Horse Breeds

Horse Breeds

Get all the information you need about horse breeds from around the world. Find out more about your horse's heritage, or learn which breed is perfect for you. We have detailed profiles on more than 85 breeds of horse, from the popular American Quarter Horse, Thoroughbredand Arabian horse to the exotic Friesian, Akhal-Teke and Gypsy Horse. Learn the fascinating history of these horse breeds and what equestrian sports they excel in today.

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Horse Breed of the Month

Each month, we feature a new breed in the pages of Horse Illustrated and here on HorseChannel.com. This month, we're celebrating the Shire. This noble breed of draft horse traces its origins to medieval England when knights needed a mount that could carry up to 400 pounds of heavy armor and battle gear. Later, the breed's ancestors were primarily work horses used for agricultural purposes. Today, this breed is popular for driving and showing and even as a riding horse.

Horse Breeds by Discipline

Which breed of horse is right for you? Narrowing your search based on your preferred riding discipline will help you find the horse of your dreams.

If you dream of a home on the range, running barrels, herding cattle or just moseying down the trail, look for a stock-type horse such as the American Quarter Horse, American Paint Horse or Appaloosa. These horses were developed for ranch work and are a good match for any western rider.

If you seek an English athlete to take to the hunter show ring or compete in the Olympic disciplines of show jumping, eventing and dressage, consider the Thoroughbred. Or look for European horse breeds such as the Dutch Warmblood, Hanoverian and Trakehner, which have been selectively bred for generations to create the ideal English sport horse.

Gaited breeds including the Tennessee Walking Horse, Rocky Mountain Horse andMissouri Foxtrotter are popular with aging riders who seek a smooth ride, distance riders who spend long hours in the saddle, and anyone who wants a reliable equine companion.

Can't decide what you want to do? Some breeds are meant for versatility, including theMorgan, the first horse breed developed in America, and the Arabian, the oldest breed still in existence. These horses are at home in western or English tack, under saddle or in harness, on the trail or in the show-ring.

Meet the yoga teacher who loves having a good stretch… with her HORSE

Super-fit Lewis, a 17-year-old Egyptian Arabian, mastered a string of yoga moves after copying his owner Linda Guanti, 35.

Linda was mucking out when she began practising her own stretches to help her bad back – and was stunned to see Lewis mimicking her.

 

She spent several hours a day showing Lewis how to adopt the complex poses and he can now hold positions such as the ‘bow’ and the ‘neck side stretch’.

Lewis has even mastered an awkward pose where he kneels forward to push his nose into the ground and stretch his back while Linda stands beside him and reaches to the sky.

Their joint yoga sessions have cured Linda’s lifelong back pain and eased Lewis’ stiff joints so much that he can carry on competing.

X-ray technologist Linda, from British Columbia, Canada, said: ‘Lewis is a great horse. I’ve had him since he was five-and-a-half and he loves to try anything that’s fun.

‘I was amazed when he began to do yoga. He really adores the stretches and it’s great that we can both combine our hobby and spend time together.

 

‘Doing yoga with your horse is a wonderful way to make a connection with them. Lewis has learned how to remain calm in vulnerable positions that would frighten most horses. Plus, he’s a fairly athletic horse who jumps and does dressage so there stretches help to keep him fit.’

Linda turned to yoga after she fractured three vertebrae in her back falling from a horse when she was 14.

The injury was never fixed and gave her chronic health problems throughout her adult life that meant she was unable to ride properly.

 

Several years ago she then suffered three prolapsed discs.

But when Linda discovered yoga in 2007 she noticed a dramatic improvement in her health.

She began doing her stretches while she groomed Lewis in a bid to save time and be around her pet more often.

But to her amazement Lewis soon joined in. In one manoeuvre, Lewis kneels forward and pushes his head into the ground in a stretch that would cause most horses to spook.

The pose, named the ‘Bow’, stretches Lewis’ shoulder forward while his other front leg is tucked behind to stretch the shoulder. The neck, back, and hind legs are also stretched.

Another pose involves Linda standing at the horse’s rear and arching her back in a ‘Neck Side Stretch’ pose. The horse cranes his neck round to the side which helps with flexibility, range of motion and suppleness throughout the neck and also the back.

Lewis would normally have become stiff as he grew older but the stretches have kept his joints supple and he’s able to continue competing in dressage, show jumping and cross county competitions.

Linda said that doing yoga with Lewis has helped to heal her bad back – and even helped with his stamina.

She has become a part-time yoga instructor and now runs classes that people can bring their horses too.

She added:

‘There is nothing I can do about my weakened discs and damaged bones but the benefits of doing yoga with Lewis were unmistakable.Yoga with him has helped with the initial healing process and was keeping my body in the healthiest state is could be. All the past limitations and pain from my injury were lessening. I was overjoyed. My riding skills improved, my body awareness and balance improved. My outlook on life improved. Yoga is also just as beneficial for horses as for humans. Horses have the same issues as we do. Stretching and body awareness reduces injury and enhances performance and pleasure in activity.’

Orignally Posted on the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2034410/Lewis-Egyptian-Arabian-horse-Still-competing-old-age-beating-stiffness-joints–doing-YOGA.html#ixzz1XGj8O5qb

Norfolk man banned from keeping horses for 10 years

An award-winning Norfolk man has been banned from looking after horses for 10 years for causing unnecessary suffering to a Shetland pony.

Michael Balls, 60, of The Glebe, Horning won awards for his work with equines at the Norfolk Show in 2008 and the Aylsham show, but was handed the ban by Yarmouth magistrates yesterday after the court heard the pony had been left in chronic pain due to an inflammatory disease in its hooves.

The court heard RSPCA inspector Ben Kirby reported how the black pony, known as Timmy, had “the longest feet he had ever seen” due to swelling caused by the condition laminitis when he visited Timmy in a field off School Common Road, Happisburgh.

At an earlier hearing Balls had pleaded guilty to cuasing unnecessary suffering and failing to meet the pony’s welfare needs at Yarmouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Kevin Batch, prosecuting, said a vet and field officer from Redwings Horse Sanctuary at Fritton were already present when Mr Kirby arrived in May.

The vet, Nicolas De Brauwere, found the pony was significantly overweight and reluctant to move when coaxed.

He said the hooves were significantly overgrown causing lameness and the pony could only walk out of the stable after pain relief had been given.

Mr Batch said in RSPCA interviews Balls said the pony’s hooves had not been trimmed for six months, when it should be between six and eight weeks and could not remember the last time the animal was seen by a farrier, who specialises in hoof care.

The prosecutor added Timmy had since been moved to the Redwings sanctuary and was starting to recover after the hooves were trimmed, but still needed pain relief to walk properly some two months after the inspector’s visit.

Robert Pollington, mitigating, said when Balls realised the pony was suffering from laminitis, he took him away from grass, which would have aggravated the condition and fed him with hay.

He added the defendant had tried to trim the hooves, but they started to bleed and cause Timmy more pain so he decided not to continue.

Mr Pollington said Balls had also lost his job as a farmworker which meant he could not afford to pay vet costs and tried to treat Timmy’s condition himself.

He added the defendant, who has owned horses for 30 years, also owned another horse which was in good condition and said this horse would have to be re-homed with a friend if he was banned from looking after horses.

As well as the 10 year ban, Balls was also ordered to pay £500 costs.

Following the hearing, Mr Kirby said: “We are very pleased with the result. It is reasonable and proportional and we will obviously monitor the situation to make sure the ban is adhered to.”

Originally reported by Norwich Evening News: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/horning_owner_banned_from_keeping_horses_for_10_years

Piggy French dominates leaderboard after CCI*** XC day at Blenheim

A penalty free cross country day for Piggy French & Lemington Lett Dance means the pair are in pole position overnight before the final phase tomorrow in the CCI*** at the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

Piggy French & Lemington Lett Dance at Blenheim Horse Trials 2011

The combination secured a vital clear round inside the time on an action packed cross country phase which saw Bettina Hoy drop down to 5th place from top spot after adding 7.6 time penalties to her fantastic dressage score of 42.1.

Bettina Hoy & Lanfranco TSF

Piggy expertly guided Miss Judy Bradwell’s 13 year old Lemington Lett Dance round the 29 fence track, which included 3 water complexes, 2 of which crossing the River Glyme. Course designer, Eric Winter commented “As always with Blenheim cross country courses there is plenty of big jumping mixed in with technical questions – the time will be difficult to achieve”, and he couldn’t have been more right as the time played a huge part in the outcome of today’s competition.

Excellent going combined with an excellent turn out meant a dramatic first cross country day with plenty of thrills and spills along the way.

An early casualty was first rider out on course, Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa riding Gorgeous George who suffered a horse fall at fence 18, Fidelity Wealth Management Fence. This fence proved to be the one to watch as it caused more than one upset throughout the day.

Piggy French strengthened her chances of taking the Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CCI*** title when she secured 2nd spot overnight riding DHI Topper W following a second floorless round.

GB’s Pippa Funnell climbed 7 places when she finished on a clean sheet riding 9 year old Billy Landretti and goes ahead to tomorrow’s showjumping in 3rd place.

Pippa Funnell & Billy Landretti

As we all know with eventing, anything can happen and it will be all to play for, come tomorrow’s final phase of showjumping.

Swimming with the seahorses: Stunning photos show horses stretching their legs

It didn’t take long for these horses to get into the swim of things – after being taken into the sea for a spot of exercise.

The powerful 1,000lb racehorses quickly found their sea legs before taking a dip with their trainers in preparation for their next race.

The stunning images were captured off the coast of Malta by photographer Kurt Arrigo, who couldn’t believe his eyes when he first spotted the unusual sight.

The racehorses are taken into the water for half-hour heavy paddling sessions, as the exercise helps build up and tone the animals’ leg muscles.

The herd swims majestically in tandem with the trainers before earning a well-deserved rest.

 

Mr Arrigo said: ‘I’d seen them take these particular horses swimming before and it was such an extraordinary unusual sight I asked the owner if I could come back and take some photos.

‘I said I wanted to shoot underwater which they didn’t think it would be a problem – although at first the bubbles from the scuba gear frightened the horses a bit.

‘When they settled down they just swam above me allowing me to work at different angles using the seascape, fish and different light to get the best shots.

‘It was one of the most thrilling shoots I have ever done watching them gracefully move through the water.’

Mr Arrigo, from Malta, has travelled across the globe shooting underwater wildlife from schools of hammerhead sharks off the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean to documenting underwater activity on the Great Barrier Reef.

But he said at times photographing the horses swimming was even more dangerous.

He added: ‘I had to calculate my depth and make sure they I wouldn’t get hit by one of the hooves.

‘It’s quite amazing as you can really hear the horse work out – apparently it’s quite hard work for them so they only do this for around half an hour.

‘I’ve not seen anything like it before, and not all horses can swim as some just don’t get it.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2033868/Stunning-underwater-photos-horses-stretching-legs.html#ixzz1XB0orimE