WHAT AM I? COMMON
BREEDS OF HORSES
Last Lesson
• Talked about uses of horses:
• Who can tell me what is one of the main things we use horses
for?
• What is Saddle Seat? Hunt-Seat? Dressage?
Objectives
• Today we will be focusing on being able to identify
common breed of horses
• Describe the major breeds of horses, including origin,
color, characteristics, and uses.
• Define basic horse vocabulary
• Identify the different colors of horses
Vocabulary
• Breed – An equine group whose members have been
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selectively bred for consistent characteristics over a
period of time and with pedigrees recorded in a stud book.
Broodmare – A female mare used specifically for
breeding.
Conformation – The shape of a horse.
Dam – The female parent of a horse.
Gait – Used to describe the manner in which a horse
moves.
Vocabulary continued…
• Hand – An approximately four-inch unit of measurement
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to describe a horse’s height.
Mare – Female horse five years old or older.
Pedigree – The details of a horse’s ancestry.
Sire – The male parent of a horse.
Stallion – Male horse used specifically for breeding.
Horse – Any equine over 14.2 hands in height
Pony – Any equine under but not equal to 14.2 hands in
height
The 12 most common breeds are:
• Arabian
• Morgan Horse
• Quarter Horse
• Tennessee Walking
• Paint
Horse
• Welsh Pony and Cob
• Andalusian
• Clydesdale
• Saddlebred
• Shetland Pony
• Thoroughbred
• Appaloosa
Breed Profile
• With your partner, research your two breeds. Creating a
short breed profile to fill in your, that includes the following
components.
• breed name
• place of origin
• accepted colors
• 2-3 notable characteristics
• and common uses.
I would recomment using:
http//www.worldofhorses.co.uk/Breeds/hors
e_breed_index.htm
For Example…
• Name: Chincoteague Pony
• Origin: United States
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• Accepted Colors: Any colors, usually Pinto (which means a
combination of one color and white Splotches)
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• Notable Characteristics:
• Height: Approximately 12hh
• Conformation: well proportioned. Strong and Muscular. Standing 14 hands and
under. Extra Thick mane and tail.
• Character: good natured kind, sweet and gentle
Highly intelligent and versatile.
• Live on Assateague Island, are rounded-up once a year for auctions, on Pony
Penning Day in July.
• Uses: Feral, can be used for anything if bought and tamed during
Pony Penning Day on Chincoteague Island, VA.
Arabian
• Origin: Arabia.
• Colour: Chestnut, grey, bay and black.
• Height: between 14.2 and 15hh.
• Conformation: small, elegant concave head, curved neck, long
sloping shoulder, broad chest and deep body, short back, hard
clean limbs, hard well-shaped feet, fine mane and tail.
• Character: intelligent, responsive.
• Uses: riding, showing, endurance, racing.
Quarter Horse
• Origin: USA.
• Colour: any solid colour.
• Height: between 14.3 and 15.3hh.
• Conformation: short, wide head, deep chest and compact
body, powerful hindquarters.
• Character: intelligent, sensible, nimble.
• Uses: racing, cattle work, riding.
Paint
• Origin: USA.
• Colour: white with varying amounts of another colour.
• Height: up to 16hh.
• Conformation: Stock type conformation.
• Character: intelligent and willing.
• Uses: general riding horse (english and western), ranch work,
rodeo, trail riding, US racing, showing, jumping, dressage,
driving.
Shetland Pony
• Origin: Shetland and Orkney Islands, United Kingdom.
• Colour: All.
• Height: up to 10.2 hands.
• Conformation: smallhead, deep, stocky body, short legs,
small feet. Very strong for size.
• Character: Independent but tractable.
• Uses: riding, driving, pet.
Thoroughbred
• Origin: UK.
• Colour: any solid colour.
• Height: between 15 and 17hh.
• Conformation: varies according to type. Sprint bred horse are
close-coupled with powerful hindquarters; staying/jumping bred
horses are bigger-framed and longer backed with more bone.
All should have elegant heads on long necks with a sloping
shoulder, prominent withers and a fine coat.
• Character: bold, spirited.
• Uses: racing, riding, cross-breeding.
Appaloosa
• Origin: Western USA.
• Colour: Six patterns of spots, usually on white or roan.
• Height: between 14.2 and 15.2hh.
• Conformation: short deep body, strong hindquarters, good
bone.
• Character: docile, brave.
• Uses: western riding, pleasure, circus, all rounder.
Morgan
• Origin: United States.
• Colour: chestnut, brown or black. No white markings
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permitted above the knee or hock, except on the face.
Height: between 14.1 and 15.2hh.
Conformation: attractive head with broad forehead, large
eyes and neat, alert ears, sloping shoulder and well
defined withers, deep compact body, broad loins, wellmuscled quarters, straight sound legs, long sloping
pasterns, sound feet and full mane and tail.
Character: intelligent and tractable.
Uses: riding, showing, stock horse, and carriage driving.
Tennessee Walking Horse
• Origin: United States.
• Colour: mostly chestnut and black.
• Height: between 15 and 16hh.
• Conformation: a largish head with a straight profile, a muscular
and arched neck, pronounced withers, a broad chest, sloping
shoulders, a short back, and a muscular flat croup.
• Character: gentle, naturally sociable, quiet nature.
• Uses: n/a.
Welsh Pony
• Origin: Wales.
• Colour: any solid colour.
• Height: up to 12 hands.
• Conformation: small concave head, bold eyes, and a wide
forehead. Crested neck, sloping shoulder, short back and
legs, round dense hooves, and high set tail.
• Character: intelligent, spirited, kind.
• Uses: riding, breeding, driving.
Andalusian
• Origin: Andalusia, Spain.
• Colour: Usually grey, though bays and blacks are seen.
• Height: between 15.2 and 16 hands.
• Conformation: broad forehead, bold eyes, long arched neck,
short deep body, powerful hindquarters, plenty of bone and
short cannon bone.
• Character: docile, willing, proud.
• Uses: bull-fighting, ceremonial, high-school dressage.
Clydesdale
• Origin: Scotland
• Colour: Bay, brown or black.
• Height: stallions - 17.1-18 hands; mares - 16.3 - 17.2 h.
• Conformation: strong head with bright eyes and big ears, long
arched neck, sloping shoulders, short back, muscular quarters,
straight limbs and forelegs set well back, fine feathering, and
round feet.
• Character: docile, active
• Uses: draught work, showing
Saddlebred
• Origin: USA.
• Colour: Chestnut, Bay, Brown and Black, with some Grey, Roan,
Palomino and Pinto.
• Height: average 15 to 17hh
• Conformation: well-proportioned and presents a beautiful overall picture.
The animal should be in good flesh, with good muscle tone and a
smooth, glossy coat.
• Character: refined head with small ears and long neck with considerable
arch. They are of good proportion, possess high intelligence are alert and
curious. Saddlebreds possess personality, making them people-oriented.
• Uses: Dressage, Jumping, Carriage and Endurance.
Review
• What are two of the breeds we talked about today?
• Can someone give me a common use for the Welsh
Pony?
• Where did the Clydesdale originate?
• What colors do Arabians typically come in?