The end of the week is a great time to visit another exotic location and learn about the unique horse breeds it’s given rise to. Looking at each breed in the context of their origins is a fascinating ride, & today a peek at the breeds from Norway.
Old & Cold
The breeds from Norway tend to be rather old and similarly unique ones. The first example would have to be the Døle Gudbrandsdal, one of the smallest cold blooded trotters on the planet. Relatively new on the books, the Døle’s bloodlines are thought to date back somewhere between 400 – 800 BC. Today they are protected and controlled by the government.
Norwegian Rockstar
Another (and perhaps more recognizable) ancient bloodline from Norway is the Norwegian Fjord. This is a bloodline that breeds true to type and retains most of their primitive characteristics. Interestingly the Vikings were the first western Europeans to use horses in agriculture and these were their animals of choice. Their subsequent invasions helped to spread the practice & most draft breeds of Europe carry some Norwegian Fjord blood in their veins.
Norwegian Horse Breeds
Døle Gudbrandsdal
Kaldblodstraver
Lyngen Horse
Norwegian Fjord
Horses of the World
There is a whole worlds worth of countries to visit, so be sure to keep yourself updated. Please let me know in the comments below if I’m missing any horses of Norway & check back next week for the breeds of Peru.