Horse Breeds (Equine) PDF

# Horse Breeds (Equine) ## Foundation Sire - Worldwide about 300 breeds of horses exist - Many breeds of horses started with a foundation sire and for those breeds all registered foals must be able to trace their ancestry back to these stallions - 3 foundation stallions make up the thoroughbre...

# Horse Breeds (Equine) ## Foundation Sire - Worldwide about 300 breeds of horses exist - Many breeds of horses started with a foundation sire and for those breeds all registered foals must be able to trace their ancestry back to these stallions - 3 foundation stallions make up the thoroughbred - Darley Arabian - Byerly Turk - Godolphin Arabian - Justin Morgan - foundation sire for the Morgan breed - Allen F-1 A Morgan Stallion - foundation sire for the Tennessee walking horse - Morgan stallions also contributed to the development of the standard bred, quarter horse, American Albino, and Palomino ## Colored Breeds - Certain breeds were developed with color requirements - For some that is the only registry requirement is color - Colored: - Palomino - first color breed - Appaloosas - Albinos - Paints - Pintos - Buckskins - Whites - Cremes - Spotteds ## Base Colors of Horses ### Bay - Is any reddish, brown or dark brown color with black points - A very dark bay can be confused with black - Look for red undertones in the body and black points ### Black - Has a black coat and black points - Most black horses have white skin - A black with black skin is called a true black - Sometimes the sun will burn reddish highlights into a black coat ### Brown - A brown horse is brown with no black points - Color is more like chocolate, not reddish - Can be very dark, sometimes mistaking them for a black ### Chestnut - Color is basically red - Can vary from light to dark - No black points - Liver chestnut is a very dark chestnut - Liver chestnut could be confused for a brown, if not for the reddish mane and tail ## Other Colors of Horses ### Sorrel - A light reddish/yellow color - Mane and tail can be blonde or same as the body - Europe: light chestnut - America: sorrel ### Palomino - Golden color with a white mane and tail - Considered a color breed, meaning they can be registered with the Palomino breed association if they meet all requirements ### Buckskin or Dun - Terms often used interchangeably - Buckskin is a yellowish gray with dark points - Dun tends to have more red in the coat - Dun vs. Bay? Duns have a dorsal stripe sometimes accompanied by a shoulder stripe or zebra stripes on the legs ### Cream - Comes from the 'cream' gene - Cream gene dilutes the base colors chestnut, bay and black - When it dilutes palomino or buckskin it gets even lighter ### Gray - A truly white horse is very rare - Most white horses are really a light gray - Gray horses are often darker at birth and become lighter and lighter with age - Gray coat is made up of white hairs and hairs with color in them - Gray can be light or dark ### Dapple Gray - Gray with distinct white marks splattered throughout the coat - When a dapple gray has black points it can be called a blue roan as well ### Grullo - Color comes from a Dun overlay on a black - Hairs are mousy colored - Have dark points - Can have a dorsal stripe, zebra stripes (bars) on legs or a mask (dark face) ### Blue Roan - Dark base color with white hairs mixed in - Has dark points and black undertones ### Red Roan - Has a chestnut base color with white hairs mixed in and red or dark red/brown points - Can have red or blonde mane and tail ### Appaloosa - A spotted or speckled horse often with roaning - Both a color and a breed of horse - Have spotted coats, mottled skin, white sclera and striped hooves ### Paint vs. Pinto - Terms both refer to large spotted patterns on a horse. The difference is breed. - Paint horse can only be Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred lineage - Pinto is used to describe a spotted horse of any breed ## Horse Color Patterns ### Roan and Dapples - Roan or roaning on a horse is sometimes called varnish - Occurs when white hairs are mixed in with the base coat color - Dapples are lighter colored round spots on the coat - Some dapples are seasonal, appearing only on a summer coat ### Tabiano vs. Overo - Refer to the spot patterns of Paint horses - Tabiano has white spots that cross over the top line - With the Overo pattern, the white markings never cross over the top of the back, neck or rump - Overo is used for Paints that are not clearly Tabiano or Overo. ### Appaloosa Pattern - Blanket Appaloosa has a distinct white marking spread across the rump - May or may not contain spots - Leopard Appaloosa has distinct leopard like spots over a white coat ## Hands - Horses are also classified according to size, weight, build and use - Common measurement for horses - Hand - is equal to four inches - Height of the horse is measured from the top of the withers to the ground - E.g., a horse that is 15 hands is 60 inches or 5 feet at the withers ## Light Horses - 14.2 to 17.2 hands high and weigh 900 to 1400 lbs - Used for riding, driving, showing, racing, or farm and ranch work. - More agile and can travel at greater speed than draft horses ## Draft Horses - 14.2 to 17.2 hands high and weigh 1400 lbs or more - Used for heavy work and for pulling loads ## Ponnies - Ponies stand under 14.2 hands and weigh 500 to 900 pounds - Generally draft, heavy harness, or saddle type ## Appaloosa - Well-known for speed - Used by the Nez Perce Indians as war horses - Originated from Spanish horses left behind by explorers ## Arabian - Originated from Bedouin desert - Known for strength and stamina - Small muzzle - High tail setting - Short back ## Lipizzan - Developed in Spain - Born brown or black in color - Changes to white or gray at about 6-10 years of age - Famous as dressage performers - Dressage - the art of riding and training a horse in a manner that develops obedience, flexibility, and balance ## Morgan - Developed in the United States - America's first breed of light horse - Descended from one horse, Justin Morgan ## Mustang - Feral horses of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish - Sure-footed with good endurance - Ability to negotiate difficult or rough terrain safely ## American Quarter Horses - Developed in the US as a race horse - Named for their fast times in the 1/4 mile - Known for speed, strength & intelligence - Most popular horse breed in the world ## Saddlebred - Developed in the US - Ave. 15 to 16 hands (60 to 64 in) - Weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 lbs (450 and 540 kg) - Well-shaped heads with a straight profile, long, slim, arched necks, well-defined withers, sloping shoulders, correct leg conformation, and strong level backs with well-sprung ribs - Croup is level with a high-carried tail. - Enthusiasts consider them to be spirited, yet gentle, animals ## Standardbred - Fastest harness horse in the world - Bay, brown or black in color ## Thoroughbred - Designed to sustain speed over distances while carrying weight - Ave. 16 hands in height - Revolutionized the racing industry ## American Paint Horse - Particular combination of white and another color of the equine spectrum - Used as show horse in western equestrian ## Palomino - Pale golden or tan-colored horse with a white mane and tail - Originally bred in the US ## Clydesdale - Developed in Scotland - Commonly bay in color - Known for four white socks with hairy fetlocks - Made famous in US beer commercials ## Percheron - Unclear origin - Oldest equine breed - Most popular draft breed in the early 1900s ## Shetland Pony - Scottish breed - May stand up to 107 cm (42 in) at the withers - Has a heavy coat and short legs, is strong for its size - For riding, driving, and pack purposes