7 Most common horse breeds and what they are best suited for
7 most common horse breeds and what their best suited for
If we decided to talk about all horse breeds we would probably take an entire day or even more. This is because they are so many, with various purposes, sizes and colors. There are however some breeds that have stood out as favorites over the years. Let’s help you understand your equine friend better so you can distinguish between the most common breeds and get to know what they are best suited for.
1. The Thoroughbred
This horse originated in England some time between the 17th and 18th centuries. It has very strong characteristics which makes the breed suitable for racing and other sports like polo, jumping and rodeo. The horse can be described as highly spirited, with a long neck, lean body and majestically long legs.
2. The American Quarter Horse
They are excellent sprinters over short distances and are quite popular in competitions. They are also used for western pleasure riding and barrel racing. The brownish red color is the most common among the breed, although they also come in black, bay or brown. We can generally describe the horse as muscular. It has a very strong and broad chest and powerful hind quarters.
3. The Arabian
Now this is a very old breed, dating thousands of years back and war popularly used for war. They were widely traded which explains why they are spread all across the world. You can easily recognize the breed based on their wedge shaped head, with a small muzzle and large eyes and nostrils. They come in chestnut, bay, grey or black colors and are highly tolerant to tough conditions. This is why they are used for trail riding, jumping, dressage and saddle seat.
4. Appaloosa
This breed consists of big horses, tough and very well adjustable to difficult conditions. Their coat has colorful spots. Appaloosas are used for pleasure as well as trail riding. They also make excellent stock horses.
5. The Andalusian
This type of horse is simply elegant and strong. They are not hard to distinguish as they have long, thick manes and tails. Although they used to come in various colors when they were discovered in the 15th century, nowadays you will only find them in bay or grey.
The Andalusian developed from being a prized war horse and is now used for different purposes including jumping, dressage and English pleasure riding.
6. Warmbloods
These are not technically categorized by lineage, rather by characteristics. Examples include The Oldenburg and Hanoverian. They are treasured for their strength and agility as sport horses are good for jumping and dressage.
7. The Palomino
Just like the previous breed, this one is also not about lineage but color. They are characterized by bright, beautiful colors which means that you will find most of the other breeds like thoroughbreds falling into this category. Palomino horses are used for many purposes. They are versatile, flexible and hardy. You will find them in racing, rodeos, jumping shows, pleasure riding, trail riding and every other equine activity.
Whether you are thinking about buying a horse or you already have one, this list should give you a good idea on how to get the perfect horse for the purpose it is best suited for. Although the list is extensive, chances are that you will bump into one of these amazing breeds every now and then!
Personalities in Horses
If we decided to talk about all horse breeds we would probably take an entire day or even more. This is because they are so many, with various purposes, sizes and colors. There are however some breeds that have stood out as favorites over the years. Let’s help you understand your equine friend better so you can distinguish between the most common breeds and get to know what they are best suited for.
1. The Thoroughbred
This horse originated in England some time between the 17th and 18th centuries. It has very strong characteristics which makes the breed suitable for racing and other sports like polo, jumping and rodeo. The horse can be described as highly spirited, with a long neck, lean body and majestically long legs.
2. The American Quarter Horse
They are excellent sprinters over short distances and are quite popular in competitions. They are also used for western pleasure riding and barrel racing. The brownish red color is the most common among the breed, although they also come in black, bay or brown. We can generally describe the horse as muscular. It has a very strong and broad chest and powerful hind quarters.
3. The Arabian
Now this is a very old breed, dating thousands of years back and war popularly used for war. They were widely traded which explains why they are spread all across the world. You can easily recognize the breed based on their wedge shaped head, with a small muzzle and large eyes and nostrils. They come in chestnut, bay, grey or black colors and are highly tolerant to tough conditions. This is why they are used for trail riding, jumping, dressage and saddle seat.
4. Appaloosa
This breed consists of big horses, tough and very well adjustable to difficult conditions. Their coat has colorful spots. Appaloosas are used for pleasure as well as trail riding. They also make excellent stock horses.
5. The Andalusian
This type of horse is simply elegant and strong. They are not hard to distinguish as they have long, thick manes and tails. Although they used to come in various colors when they were discovered in the 15th century, nowadays you will only find them in bay or grey.
The Andalusian developed from being a prized war horse and is now used for different purposes including jumping, dressage and English pleasure riding.
6. Warmbloods
These are not technically categorized by lineage, rather by characteristics. Examples include The Oldenburg and Hanoverian. They are treasured for their strength and agility as sport horses are good for jumping and dressage.
7. The Palomino
Just like the previous breed, this one is also not about lineage but color. They are characterized by bright, beautiful colors which means that you will find most of the other breeds like thoroughbreds falling into this category. Palomino horses are used for many purposes. They are versatile, flexible and hardy. You will find them in racing, rodeos, jumping shows, pleasure riding, trail riding and every other equine activity.
Whether you are thinking about buying a horse or you already have one, this list should give you a good idea on how to get the perfect horse for the purpose it is best suited for. Although the list is extensive, chances are that you will bump into one of these amazing breeds every now and then!
Personalities in Horses
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