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Altwurttemberg – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThe rare breed for this week comes from Germany, although this breed is a rare sight even in it’s hometown. The Altwurttemberg breed was started by the Wurttemberg Prince House, although sadly they were created without an obligatory breed goal.

Careful Breeding

Although they had no real goal, the bloodlines used as their foundation were top notch. About thirty horses from Normandy were used between 1872 -1888, crossed with English Thoroughbreds, Holsteins & Oldenburgs. Through this careful breeding the Altwurttemberg horse was established. Read more →

Altai – Rare Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThis Monday’s rare breed comes from Russia & it is one of most ancient breeds of Siberia. The Altai has been raised there for centuries & has always been indispensable to the nomad tribesmen of the area.

Dangerous Footing

This breed takes it’s name from the Altai mountains in Southern Siberia & like many breeds in unforgiving climates, they are built robustly surefooted. These animals have always been relied on to carry people & other precious cargo over mountainous terrain or through fast moving rivers, so their strength & tenacity was prized. Read more →

Horse Image of the Week

Horses grazing in a field with a dog in the foreground

Why We Like It

Mainly we like this image because its a great example of a snowflake appaloosa. Images of them are difficult to find so we were delighted to run across this one. We also love the relationship between horses & dogs. By their very nature they shouldn’t really be pals, but they make it work anyway.
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Aegidienberger – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThis week’s rare breed is from Germany & they are a relatively recent cross – contributing to their rareness. The Aegidienberger comes from a cross between the elegant Peruvian Paso & the incredibly pure blood of the hardy Icelandic horse.

A Goal in Mind

The underlying drive behind the cross was to create a larger gaited animal that is well suited to the colder climates of Germany. The handsome Paso contributes their size, smooth gait & refined Spanish ancestry. While the Icelandic horse contributes it’s sturdy build, heavy winter coat & robust constitution. The perfect cross should be 62.5% Icelandic & 37.5% Peruvian Paso. Read more →

Horse Image of the Week

Little girl kissing bay horse head

Why We Like It

What is not to like? Kids & horses are incredibly cute together – especially when a sweet & innocent moment is captured on film. We were all that size once & probably most of us loved horses then every bit as much as we do today. It’s a lifetime love affair for most of us.
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Adaev – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThis Monday our rare breed is from Kazakhstan & is found within the Kazakh breed which dates back to the 5th century BC. The Adaev is a riding type horse that was bred to be adaptable for a wide range of uses.

Nature Knows Best

A pureblooded Adaev is a very rare thing these days. The breed is ancient & has been shaped by local geographical conditions in the Caspian Depression. During the 1980’s the breed was revived due to increased interest in preserving their bloodlines. Although intentions were good, this led to dilution of the Kazakh blood with a mix of Don, Thoroughbred & Orlov Trotter bloodlines. This was in an attempt to refine the animal & make them better for riding. Read more →

Horse Image of the Week

Two horses leaning over fence

Why We Like It

We like it because that horse on the right looks like it is smirking at us & the one of left might just burst out laughing at any moment. We love to see humanlike emotion reflected in animals. While we love all horses, we do like photography of them that uses interesting angles & captures classic moments.
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Abtenauer – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThis weeks horse is from Austria & they are so rare that you may not know of them. The Abtenauer is the smallest variation of the Noriker horse & like many of the European draft animals, their population numbers are very low in the 21st century.

Isolated & Pure

These animals come from & are named for the isolated valley of Abtenau in Austria. It is believed they may have originally come from Greek war mounts that were left in the region when no longer needed. Smaller in stature for a draft breed, the Abtenauer is beautifully built with excellent balance & a consistently sweet disposition. Read more →

Abaco Barb – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThe Abaco Barb has long been shrouded in mystery & until the late 1990’s not much notice was taken of them. The ancestors of these animals were believed to have come from the ships of Spanish explorers in the late 15th/ early 16th centuries & have inhabited the island since.

Preserving the Past

Due to their extreme geographical isolation, herd bloodlines have remained incredibly pure. This simple fact makes them an important link to the past as well as the history of horses in the Americas. In 2002, the herd was accepted by the Horse of America’s Registry as horses of Spanish Barb ancestry proven through DNA testing. Read more →