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Find the Best Horse Breed for Showing, Racing or Riding
A horse is a horse, of course, of course?
Not exactly.
Like dogs, horses vary in build and temperament according to their breed. This makes some horses better suited to certain tasks than others. Clydesdales, for example, are excellent draft horses, great for pulling carts and carriages, while thoroughbred horses are ideal for racing and show jumping. Certain horse breeds are also prone to certain health conditions as a result of their breeding or use.
If you’re in the market for a horse, it is important that you choose the right breed for your purposes. You should also understand the care and feeding requirements for your new pet. Horses can be wonderful additions to your family, but the cost and time required to keep them represents an enormous commitment. Consider your decision carefully, and then, if you decide the maintenance is worth it (and most horse owners will tell you it is), look into these popular breeds.
Show Horses
Horse shows consist of events like dressage and show jumping, but can also include competitions like vaulting (which is essentially gymnastics on horseback) and eventing (which is basically a triathlon for horses). Show horses need to be athletic, but unlike racehorses, they are prized for their agility and trainability, not their speed.
Appaloosa horses are a popular show breed. These incredibly versatile horses are quite nimble-bodied, at approximately 14 to 15 hands high and 1,200 to 1,300 pounds. Also, their distinctive color patterns make them beautiful to look at even when they’re standing still.
When it comes to dressage, particularly classical dressage and “airs above the ground,” no horse breed does it better than the Lipizzan or Lipizzaner. These gray horses (which may also appear white) stand around 15 to 16 hands high and feature long, muscular legs and small but tough feet. Although it originated in what is modern-day Slovenia, the breed is now most strongly associated with the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.
Racing Horses
If you want a horse that could be the next Seabiscuit, then it’s likely a thoroughbred you’re after. With lean frames and long, powerful legs, these horses were built for speed.
The thoroughbred’s cousin, the Standardbred, is the ideal horse for harness racing, and the Quarter Horse excels at sprinting, earning its name from its ability to outdistance any other horse breed in a race of a quarter-mile or less.
Riding Horses
When it comes to pleasure reading, horse breeds with docile temperaments tend to be the best bet. The Tennessee Walking Horse’s calm disposition and smooth gait make it the perfect breed for beginning or occasional riders, and its unique gallop provides a fairly comfortable ride, making it perfect for a long, slow trail ride.
Although some may be intimidated by its size, the Clydesdale’s even temperament and smooth trot makes it a good breed for pleasure riding, as well.
Miniature Horses
Of course, if what you really want is a loving pet, a miniature horse provides plenty of companionship and love while requiring far less in terms of care and feeding. Mini horses are identical in proportions to their full-sized relatives, but stand no more than 38 inches at the withers and weigh in the neighborhood of 250 pounds.
Article by PetsPlus www.petsplus.com