Selectively bred populations of domesticated horses
Illustration of horse breeds from Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary (1890–1907)
A horse breed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a broader sense to define landrace animals of a common phenotype located within a limited geographic region, or even feral "breeds" that are naturally selected. Depending on definition, hundreds of "breeds" exist today, developed for many different uses. Horse breeds are loosely divided into three categories based on general temperament: spirited "hot bloods" with speed and endurance; "cold bloods," such as draft horses and some ponies, suitable for slow, heavy work; and "warmbloods," developed from crosses between hot bloods and cold bloods, often focusing on creating breeds for specific riding purposes, particularly in Europe.
Horse breeds are groups of horses with distinctive characteristics that are transmitted consistently to their offspring, such as conformation, color, performance ability, or disposition. These inherited traits are usually the result of a combination of natural crosses and artificial selection methods aimed at producing horses for specific tasks. Certain breeds are known for certain talents. For example, Standardbreds are known for their speed in harness racing. Some breeds have been developed through centuries of crossings with other breeds, while others, such as the Morgan horse, originated from a single sire from which all current breed members descend. More than 300 horse breeds exist in the world today.[1]
^Equine Research Inc. (2004). Hedge, Juliet; Wagoner, Don M. (eds.). Horse conformation: structure, soundness, and performance. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. pp. 307–308. ISBN 9781592284870. OCLC 56012597.
list of horse and pony breeds includes standardized breeds, some strains within breeds that are considered distinct populations, types of horses with common...
A horsebreed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes...
The Arabian or Arab horse (Arabic: الحصان العربي [alħisˤaːn alʕarabijj], DMG al-ḥiṣān al-ʿarabī) is a breed of horse with historic roots on the Arabian...
Scottish breed of draught horse. It takes its name from Clydesdale, a region of Scotland centred on the River Clyde. The origins of the breed lie in the...
draft horses are used today for a multitude of purposes, including farming, draft horse showing, logging, recreation, and other uses. Draft breeds have...
The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability...
Icelandic horse (Icelandic: íslenski hesturinn [ˈistlɛnscɪ ˈhɛstʏrɪn]), or Icelandic, is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Although the horses are smaller...
Dutch; Frysk hynder in West Frisian) is a horsebreed originating in Friesland in north Netherlands. The breed nearly became extinct on more than one occasion...
The Shire is a British breed of draught horse. It is usually black, bay, or grey. It is a tall breed, and Shires have at various times held world records...
The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE (pura raza española), is a horsebreed from the Iberian Peninsula, where its ancestors have...
The Morgan horse is one of the earliest horsebreeds developed in the United States. Tracing back to the foundation sire Figure, later named Justin Morgan...
The Tennessee Walking Horse or Tennessee Walker is a breed of gaited horse known for its unique four-beat running-walk and flashy movement. It was originally...
Romani Cob, Gypsy Horse, or Gypsy Vanner, is a breed of domestic horse from the British Isles. It is a small, solidly-built horse of cob conformation...
This is a list of some of the breeds and types of horse considered in India to be wholly or partly of Indian origin. Some may have complex or obscure...
Horse (Norwegian: fjordhest) is a relatively small but very strong horsebreed from the mountainous regions of western Norway. It is an agile breed of...
The Hanoverian (German: Hannoveraner) is a Warmblood horsebreed originating in Germany, which is often seen in the Olympic Games and other competitive...
is a rare breed of horse from the Marwar (or Jodhpur) region of Rajasthan, in north-west India. It is closely related to the Kathiawari breed of the Kathiawar...
Appaloosa is an American horsebreed best known for its colorful spotted coat pattern. There is a wide range of body types within the breed, stemming from the...
The American Paint Horse is a breed of horse that combines both the conformational characteristics of a western stock horse with a pinto spotting pattern...
Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds primarily originating in Europe and registered with organizations that are characterized...
is a Hungarian horsebreed named after its Anglo-Norman foundation sire. Generally dark in color, it is a muscular and heavy-boned breed, similar in type...
The Canadian (French: cheval canadien) is a horsebreed from Canada. It is a strong, well-muscled horse, usually dark in colour. It is generally used...
Gaited horses are horsebreeds that have selective breeding for natural gaited tendencies, that is, the ability to perform one of the smooth-to-ride,...
This is a list of the horsebreeds usually considered to be native to Japan. Some may have complex or obscure histories, so inclusion here does not necessarily...
The Florida Cracker Horse is a critically endangered horsebreed from the state of Florida in the United States. It is genetically and physically similar...
is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Huisne river valley in western France, part of the former Perche province, from which the breed takes...
The Heck horse is a horsebreed that is claimed to resemble the tarpan (Equus ferus ferus), an extinct wild equine. The breed was created by the German...
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