breed in the United States, and is very popular in Germany, Canada, Scandinavia, and South Africa.
Initially, the breed was created by planters in the South of the United States to bypass their lands. With a high stature, the American riding horse is distinguished by a proportional constitution, beautiful, with a slight bend, neck, pronounced withers.
Saddlebreds have an extraordinary characteristic - they are capable of five types of gait: walk, trot, walk, gallop and rack (a gait comparable in speed to a gallop). Many foals have an innate ability to wreck or learn it easily.
Akhal-Teke breed
King of kings, the most beautiful horse of the East, whose history goes back more than 5000 years. And during all this time there was not a single crossing with another breed. Grown in dry and hot climates, thoroughbred horses have a dry lean constitution and a well-developed muscular system. The Turkmen have created their own training system. The trained horses became the fastest in the world, not inferior in speed to the cheetah.
Akhal-Teke breed
Akhal-Teke residents have elongated, "flying" proportions. The withers are high and straight. The legs are long, slender and at the same time strong. All the gaits of the Akhal-Teke are high and all are distinguished by a smooth ride. The eyes of the Akhal-Teke are extraordinary: large, expressive, but at the same time elongated and slanting - "Asian". The neck is set high, straight or with a characteristic "deer" inlet. The wool is thin, delicate, and resembles silk or satin to the touch. In color, Akhal-Teke horses can be brown, black. Among this breed, beautiful white horses are rarely found.
The elite horses of the Turkmen were kept near human habitation. This is how the character of the Akhal-Teke horses was formed - attachment to people and devotion to one owner. Neither shouts nor punishments can break the horse's character.
English purebred
The definition of "the most" fits this breed: the most expensive breed today, the fastest. A strong, "hot" and self-confident horse was bred by a difficult way of selection. A purebred English stallion - the owner of a brutal appearance, with well-developed muscles, a square, rough bone. An adult stallion can reach 175 cm at the withers. The "Englishman" has developed shoulders, chest, limbs, he gives the impression of a strong, enduring and at the same time swift-footed horse, able to easily overcome any obstacle.
An English thoroughbred horse is a hot and temperamental choleric - his energy is overflowing. The character is explosive and restive. Such a horse requires a firm hand and maximum patience. If contact is made with the Englishman, horse and rider become "one". The horse will react to the slightest movement of the reins, give all the best and respond to all the rider's actions.
Arabian breed - queen among horses
For centuries, the Arabian horse has attracted admiration for its beauty, efficiency and ability to completely surrender to the race. The breed of a horse is determined by its constitution: they are strong, well-balanced, but with a thin graceful bone and a high swan neck. Arabian thoroughbreds have long slender legs, with neat strong hooves. The maximum speed that the Arabian horse is able to develop reaches 70 km per hour.
The breed of Arabian horses has more than 20 subtypes, and each of them has specific traits in character or exterior. The most famous are 4:
- Coheilan... Horses are bay or brown in color.Distinguishing feature: black, with an eye rim. They are tall horses, with an expanded, broad chest.
- Siglavi... The horses are medium in size, light and graceful. Horses are selected from the Seglavi for brood and show. Siglavi - the most beautiful horses among the Arabian horses
- Hadban... Horses with imported blood. They are tall, strong and resilient horses that perfectly show themselves in races.
- Coheilan—Siglavi... A mixed type of horse that has inherited the best features of its ancestors. He is strong, enduring, obedient, able to withstand serious stress.
Shire
Shires are the largest and tallest horses in existence. True giants of giants, even among heavy draft breeds.
Shire - large, proportionally built, beautiful horses. The back is short and strong. The head is large, the ears are sharp, "elven". Legs slender, well muscled and wide hooves. The hair on the brushes is long and thick. Adult representatives of the breed reach 180 cm, and their weight can exceed 1 ton.
Shire
In the character of Shire, there is calmness and slowness. Of course, you can ride it, but still this horse is not for the saddle, but for the harness. It will take a lot of effort to get such a horse into a canter, and it is even more difficult to stop a running shire. But on a calm and kind horse, you can safely ride children and take leisurely walks.
Spanish or Andalusian
One of the most beautiful and ancient breeds of horses, it began with the war horses of the Greeks and Romans. The Spanish thoroughbred horse is a strong animal with strong muscles and well-developed musculature. The height of an adult horse is 155-165 cm. The chest is wide. The head is elongated in shape with rounded snoring and dark brown eyes. The ears are small, sharp, neat. The neck is long, with a characteristic curve and a high crest. These are horses with a long mane, thick and bushy tail. Their legs are not long, dry, with high strong hooves. The mares of this breed are especially beautiful: slender, graceful, with smooth outlines.
A characteristic feature of the Andalusian is a very high, "dancing" move, during a trot the horse easily throws back its front legs to the very chest.
There are two varieties of the breed:
- Spanish proper, where the predominant colors of the horses are gray, red and bay;
- Portuguese, where gray or bay suits are in priority.
Other coloring pages are very rare. So, the Spanish black horse is recognized as the national treasure of the country.
Falabella
The smallest horse, slender, with long legs. Argentine Irish farmer Patrick Newall was the first to start breeding and breeding. He managed to breed horses that are no more than 75 cm tall.
The growth of these beautiful horses does not exceed 70 cm, the weight ranges from 20 to 60 kg. With such a miniature build, the head of the falabella is quite large, the eyes are large and expressive. Falabella pride: mane and tail (fluffy, long and thick). The peculiarity of the breed is the absence of one or two ribs (this does not affect the appearance or health of the animal in any way).
Falabella
Falabella is a gentle, affectionate and intelligent animal. Of course, only a small child can ride them. But such a horse will never offend a kid. You can go for walks with them, you can teach them to perform tricks. They have also proven themselves to be a good guide.
Iberian breed
Beautiful horses of an ancient and noble breed. The first Iberians appeared in the Iberian Peninsula. Today there are four subtypes of the Iberian breed:
- Andalusian, whose family originated in Spain;
- lusitano - indigenous people of Portugal;
- alter real - an intermediate type of horses, geographically related to the Lusitano, but in terms of exterior features closer to the Andalusian subtype.
The general impression of the animal is strength, speed and power. But Iberians are also very flexible, brave and agile, these virtues made them the main breed of bullfighting.
Marwar horse
A little known breed for us. It was bred in India, in the Marwar region, from where it got its name. According to legend, the breed takes its origin from the Arabian horses that survived a shipwreck. The Marwari population has always been small. So small that their export from India to other countries was prohibited.
Marwar horse
The main feature of the breed: sensitive, mobile, capable of turning 180 degrees. Marvars have a large head with an elongated ratchet part, a straight high neck and a pronounced withers. The legs of the Marvar horse are thin, graceful, but strong and strong. Horses of this breed have not lost their ability to move on the sands of the desert. The speed is reduced, but the soft and smooth ride allows the rider to feel comfortable in the saddle.
Marvari have an excellent memory, they can easily find their way home and they have a very fine ear that allows them to know about possible danger in advance. With an attentive and sensitive attitude, the Marwari becomes a loyal friend, she is very loyal to the owner.
Hanoverian horse
For the first time they started talking about the Hanoverian breed in the 18th century. Over the past three centuries, both the exterior and working qualities have repeatedly changed. Today the type of the Hanoverian breed has a lot in common with the English purebred, almost identical to it. But the similarity with the British is manifested not only in constitutional features. The Hanoverians show the same high sports results.
The Hanoverian is strong and fit, his body is elongated, his back is straight, wide, his chest is unfolded. Muscular relief is clearly visible on the croup. Legs are dry, long, sinewy, with very strong hooves.
Unlike the English thoroughbred, the Hanoverians have an obedient and self-possessed disposition. Moreover, horses showing aggression are not allowed for breeding.
Oryol trotter
The most beautiful horses of the trotting type. They originate from horses of Arab origin and horses of the Friesian breed. For the first time, horses of the Oryol breed began to transmit only the best qualities to their descendants, improving the gene pool.
The Oryol trotter is large and stately. At the withers it reaches 170 cm The stallions are large and powerful, but at the same time lean and swift. The head of the Orlovets is small, the neck is chiseled, with a graceful swan bend. The eyes are large, expressive and curious. The body is elongated and wide, but not loose, but muscular, with well-developed muscles. These are horses with a thick and long mane, as well as a bushy tail. A distinctive feature of the Oryol trotter is its legs: thin, strong and strong. The rapid trotting pace of the Orlovites is a fixed feature that passes from generation to generation. The horse feels great in a light harness, and they can always be seen among the winners of cross-country equestrian sports.
So which horse is the most beautiful? Each country has its favorites and favorites. Thoroughbred horses fascinate, attract the eye. Each such horse is a work of art.
