Name of breed: Caspian Country of origin: Iran Breed origin: The Caspian is believed to be one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. Persian art and artifacts from as early as 3,000 BC depict small, refined horses, often ridden or driven by nobles and kings. The oldest known specimen of Caspian horse was […]

Name of breed: Frederiksborg, or Frederiksborger Country of origin: Denmark Breed origin: The Frederiksborg’s claim to fame is that it is Denmark’s oldest breed of horse, and the world’s oldest pedigree domestic animal breed! This is all thanks to King Frederik II, who opened the Royal Frederiskborg Stud (named after the town where it was […]

Once a year, the town of Douz in Tunisia plays host to a festival that, although little-known to tourists, brings thousands upon thousands of visitors to its doorstep. The International Festival of the Sahara is a multi-day celebration of the traditions, arts, culture and lifestyle of North Africa. Set at the literal gateway to the […]

Name of breed: Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner Country of origin: Developed by the Habsburg Monarchy in what is now Slovenia. Breed origin: The Lipizzan breed has its roots in ancient Iberian stock, but the breed itself dates back to the 16th century, when it was developed by the Habsburg family to fill their need for a powerful […]

Name of breed: Gelderland, or Gelderlander Country of origin: Netherlands Breed origin: The Gelderland is a heavy warmblood breed that developed in the 18th century in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. Native mares of this province were crossed with Andalusian, Neapolitan, Norman, Norfolk Roadster and Holsteiner stallions to produce a stylish, versatile horse […]

Name of breed: Connemara pony Country of origin: Ireland Breed origin: Named after the Connemara region in County Galway, western Ireland, this pony is versatile and athletic, yet as tough and sound as its home is rugged and wild. There are a number of theories as to how the breed came to be: some believe […]

Name of breed: Namib Desert Horse, or Namib Wild Horse Country of origin: Namibia Breed origin: The Namib Desert Horse is a feral breed that has lived wild in the Namib Desert for around 100 years. The origin of these wild horses is still a matter of contention, and several theories exist. One theory is […]

In the middle of the Australian outback sits Kings Creek Station, a place where red sands blow and twist through desert oaks and elusive wild horses roam the wide open spaces. This is the site of our epic Desert Brumby Safari – and once a year, it also plays host to Brumby Week, the most […]

Name of breed: Irish Draught Country of origin: Ireland Breed origin: The history of the Irish Draught dates back many hundreds of years to a time when Ireland and Spain were regular traders, swapping goods such as wool, butter, wine, and horses. In the 16th century, the Spanish brought horses with Iberian (today’s Andalusian and […]

Name of breed: Sandalwood Pony Country of origin: Indonesia Breed origin: The Sandalwood pony developed on the Indonesian islands of Sumba and Sumbawa. It is named after the Sandalwood tree, which was once of the island’s major exports. Not much is known about the history of the Sandalwood breed, but it is believed that Arabians […]

Name of breed: Karachay (also called Karachai, Karatschai pony and Karakachan Pony). Country of origin: Russia – the Northern Caucasus region. Breed origin: The Karachay horse has been bred for around seven centuries in the north-western Caucasus Mountains of Russia. It is named after the people who bred it, the Karachays, who lived in these […]

Name of breed: Irish Sport Horse (also known as the Irish Hunter) Country of origin: Ireland Breed origin: The Irish Sport Horse is the result of a cross between an Irish Draught and – typically – a Thoroughbred, although European warmblood infusions are increasingly common. Now recognised as a separate breed rather than a crossbreed, […]

Name of breed: Sorraia Country of origin: Portugal Breed origin: Thought to be the last remnant population of the indigenous wild horses that once roamed southern Iberia, there are many different theories as to the origins of the Sorraia horse. It is known that the breed (or subspecies, some claim) developed in the southern part […]

Name of breed: Shagya Arabian, or Shagya-Araber. Country of origin: Hungary, and the wider Austro-Hungarian Empire. Breed origin: In 1789, Emperor Joseph II, ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, established the Babolna Imperial Stud in Hungary with the aim of developing a superior cavalry horse that could also be used to improve other breeds. Hungary was […]

Saratoga WarHorse is a non-profit organisation in New York state, which helps military veterans heal from the devastating emotional effects of Post Traumatic Stress. The emotional healing that begins with the nonverbal, nonjudgmental acceptance of a horse enables veterans to feel safe enough to be themselves, and this is essentially the first step in their […]

Name of breed: Gidran, or Hungarian Anglo-Arab Country of origin: Hungary Breed origin: The Gidran was developed in south-east Hungary at the Hungarian State Stud, where the Nonius and Furioso-North Star breeds were also founded. The Gidran breed was established by a desert bred chestnut Arabian called Siglavy Gidran. From 1816 onwards, he was bred […]

Name of breed: Trakehner Country of origin: East Prussia (now Germany) Breed origin: The Trakehner breed was originally developed at the East Prussian state stud farm in the town of Trakehnen, from which the breed takes its name. The state stud was established in 1731, and between 1817 and 1837, Arabian, Thoroughbred and Turkoman horses […]

Name of breed: Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE (pura raza española) Country of origin: Spain Breed origin: The Andalusian originated on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain, where its ancestors, Iberian horses, were present as far back as 20-30,000 BC. These horses had many influences as civilisations came and went from […]

Name of breed: Hackney Country of origin: England Breed origin: Although the Hackney originated in Norfolk, England, the name comes from a French word, ‘haquenee’, which was used to describe a riding horse with an exceptionally comfortable trot or amble. From its development in the 14th century, this type of horse became very popular as […]

Name of breed: Standardbred, or American Standardbred. Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origin: The world’s fastest harness racing horse, the Standardbred was developed in America in the late 18th and early 19th centuries after a Thoroughbred stallion called Messenger was imported from England. Messenger was a ‘flat racer’, not a trotter, but […]

Name of breed: Orlov Trotter, or Orloff Trotter. Country of origin: Russia Breed origin: The Orlov Trotter is Russia’s oldest and most famous ‘stud’ breed, renowned for its speed, stamina and fast-paced trot. The breed was developed in the late 18th century by Count Alexei Orlov, hence the name. Count Orlov set out to develop a light […]