Horse Breeds ....
where do you start?!
On these pages you will find useful and only necessary information regarding certain horse breeds or
types of horses
that are relevant to help you find a horse to buy.
We could fill a whole website with every single breed of horse, but we felt that it was only necessary to put information about some of the most familiar horse breeds, and the ones that you are more likely to come across.
Of course, you may come across a less familiar breed at any time, when you are out there looking for that Dream Horse, but we didn't want to waste your time on our website, so have stuck mainly to the most popular, and well known breeds.
But firstly...
...When it comes to horse breeds, what is the difference between a Warm Blood, a Hot Blood and a Cold Blood?
Generally, a Hot Blooded horse is a purebrd horse which have two purebred parents with proof of lineage.
A Cold Blooded is a mixed bred horse, which has combined breeding in both parents. This also adds to their durability and resilience.
A Warm Blooded horse comes in the middle of the two above, meaning that its parents will have one purebred parent (Hot Blood) and one mixed bred parent (Cold Blood).
WARMBLOODS
If you are looking for a great all rounder, are wanting to compete in events such as dressage and jumping; then a Warmblooded horse is probably what you are looking for. You will also find that most Warmbloods will move beautifully, with an elegant head carriage.
Warmbloods do not have the highly strung qualities of a Hotblood, and they aren't as heavy built as the Cold blood. They have smaller heads and bodies than the big heavy draft horse, (ie a Percheron or Clydesdale) and are less nervous than the excitable Thoroughbred.
With the correct training from a skilled rider, they perform well in the ring, are intelligent, calm horses, who cope well under stress. Examples of a Warmblooded horse breed are Connemara, (below) Hackney, Welsh Cob to name but a few.
HOT BLOODS
You would be slightly mistaken if you thought that a Hot blooded horse was named so because it is a high spirited, strong, hardy animal. A Hot blooded horse has a lean body, thin coat with slender, delicate legs, and they are generally not as tough as a Cold or Warmblooded horse. In fact a lot of Hot blooded horses have been known to be positively neurotic!
They are true examples of the 'flight' animal, being easily frightened or injured when trying to escape from a situation that they interpret as dangerous. They do not cope well with new situations and demand a lot of time and energy from their owners.
Like the passionate temperament of the human artist, they need someone to understand their fiery nature, they therefore need careful handling from an expert.
Known for speed and agility, Hot blooded horses are used mainly for racing, but are also excellent for 3 day eventing. Their speed puts them streets ahead of all the other breeds.
They tend to be the most expensive of breeds due to their fine breeding, hence making them an attractive accessory to the rich and famous.
There are only 2 main Hot blood breeds that are recognised and those are the Arab and the Thoroughbred.
COLD BLOODS
The other end of the scale is the good old Cold blooded horse. Built with heavy bodies, strong legs and thick hair for warmth, these hardy animals can live out all year, and make a very suitable safer choice for light, easy hacking out.
They can still be used for heavy farm work, like plowing or pulling. They are mild mannered, and docile in character. They can also be affection; showing placid interactions with human. All this truly describes an easygoing horse breed.
They are gentle with children and are difficult to spook, but can be mistaken for being slightly stupid. Quite the reverse, as these horses tend to have above average intelligence. Examples of the Cold blooded horse breed is the Percheron and the Suffolk Punch.
Go to Home Page from Horse Breeds
