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Swedish Warm-Blood(Swedish Halfbred) |
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Swedish Warm-Blood(Swedish Halfbred) |
With its origins in Sweden some 300 years ago, the Swedish Warmblood or Swedish Halfbred is geographically distributed throughout Europe and the United States today. This horse does well in a tempeate, controlled environment. It is a good riding horse, performing well under saddle, and it makes a good jumper and competition horse. This meso-dolichomorphic horse is internationally important and has a quiet and intelligent temperament. According to my sources the Swedish Warmblood stands 15.2 to 16.3 or 16.2 to 17 hands high at the withers. This indicates to me that there is a wide variation in type among horses in this breed standard. It is usually bay, brown, chestnut or grey, but may be found in all solid colors.
The Swedish Warmblood's handsome, well set-on head is pleasant, "hunterlike," and nicely proportioned with a straight or convex profile. Its ears are long, eyes lively, and its expression sensible. The well-formed neck is long, the withers prominent, and the shoulders deep. It has a long, straight back and a broad, long and flat croup. The girth is deep enough for its compact body, and its ribs are well-sprung. Its chest is wide and deep, and its well-muscled, strong shoulder is nicely sloping and allows good movement. Its strong, well-muscled legs have broad, clean joints and clean well-defined tendons. The legs are described as either being long or short, depending on the individual's height. It has a well-formed, solid hoof that is sound, and a good natural stance. It has an athletic build throughout the body, quarters and limbs, making it ideal as a sports horse.
Dating back to the seventeenth century, the Swedish Warmblood is derived from native horses to which repeated crossings with a variety of breeds have contributed toward its development. The different breeds include Arabians, Andalusians, Frisians, Hanoverians, Trakehners, and English Thoroughbreds. Originally, the Swedish Warmblood was developed for the military pruposes of drawing artillery and for cavalry mounts. This warmblood descends from stallions of Spanish, oriental and Friesian stock which were imported into Sweden around 300 years ago. Breeding began at the Royal Stud at Flyinge, and the breeds stud book opened in 1874. The present breed is the result of carefully supervised breeding policies. The great studs of Stromsholm, which was founded in 1621, and Flyinge, which was founded in 1658, with local mares and the imported stallions. With this base, Trakehners, Hanoverians, Arabians, and Thoroughbreds were used to improved the breed. From the Thoroughrbed, the Swedish Warmblood gained courage, mental stamina, speed, and scope. From the Arabian came heriditary soundness, spirit, and the kindness of temperament. The Trakehner provided the Swedish warmblood with strength, athletic talent, and stability of temperament. Added size and strength, an easy disposition, and jumping abilities came from the Hanoverian.
Breeding became monitored when the stud book was opened. To be entered, horses needed to pass a rigorous examination of conformation, character and action. Stallions must be proven in sports as show jumping and dressage. Each offspring then undergoes an inspection at three years of age, when it is determined whether they qualify as official members of the breed. With a recent shift in breeding resulting in the concentration on producing lighter competition horses, this former cavalry horse is capable of performing internationally. In this century, the Swedish Warmblood has been increasingly influenced by Trakehner, Thoroughbred, and Hanoverian stock, resulting in event and dressage horses of the highest quality.
Today it is widely used in sporting competitions as a riding horse. It is a good jumper gifted with a particular aptitude for dressage, and it makes and excellent horse for horse trials. Dressage, jumping, and eventing are three principal international mounted disciplines for which the Swedish warmblood is suitable for. A highly intelligent horse, the Swedish Warmblood is spirited yet tractable and excels in equestrian athletic competitions, as Olympic disciplines and driving. It is one of the most successful competition horse today, performing in dressage, cross-country, show-jumping and driving events up to the Olympic level. The Swedish Warmblood is exported throughout the world and is widely used as an upgrading influence on other competition breeds.
For more information on Swedish Warmbloods, visit:
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© 1997-2018 NW Breyer Horse Club & Refiner of Gold Creations Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 3/3/2018 |
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