TRAKEHNER

Once known as the East Prussian horse, a breed of riding horse. The Trakehner is considered by many to be the ideal competition horse and Europe's best warmblood (a horse displaying the lighter, faster qualities of the Arabianand other desert horses). The athletic-looking Trakehner is a tall horse, standing about 163 to 173 cm (about 64 to 68 in, or 16 to 17 hands) high at the withers (the high part of the back, located between the shoulder blades). The back is straight, the chest deep, and the shoulders well muscled. The legs are muscular with well-defined tendons. A long, well-formed neck carries the straight head. The Trakehner has a gentle face and lively eyes. It usually is colored black, brown, chestnut (gold), bay (reddish), and rarely, gray. The Trakehner is a direct descendant of the tarpan, a primitive horse. It was developed first by the Order of Teutonic Knights in East Prussia (now Poland) in the 13th century. The knights used the hardy Schweiken pony as the base for the Trakehner. In 1732, King Frederick William I established a royal stud farm at Trakehnen, from which this breed later received its name. The first Trakehners were bred as carriage horses, but soon the emphasis changed to development of a riding horse for nobility that also was suitable as a mount for cavalry soldiers. In the early 19th century, Arabian and Thoroughbred horses were crossed with Trakehners to improve the breed. The Trakehner almost was exterminated during World War II (1939-45), but the breed was restored in West Germany (now Germany) after the war ended. It now is bred in Germany, the United States, and Canada. The Trakehner makes an excellent competitor. It excels in dressage (guiding a horse through a series of complex maneuvers with slight movements of the hands, legs, and weight of the rider) and jumping, and also is a popular mount for cross-country and endurance riding events.

Belgium Heavy Draft horse - Cleveland Bay - Clydesdale - Dutch Warmblood - Gelderlander - Holsteiner - Irish Draught - Lippizaner - Missouri Fox Trotter - Morgan Horse - Mule - Mustang - Oldenburger - Palomino - Percheron - Peruvian Paso - Pinto - Quarter Horse - Selle Francais - Standardbred - Tarpan - Tennessee Walker - Trakehner - Ungulate (onevenhoevigen) - Zebra