Horses

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There are many breeds of horses, here are just a few.

1. Thoroughbred- Thoroughbred is a term used to describe a horse bred whose ancestry can be traced to three sires, Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerly Tuck. These Sires were bred to the stronger, but less precocious native horses in England. This resulted in a horse that could carry weight with sustained speed over extended distances Thoroughbred horses are commonly used as race horses.

2. Quarter Horse-The principle development of the Quarter Horse was in the southwestern part of the United States in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Kansas.  Some breed historians have maintained that it is the oldest breed of horses in the United States and that the true beginning of the Quarter Horse was in the Carolinas and Virginia.  Nye has suggested that the Chickasaws secured from the Indians were the true beginning of the Quarter Horse.  These were small blocky horses, probably of Spanish extraction, which the planters secured from the Indians, and which were adapted for a variety of uses.  The colonists were quite interested in short races, and it was only natural that they should have attempted to increase the speed of their horses; to this end some of the best early Thoroughbreds that were brought to the United States included the horse Janus, brought to the United States before the English Stud Book was established, were instrumental in the improvement of these local running horse

2. Clydesdale- A breed of heavy draft horses developed in and deriving its name from the district in Scotland where it was founded.

3. Percheron- No one really knows where this breed of horses came from. Some believe they arte the original horses found during the Ice Age, others believe this breed is from Abd el Rahman’s Arab stallions or part of the horses used in the invading Moors at the battle

4. Arabian-The Bedouin tribes of the desert, believing the horse to be a gift from God, told many romantic tales of the Arabian's beginnings. One such legend claims God fashioned the desert south wind into a creature who, "shall fly without wings". Bedouins took them as prized members of their households. This breed of horses is known for their gentle, affectionate nature, the striking look and the proud spirit.

5. Buckskin (or Dun) - they were thought to have orientated from the Spanish Sorraia. The Norwegian Dun (Buckskin) and other Scandinavian countries is a breed so old that their actual origin is lost in antiquity. There are indications that this breed got their color from the horses of Spain.

6. Mustang- The mustang is a feral horse found in the Western United States. This breed gets its name from the Spanish word mesteno or monstenco meaning wild or stray. Originally this breed was a Spanish horse, but over time they became a mix of numerous breeds.

7. The American Paint- Decorated by nature, the origins of the Paint Horse in North America can be traced back to the two-toned horses introduced by the Spanish explorers, descendants of horses from North Africa and Asia Minor. Inevitably, some of these colorful equines escaped to create the wild herds of horses roaming the Great Plains. Captured and gentled, they raced alongside the vast herds of buffalo and traveled hundreds of miles on cattle drives. Cherished by the finest horsemen of the Western frontier, both Native Americans and cowboys sought the hardy horses loudly splashed with color.

8. Pinto- the Pinto horse is a color breed in contrast to most other breeds which are defined by their genetic ancestry. In America, the Pinto is regarded as a proper breed. Pintos have a dark background coloring and upon this color random patches of white. The Pinto coloration may occur in any breed or specific conformation.

9. Shetland Pony- Named after the islands where it originated, it is now one of the most popular ponies in the world. The little Shetland is probably so shaggy because it was conditioned by its environment. For many centuries the Shetland Pony lived in the open, protected from the elements only by this thick hair, long mane, and forelocks. The Shetland Islanders domesticated the ponies to do useful work for them. The pony carried peat down from the bogs to the cottages for use as fuel. They also hauled seaweed up from the shore to the fields to be used as fertilizer.

10. Tennessee Walking Horse- The most prominent characteristic of Tennessee Walkers is their swift and smooth "running walk." This gait is inherited and cannot be taught to a horse who does not possess it naturally. It is a square four-beat gait with a gliding motion, and a bobbing of the head and swinging of the ears accompany each step. Some Walkers are even known to snap their teeth in time. When performing the running walk, these horses will overstride, placing the back hoof ahead of their forehoof print. Traveling at speeds from 6 to 12 miles per hour, Walkers can sustain this gait for long distances without fatigue to themselves or their passengers.

11. Zhemaichu- The modern Zhemaichu formed in the post-war years by pure breeding and the selection of large individuals with high work endurance, and through limited crossbreeding with North Swedish stallions, is taller (152-154 cm), has a somewhat extended trunk (157-160 cm) and a very massive body with a girth of 188-190 cm, as well as clean legs with a cannon bone girth of 10-20 cm. The new intra-breed type has retained the characteristic exterior features of the old Zhmudka.