Holsteiner, Elegance Made On Horseback

Horses are intelligent, affectionate and, above all, elegant and majestic animals . Holsteiner possesses all these qualities and many more. In this article we will talk about this interesting equine breed, famous all over the world both for its beauty, for its history and its innate qualities as a runner and jumper.

Since it was created and developed in Germany, this exceptional quadruped has won important prizes in equine beauty competitions , dressage trials , participating in countless jumping and speed competitions. For this reason, it is worth getting to know Holsteiner more thoroughly.

Everything you need to know about Holsteiner

Origins and history

This horse breed has its origin in Schleswig-Holstein, a region located in northern Germany. It is one of the oldest known breeds, from exactly 1225. The Uetersen Monastery received the right to breed horses and thus holds the true and unique history of the Holsteiner breed. However, only in 1460 was it officially registered as a separate type of horse.

These nimble and, at the same time, sturdy horses were used for transport, towing and agricultural work. Breeders mixed their Holsteiners with other breeds on a constant basis, believing that this way they could get the horse they needed, as needed.

For example, specimens of Spanish and Italian blood were crossed to create a breed more suited to hard work and warfare. Later, due to the great demand for use in agriculture, the Holsteiner was crossed with English breeds, in order to lighten the structure and reduce the weight. Today, this uncontrolled mixing has no more reason to exist.

Characteristics of the breed

Following the guidelines of the Federation of Holsteiner Horse Breeders , today this formidable equine must have an athletic, sporty and elegant appearance, with skills for dressage and aesthetic qualities for beauty contests.

He must also have a good character, calm and balanced, but at the same time active and willing to work.

At the withers, its measurements vary from 163 to 173 centimeters in height. Its neck is generally slightly arched and raised, supporting a small head, large, expressive eyes. The Holsteiner are easily recognizable, due to the characteristic capital “H”, on a crowned shield,  branded.

The allowed colors are: black, brown and dark brown. They may have some white markings, but they must never exceed 15% of the body, otherwise they would be rejected as a thoroughbred.

Special abilities of the Holsteiner

We have already anticipated that this beautiful equine breed, originally from northern Germany, is truly versatile. In addition to beauty and dressage competitions , in fact, this horse is perfect for gallop races and jumping tests:

Jump

The Holsteiner of antiquity was heavy, because it had been developed “for agricultural use”. It therefore possessed sturdy and slower legs. In the 1960s, the breed was, so to speak, improved and brought back to a weight and size more suited to jumping activity .

Today many  riders choose this type of horse precisely to participate in show jumping competitions.

Gallop

Whether for galloping or dressage , the elegance of the Holsteiner stands out at first sight. It is graceful when walking, elegant, dynamic but balanced at the same time. Truly a unique and surprising appearance, since we are talking about an imposing and majestic animal.

Character and personality

The personality of this horse is known to all. The Holsteiner is distinguished by having a  very balanced and calm character. This makes him a very reliable and valuable animal. Some owners, however, claim that hard jumping training over the years may have caused the breed to harden, making these horses unmanageable and only suitable for experienced jockeys .

An interesting topic that, perhaps, may concern some specimens: generalizing is never a good idea. What is certainly worth remembering are the continuous sports results obtained by Holsteiner at an international level, demonstrating that the efforts and training are the right ones.

We have shown you the main features of this fantastic horse. On the one hand, elegant and majestic, on the other a  true champion in equine competitions, all over the world. If you are looking for a good breed to enrich your stable, the Holsteiner will certainly not disappoint you.

Source of images: Biso, Alexander Kastler and dregsplod