The Swedish Half-bred horse is also known as Swedish Warmblood. This is a horse that was developed in Sweden, particularly at Flyinge and Stromsholm. This horse breed descends from an imported stock in the 17th century. The horses imported to Sweden were from Germany, Denmark, Hungary, England, Spain, France, Turkey, and Russia. There was extraordinary variation among these horses but they became the Swedish Warmblood along the way.
History of Swedish Half-bred Horse
The Swedish Half-bred has it’s beginning 300 years ago when Oriental, Andalusian, and Friesian stallions were imported and bred to local mares to produce good saddle horses for the cavalry. The local mares were petite but rough. Since then the breed has been carefully built up. The best of Thoroughbred, East Prussian, Hanoverian, Trakehner, and Holstein stallions were introduced to The Swedish Half-birds during the 19th and 20th centuries.
In the development of this new breed, the decade from 1920 to 1930 was very significant. By the use of these horses, huge and sturdy horses were fashioned. The breed is now fixed and strict controls are exercised over the stallions used. The result is an outstanding saddle horse, a formidable Olympic Games competitor which excels in dressage and jumping. Immediately after the Second World War Anno, Polarstern, the Trakehners Heristal, and Heinfried had the foremost impact on the Swedish Half-bred horse. Hamlet, Thoroughbred Hamplemann, and Tribune are the breeds that influenced this new horse breed most noticeably.
The physique of a Swedish Half-bred Horse
The Swedish Half-bred horse has the quality of a good saddle horse with excellent conformation. It has a neat, attractive head with a straight face, large eyes, and short and pricked ears. The neck of this horse is of medium length. The shoulders are strapping and sloping. This horse breed has good withers and depth of girth. Its body is rather deep, with well-sprung ribs, a straight back, and good loins. It has excellent, rounded hindquarters. Its legs are hard and slender, with short cannon bones, short, sloping pasterns, and a hock well let down.
Height of Swedish Half-bred Horse
On average the Swedish Half-bred horse stands to the height of 16.2 hands high.
Body Color of Swedish Half-bred Horse
The coat of a Swedish Half-bred horse is of solid colors. The colors generally seen on its body are chestnut, bay, brown, or gray.
The Temperament of Swedish Half-bred Horse
The Swedish Half-bred horse is intelligent, bold, good-natured, sensible, and obedient.
Uses of Swedish Half-bred Horse
The Swedish Half-bred horse breed is extensively used as a riding horse. It has painless and straight paces. It is also an attractive, sound, well-mannered, and unquestionably multitalented horse. It is also used as a jumper, dressage horse, and in events. Swedish Half-bred horse has proved to be a very good driving horse. These horses are exported in large numbers all over Europe and the United States.
The main aim of the development of the Swedish Half-bred horse was to serve military purposes. The strict procedure of selection for the development of this horse breed has produced one of the best and purest breeds of sports horses on the planet. This is a brawny horse with athletic qualities. It has good conformation and the action is extravagant and straight. It has attained expertise in eventing, dressage, and show jumping.
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