#equine abc's

[ainawgsd]

The Dutch Draft is a Dutch breed of heavy draft horse. It is of cold-blood type, massively built and calm in temperament; it has good stamina. The legs are heavily feathered. It was bred in the early twentieth century in the province of Zeeland, and may for that reason be known as the Zeeland Horse or Dutch: 'Zeeuwse Paard'. It derives from cross-breeding of local Zeeland mares with the Belgian Ardennes and Brabant breeds, to which it is very similar.

The Dutch Draft was created in the years after the First World War by cross-breeding the heavy draft mares of the province of Zeeland with Ardennes and Brabant stock from neighboring Belgium. Until after the Second World War, it was the most important Dutch horse breed, but with the mechanization of agriculture, it declined rapidly. In 2009 the breed population was reported to be 1424. There are two breeders' associations for the horse: the Koninklijke Vereniging Het Nederlandse Trekpaard en de Haflinger ("royal association for the Nederlands Trekpaard and the Haflinger") and the Stichting het Werkend Trekpaard Zeeland ("foundation for the working draught horse of Zeeland");the former was founded in 1914, and received a royal charter in 1948.

[ainawgsd]

The Yakutian horse, sometimes called the Yakut horse, Yakut pony or simply the Yakut, is a rare native horse breed from the Siberian Sakha Republic (or Yakutia) region. It is large compared to the otherwise similar Mongolian horse and Przewalski's horse. It is noted for its adaptation to the extreme cold climate of Yakutia, including the ability to locate and graze on vegetation that is under deep snow cover, and to survive without shelter in temperatures that reach −94 °F.  The breed averages 13.3 hands in stallions and 13.2 hands in mares, and shares certain outward characteristics with other northern breeds like Shetland pony, Fjord horse and Icelandic horse including sturdy stature, thick mane and heavy hair coat.

The horses appear to have evolved from domesticated horses brought with the Yakuts when they migrated to the area beginning in the 13th century, and are not descended from wild horses known to inhabit the area in Neolithic times. Genetically they show indications of convergent evolution with other inhabitants of the Far North like mammoths regarding their adaption to the extreme cold.

In Siberia, annual temperatures fluctuate between 100 and −94 °F and winter may last for 8 months. Yakutian horses are kept unstabled year-round, and in the roughly 800 years that they have been present in Siberia, they have developed a range of remarkable morphologic, metabolic and physiologic adaptions to this harsh environment.

While smaller than modern highly derived horse breeds, they are larger than other primitive horse breeds; at the same time they have a more compact build with a stouter trunk and legs that are relatively short in proportion to the horse’s size.

Their winter coat is extremely dense and reaches a hair length of 3.1 inches.

Their metabolism adjusts to seasonal needs. In fall they accumulate large fat reserves, in winter the metabolic rate is lowered, and in spring they show an increased carbohydrate metabolism, making use of the freshly sprouting grass.

They show an increased production of antifreezing compounds.

They may further avoid frostbite by reducing the volume of circulating blood during times of extreme cold, as indicated by an increased responsiveness of their genetic networks involved in oxidative stress responses, vasodilation, and blood coagulation.

[ainawgsd]

A horse of central Inner Mongolia, the Xilingol is a light horse that is used both for riding and for draft purposes. In the 1960s, it was developed by breeding Russian Thoroughbred, Akhal-Teke, Sanhe, and Chinese Mongolian, after which Kabarda and Don breeding were introduced into the breed. The Xilingol stands at 15.2 hands high and come in all solid colors.

[ainawgsd]

The Waler is an Australian breed of riding horse developed from horses that were brought to the Australian colonies in the 19th century. The name comes from their breeding origins in New South Wales; they were originally known as "New South Walers". The Waler combined a variety of breeds; particularly the Thoroughbred, Arab, the Cape horse (from the Cape of Good Hope), Timor Pony and perhaps a little Clydesdale or Percheron. It was originally considered only a "type" of horse and not a distinct breed. However, as a landrace bred under the extreme climate and challenging working conditions of Australia, the Waler developed into a hardy horse with great endurance even when under extreme stress from lack of food and water. It was used as a stockman's horse and prized as a military remount. Walers were also used by bushrangers, troopers and exploration expeditions that traversed inland Australia.

The preferred Walers for cavalry duties were 15 to 16 hands high. Those over 16 hands were rejected for use in the South Australian Bushmen Corps. Unbroken horses, as well as those with grey and broken (spotted) coat colors were also rejected. The selected horses had to be of a good type that could carry sixteen or seventeen stone (224 to 238 pounds) day after day.

The gaits of the Waler were considered ideal for a cavalry mount; it could maintain a fast walk and could progress directly to a steady, level canter without resorting to a trot which was noisy, liable to dislodge gear and resulted in soreness in the horse's back. The cavalry horse required docility, courage, speed, and athletic ability, as it carried the rider into battle. The infantryman’s horse was used as a means of transport from one point to another, for example, from camp to a battle ground, where the horses were kept back from the fighting. Heavier animals were selected and used for draught and packhorse duties.

Australian horses were sent overseas from the 1830s; between the 1840s and 1940s, there was a steady trade in Walers to the British Indian Army. In Australia's two wars of the early 20th century—the Second Boer War and World War I—the Waler was the backbone of the Australian Light Horse mounted forces. It was especially suited to working in the harsh climate of the Sinai Peninsula and Palestine, where it proved superior to the camel as a means of transporting large bodies of troops. In the First World War, 121,324 Walers were sent overseas to the allied armies in Africa, Europe, India and Palestine. During World War II, 360 Australian Walers were assigned to the Texas National Guard 112th Cavalry in New Caledonia. The horses were eventually deemed unfit for jungle warfare. They were sent to India where they served with the Chinese Army before being assigned to the unit known as Merrill's Marauders.

As demand for remounts declined in the 1940s, the Waler trade ended. When the Australian Stock Horse Society was formed in 1971, the majority of horses accepted into its studbook were Waler horses. The ASHS also accepted horses of other breeds, notably Quarter horses, which has always been controversial. While many stock horses do have Quarter horse genetics in their breeding, not all do, as there are still many breeders who only breed horses of the old heritage bloodlines. In the 1980s efforts began to reestablish the breed using feral Walers descended from horses that had been set loose in rural regions after the commercial trade ceased. The Waler horse now has two breed associations interested in preserving it, the Waler Horse Owners and Breeders Association Australia Inc. (WHOBAA) and the Waler Horse Society of Australia Inc (WHSA). Only horses and their progeny derived from the old bloodlines, with no imported genetics since 1945, can be registered as Walers with the WHOBAA.

[ainawgsd]

The Welsh Pony and Cob is a group of four closely-related horse breeds including both pony and cob types, which originated in Wales in the United Kingdom. The four sections within the breed society for the Welsh breeds are primarily distinguished by height, and also by variations in type: the smallest Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A); the slightly taller but refined Welsh Pony of riding type (Section B) popular as a children's show mount; the small but stocky Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Section C), popular for riding and competitive driving; and the tallest, the Welsh Cob (Section D), which can be ridden by adults. Welsh ponies and cobs in all sections are known for their good temperament, hardiness, and free-moving gaits.

Native ponies existed in Wales before 1600 BC, and a Welsh-type cob was known as early as the Middle Ages. The original Welsh Mountain Pony is thought to have evolved from this prehistoric Celtic pony. Welsh ponies were primarily developed in Wales, and their ancestors existed in the British Isles prior to the arrival of the Roman Empire.They were influenced by the Arabian horse, and possibly also by the Thoroughbred and the Hackney horse. In 1901, the first stud book for the Welsh breeds was established in the United Kingdom, and in 1907 another registry was established in the United States. Interest in the breed declined during the Great Depression, but revived in the 1950s. Throughout their history, the Welsh breeds have had many uses, including as a cavalry horse, a pit pony, and as a working animal on farms.

All sections of Welsh ponies and Cobs have small heads with large eyes, sloped shoulders, short backs and strong hindquarters. The tail is high-set. The breed ranges from 11 hands for the smallest ponies to over 16 hands for the tallest Cobs. They may be any solid color, but not pinto or leopard-spotted. Black, grey, chestnut and bay are the most common, but there are also duns and palominos.

The Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) is the smallest of the Welsh breeds. They may not exceed 12.2 hands in the US or 12 hands in the United Kingdom. Both the Section A and Section B ponies are more refined than those in Section C and D. They are characterized from the cob types by a large eye, small head (often with a dished face from the Arabian influence), high set on tail, and refined leg conformation, but retaining good bone and correctness.  

The Welsh Pony of Riding Type (Section B) is a larger, riding-type pony, which combines the hardiness and substance of the Section A with elegant movement and athletic ability. Section B ponies are taller than Section A with a maximum height of 13.2 hands in the UK and 14.2 hands in the US. Section B ponies also generally have a slightly lighter build, as a result of Thoroughbred and Hackney blood. They are known for elegant movement and athletic ability while still retaining the substance and hardiness of the foundation stock, the Section A Welsh Mountain pony. They should have a muscular neck, arching from withers to poll, and have a deep, wide chest. Section B ponies are more commonly used as children's ponies and as pony hunter-jumpers.

The Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Section C) may not exceed 13.2 hands high. They are known for their strength, hardiness and gentle nature. In contrast to the Welsh pony (Section B), the Pony of Cob Type is heavier, more coblike and compact. They have a moderate amount of feathering on their legs. The Welsh Pony of Cob Type first resulted from cross-breeding between the Welsh mountain pony (Section A) and the Welsh Cob (Section D). Today, some Section C ponies are still produced from this cross. Other breeds also influenced the Section C, including the Norfolk Trotter, the Hackney and Yorkshire Coach Horse. The Welsh Pony of Cob Type is shown in jumping events and in harness, notably in competitive driving.

The Welsh Cob (Section D) is the largest size within the Welsh Pony and Cob breed registries. They must be taller than 13.2 hands, with no upper height limit. They are known for their hardiness and gentle nature. Though Welsh Cobs are the tallest and stockiest of the Welsh sections, the head remains full of pony character, with large eyes and neat ears. The legs may be relatively short, also akin to pony proportions. Mature stallions have somewhat cresty necks, while those of mares are generally leaner. Like the Section C, they have powerful, extravagant action. Grey coloring is rarer in the Section D Cob than other types of Welsh ponies, but bold white markings are common. Today, the Section D is best known for use in harness driving, but they are also shown under saddle and in hand. They are used as riding horses for both adults and children. As with the other Welsh breeds, Cobs are also exhibited over fences as hunters and jumpers.

[ainawgsd]

The Vyatka, also known by Viatka, is an endangered horse breed found in the Kirov Oblast (formerly Vyatka region), Perm Krai, and the Udmurt Republic in Russia. The Vyatkas, a part of the North Russian group of ponies, were influenced by the terrain and climate of their native land. However, their conformation was also affected by Estonian horses imported by the Novgorod colonists during the 1300s. Moreover, the Estonian horses imported for working in the mines of the Ural Mountains played a role in the development of the breed.

The average height at the withers of Vyatka mares 13.3 hands, and the average weight 880 pounds. The coat color is typically chestnut, bay or roan, or occasionally Black.

Aside from agility, resilience, and working ability, the Vyatka horses were valued as the best equine for pulling troikas. During peak popularity, the horses were exported to many countries including Poland.

In the early twentieth century, the mechanization of agriculture, industry, and transportation caused a sharp reduction in their numbers. Furthermore, the mating of purebred mares with trotters and heavy draft horses pushed the breed close to extinction. Subsequent efforts of re-establishing the breed proved successful as the population reached 2000 in 1980. However, it declined to 560 in 2003, and it was recognized as an endangered breed by the FAO in 2007.

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[ainawgsd]

The Vladimir Heavy Draft is a Russian breed of heavy draught horse. It was bred in the early twentieth century in farms and collectives in Ivanovo Oblast and Vladimir Oblast, to the east of Moscow. The Vladimir was officially recognised in 1946.  The Vladimir is a draught horse of medium power, with energetic and active gaits. It is more solidly built than the Clydesdale, and unusually deep in the girth. It is usually clean-legged, though feathering can occur. Bay is the most usual color, with white markings to the face and legs.

The Russian Empire had no indigenous breeds of heavy draught horse. The Vladimir was created at about the same time as the development of the Russian Heavy Draught in Ukraine. Initial breeding began at the stud farm of Gavrilov Posad, in Ivanovo Oblast, where local horses were cross-bredwith imported Clydesdale stock, with some limited influence from Cleveland Bay, Percheron and Suffolk Punch. Some use was made of Shire mares between 1919 and 1929. The amount of cross-breeding was progressively reduced during the 1920s, and over the next twenty years the character and type of the breed were fixed. Official recognition came in 1946.

The Vladimir was bred for agricultural draught work. It may be reared for meat. It is fast-growing: at six months, foals may reach a weight of 440 pounds. Because of its lively movement, it is found suitable for pulling the three-horse troika of the region.

[ainawgsd]

The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. The unicorn was depicted in ancient seals of the Indus Valley Civilization and was mentioned by the ancient Greeks in accounts of natural history by various writers.  The Bible also describes an animal, the re'em, which some versions translate as unicorn. In European folklore, the unicorn is often depicted as a white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long horn and cloven hooves (sometimes a goat's beard). In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, a symbol of purity and grace, which could be captured only by a virgin. In the encyclopedias, its horn was said to have the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness.

Unicorns are not found in Greek mythology, but rather in the accounts of natural history, for Greek writers of natural history were convinced of the reality of unicorns, which they believed lived in India.

Medieval knowledge of the fabulous beast stemmed from biblical and ancient sources, and the creature was variously represented as a kind of wild ass, goat, or horse. The predecessor of the medieval bestiary popularized an elaborate allegory in which a unicorn, trapped by a maiden (representing the Virgin Mary), stood for the Incarnation. As soon as the unicorn sees her, it lays its head on her lap and falls asleep. Interpretations of the unicorn myth focus on the medieval lore of beguiled lovers, whereas some religious writers interpret the unicorn and its death as the Passion of Christ. The myths refer to a beast with one horn that can only be tamed by a virgin; subsequently, some writers translated this into an allegory for Christ's relationship with the Virgin Mary.

In heraldry the unicorn is best known as the symbol of Scotland. The unicorn was chosen because it was seen as a proud and haughty beast which would rather die than be captured, just as Scots would fight to remain sovereign and unconquered. Two unicorns supported the royal arms of the King of Scots, and since the 1707 union of England and Scotland, the royal arms of the United Kingdom have been supported by a unicorn along with an English lion.

The unicorn horn itself and the substance it was made of was called alicorn, and it was believed that the horn holds magical and medicinal properties. Entire horns were very precious in the Middle Ages and were often really the tusks of narwhals. False alicorn powder, made from the tusks of narwhals or horns of various animals, has been sold in Europe for medicinal purposes as late as 1741. The alicorn was thought to cure many diseases and have the ability to detect poisons, and many physicians would make "cures" and sell them. Cups were made from alicorn for kings and given as a gift; these were usually made of ivory or walrus ivory.