Intro
The Silesian or Slaski Horse was developed around the turn of the 19th century and bred in Lower Silesia in Poland.
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Intro
Descendant from the English Great Horse of the Middle Ages, the Shire horse is among the largest of the draft breeds .
Origins
Appearing in Britain around the end of the 16th century when strong animals were needed to pull heavy wagons and coaches long distances over rough terrain. The Shire derived from blood of forest horses, and Friesian and Flanders horse imports.
The English Great horse is still considered the Shire horse’s principle ancestor, although its bloodlines were slowly reduced in the stock as the influx of Dutch Friesian blood grew stronger.
Modern Shire horses are renowned for their strength, a pair of Shire horses have pulled 16.5 tons of weight on granite paving tiles.
Features
Average height Over 17 hands
Extremely large animals
Incredible pulling strength
One of the biggest horses in the world
Physique
Long neck for a draft horse, with wide shoulders
Legs are clean and muscular, hocks set for maximum leverage
Heavy feathering on back of legs
Big, round hooves
Traditional Colors
Temperament
Big and gentle, the Shire is a docile giant
Use
General riding
Show horses
Parade horse
Shire Horse Products
Helpful Links
*All links open in a new window
American Shire Horse Association
Canadian Shire Horse Association
Shire Horse Society
Where to Buy
Shire Studs
Video
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Image from Shagya France
Intro
The Shagya Arabian comes from Hungary and was established during the Turkish occupation of Hungary that lasted until the end of the 17th century.
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Origins
The Senne or Senner Horse comes from the heath area of Senne in Germany and comes from indigenous warmblood animals (which are now extinct) crossed with Arabians, Thoroughbreds & Spanish animals. This is an old breed thought to date back to the end of the 12th century and has largely been governed by natural selection throughout the years. Until the beginning of the 20th century when the local studs were closed & the animals sold off to private breeders.
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Intro
Also called the Holsteiner Coldblood, & Schleswiger Kaldblut, the Schleswiger Heavy Draft comes from northern Germany. In their heyday they were widely used as a working horse, but sadly today they are on the list of endangered domestic animal breeds.
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Intro
The Saxony Warmblood is a robust warmblood breed with a much heavier body type than the warmblood sporting horses of today. They are bred in the areas of Saxony & Thuringia, and although they are a heavy in type they are not to be confused with the Saxon-Turinga Coldblood.
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Origins
The Saxon Turinga Coldblood comes from Turinga & Saxony and is descend from Rhenish Westfalian Draught Horses. This is an incredibly rare animal & conservation efforts are underway.
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Image from CharlesFred
Intro
The Sardinian pony comes from the island of Sardinia in Italy where there have been horses for century so their origins are essentially unknown.
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Origins
The Sanhe Horse comes from eastern Inner Mongolia at a grassland basin formed by three rivers (Sanhe means ‘three rivers’) in China. They are thought to be among the finest of the breeds developed in China partially because the area is well suited to raising equine.
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Intro
The Sandan horse comes specifically from the Sandan Farm which is at the foot of the Qilian Shan mountain range in China.
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