There are many horse breeds!
This is due to a number of factors, including:
- Geography: Horses were first domesticated in Central Asia, but they quickly spread to all corners of the globe. As horses adapted to different climates and terrains, their physical characteristics began to diverge. This led to the development of different breeds of horses in different parts of the world.
- Human use: Humans have bred horses for a variety of purposes, including transportation, warfare, agriculture, and sport. This has led to the development of breeds that are specialized for different tasks. For example, draft horses are bred for strength, while racehorses are bred for speed.
- Personal preference: People have different preferences when it comes to horses. Some people prefer horses of a certain size, color, or temperament. This has led to the development of breeds that appeal to different people's tastes.
Today, there are over 400 recognized horse breeds in the world. Each breed has its own unique characteristics and abilities. This diversity of breeds allows people to choose the perfect horse for their individual needs and interests.
Here are some specific examples of how geography, human use, and personal preference have contributed to the development of different horse breeds:
- Geography: The Arabian horse is a native of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a breed that is known for its endurance, agility, and beauty. The Arabian horse was well-suited to the harsh climate and terrain of the Arabian Peninsula, and it played an important role in the nomadic lifestyle of the Arabian people.
- Human use: The Clydesdale horse is a breed that was developed in Scotland for use in agriculture. Clydesdales are powerful horses that are known for their gentle temperament and their ability to pull heavy loads. Clydesdales were used to plow fields, transport goods, and work in coal mines.
- Personal preference: The Thoroughbred horse is a breed that was developed in England for racing. Thoroughbreds are known for their speed and athleticism. Thoroughbreds are the most popular breed of racehorse in the world, and they are also used in other equestrian sports such as dressage and show jumping.
The diversity of horse breeds is a testament to the adaptability and versatility of the horse. Horses have played an important role in human history for centuries, and they continue to be valued companions and working animals today.
Horse Breeds
AKHAL-TEKE
- Akhal-Teke Association of America, 21314 129th Avenue SE, Snohomish, WA 98296
- Cascade Gold Akhal-Tekes, 21314 129th Ave SE, Snohomish, WA 98296
- Magic Valley Akhal-Tekes, 2935 W County Road 82E, Livermore, CO 80536
- Pleasant Grove Akhal-Tekes, 4404 Sycamore Lane, Pleasant Grove, CA 95668
- Silver Hill Akhal-Tekes, 2440 Silver Hill Lane, Billings, MT 59101
AMERICAN INDIAN HORSE
AMERICAN SADDLEBRED
- American Saddlebred Horse Association, Inc., 4083 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511-8434
- Half-Saddlebred Registry of America, 4083 Iron Works Pkwy., Lexington, KY 40511
AMERICAN WARMBLOOD
- American Warmblood Registry, P.O. Box 89, Amenia, NY 12501-0089
- American Warmblood Society, P.O. Box 1561, Higley, AZ 85236
ANDALUSIAN / LUSITANO
- Haras Dos Cavaleiros, 26427 Peden Road Magnolia, TX 77355
- Andalusian World Cup, South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV - September Annual
- International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association, 101 Carnoustie North, #200, Birmingham, AL 35242
APPALOOSA
ARABIAN
- Arabian Horse Association, 10805 E. Bethany Drive, Aurora, CO 80014-2605
- Taylor Ranch Arabians, 4728 W. 12240 S. Payson, UT 84651
- The Pyramid Society
ASSES
BASHKR CURLY
BELGIAN WARMBLOOD
BUCKSKIN
BUCKSKIN / DUNS / GRULLAS
CANADIAN HORSE
- Canadian Horse Breeder's Association, 59 rue Monfette, Local 108, Victoriaville, QC G6P 1J8
- Canadian Horse Breeders Association – Rocky Mountain District, Alberta, CA
- Canadian Horse Breeders Association – Atlantic District, 740 Pembroke Road, YARMOUTH NS B5A 5H3
- Canadian Horse Heritage & Preservation Society, 1745 Lockyer Rd, Roberts Creek, BC. V0N 2W1
- Cherry Creek Canadians, Specializing in Heritage Canadian Breeds, Jim and Yvonne Hillsden, Kamloops, BC
CANADIAN WARMBLOOD HORSE
CASPIAN
CHAMPAGNE
CLYDESDALE
- Clydesdale Breeders of the U.S.A., 17346 Kelley Road, Pecatonica, IL 61063
- LSL Clydesdales, Branford, FL 32008
- Sandy Acres Clydesdales, 10032 N Ruby Road, La Porte, IN 46350
COLONIAL SPANISH MISSION HORSE
COLORADO RANGER HORSE
COLORED APPALOOSA
CONNEMARA
CRIOLLO HORSE
CURLY HORSE
- Curly Sporthorse International
- Golden Curls Ranch, 7480 CR 4095, Kaufman, TX 75142
- Hidden Cave Ranch Curly Horses, 877 Thrasher Rd Burkesville KY 42717
- International Curly Horse Organization, HC 31 Box 102A, Williamsburg, NM 87942
DANISH WARMBLOOD
DARTMOOR PONY
DONKEY / MULE
DRAUGHT HORSE
DUTCH WARMBLOOD
- Free Rein Dutch Warmbloods, 810 Hacienda Circle, Paso Robles, CA 93446
- KWPN of North America, P.O. Box 0, 609 E. Central Avenue, Sutherlin, OR 97479
FELL PONY
FOUNDATION QUARTER HORSE
- Foundation Quarter Horse Breeders Association, Foundation Horses, P.O. Box 97, Altamont, UT 84001
- Foundation Quarter Horse Registry, P.O. Box 165, Vicksburg, MI 49097
- National Foundation Quarter Horse Association, P.O. Box 2400, Joseph, OR 97846
FRIESIAN
- Abacus Farms, 7101 Pleasant Grove Rd, Pleasant Grove Ca 95668
- Friesian Heritage Horse & Sporthorse International, 133 E. De La Guerra, #159 Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Friesian Horse Association of North America, 4037 Iron Works Pkwy., #160, Lexington, KY 40511-8483
- Friesian Sport Horse Registry, 4269 Molitor Road, Oconto, WI 54153
- Friesians of Majesty, 185 Maggie Ladd Road, Townsend, VT 05353
- Full Spectrum Friesian Stables, 4077 McClain Rd, Lima, OH 45806
- Mythic Friesians, Biggar, SK CAN
- Stal de Drie Berken, Weperpolder 29, 8431 RM, Oosterwolde, NED
GEORGIAN GRANDE
GYPSY HORSE
- California Gypsy Horse Club, P.O. Box 802, Somerset, CA 95684
- Gypsy Horse Registry of America, Inc.. P.O. Box 1861, La Porte, TX 77572
GYPSY VANNER
HACKNEY
HAFLINGER
HALF QUARTER HORSE
HANCOCK HORSE
HANOVERIAN
HIGHLAND PONY
HOLSTEINER
HORSE OF THE AMERICAS
IBERIAN WARMBLOOD
ICELANDIC HORSE
- Sand Meadow Farm, 300 Taylor Road, Honeoye Falls, NY 14472
- Solheimar Farm, 387 Strafford Road, Tunbridge, VT 05077
- Thor Icelandics, 76 Catskill View Road, Claverack, NY 12513
- United States Icelandic Horse Congress, P.O. Box 1724, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
KENTUCKY MOUNTAIN SADDLE HORSE
KINSKY HORSE
KNABSTRUPPER
- American Knabstrupper Association, 17302 Swansbury, Cypress, TX 77429
- Knabstrupperforeningen for Danmark, DEN
- Knabstruppers for USA, Cedar Creek Stables, 2435 Shutterlee Mill Rd, Staunton, VA 24401
LIPIZZAN
- Lipizzan Association of North America, c/o John Nicholas Iannuzzi, 74 Trinity Place, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10006
- United States Lipizzan Federation, 8480 O’Hare Road, Las Vegas, NV 89143
MANGALARGA MARCHADOR
- Summerwind Marchadors, 10487 E Rising Sun Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85262
- United States Mangalarga Marchador Association (USMMA), 10487 E. Rising Sun Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85262-7947
MINIATURE HORSE
- American Miniature Horse Association, Inc., 5601 South IH 35W, Alvarado, TX 76009
- American Miniature Horse Registry, 81-B Queenwood Road, Morton, IL 61550
- Porterfield Farms International, Miniature Falabella horses, 4381 Three J Rd, Evans, Ga. 30809
MISSOURI FOX TROTTER
MORAB
- International Morab Breeders Association and Registry (IMBA), S 101 W 34628 Hwy LO, Eagle WI 53119
- Purebred Morab Horse Association, P.O. Box 802, Georgetown, KY 40324
MORGAN HORSE
- American Morgan Horse Association, 4066 Shelburne Road, Ste. 5, Shelburne, VT 5482
- Greater Vancouver Morgan Horse Association, 19300 River Road, Richmond, BC V6V 1M3 CAN
- Old Dominion Morgan Horse Association, 14088 Proffitt Farm Road, Montpelier, VA 23192
MORIESIAN
- Dutch Hollow Acres, Dutch Hollow Road, Avon, NY 14414
- Moriesian Horse Registry, 1001 Russell Road, Snohomish, WA 98290
- Mountain Creek Moriesians, P.O. Box 69, Mt. Beauty, Victoria, 3699, AUS
MUSTANGS AND BURRO
- International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros (ISPMB), P.O. Box 55, Lantry, SD 57636-0055
- North American Mustang Association and Registry (NAMAR), P.O. Box 850906, Mesquite, TX 75185-0906
NEW FOREST PONY
NORWEGIAN FJORD
OLDENBURG
ORLOV-ROSTOPCHIN
- Orlov-Rostopchin Sporthorse Association, N 802 Silver Creek Cascade Road, Random Lake, WI 53075-0246
PAINT HORSE
PALOMINO
- Palomino Horse Association, 10171 Nectar Ave., Nelson, MO 65347
- Palomino Horse Breeders of America, 15253 E. Skelly Drive, Tulsa, OK 74116-2637
PASO FINO
- Heritage Farm & Stables, 1833 Perryman Rd, Lexington, NC 27295
- Paso Fino Horse Association, Inc., 4047 Iron Works Pkwy., Ste. 1, Lexington, KY 40511
PERCHERON
PERUVIAN
PINTABIAN
PINTALOOSA
PINTO
PINTO ARABIAN
PRZEWALSKI HORSE
PURE SPANISH HORSE
QUARTER HORSE
- 5 Arrows Ranch, 574 Bent Trail, Red Oak,Texas 75154
- American Quarter Horse Association, P.O. Box 200, Amarillo, TX 79168-0001
- Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association, P.O. Box 12300, Alexandria, LA 71315
QUARTER PONY
RACKING HORSE
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSE
SHAGYA-ARABIAN
SHETLAND PONY
SHIRE HORSE
SPANISH BARB
SPANISH-NORMAN
SPORTPONY
SPOTTED MOUNTAIN HORSE
- International Spotted Horse Registry Association, 2120 Scotch Hollow Rd., Noel, MO. 64854
- National Spotted Saddle Horse Association, P.O. Box 898, Murfreesboro, TN 37133-0898
- Spotted Mountain Horse Association, P.O. Box 1405, Georgetown, KY 40324
- Spotted Saddle Horse Breeder's and Exhibitor's Association, P.O. Box 1046, 2519 Hwy. 231 North, Shelbyville, TN 37162
STANDARDBRED
SUFFOLK
SWEDISH WARMBLOOD
TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE
THOROUGHBRED
TRAKEHNER
WALKALOOSA
WALKING HORSE
WELSH PONY AND COB
Horse Breeds - Organizations
Akhal-Teke, a Horse Like Shimmering Gold
Breed Profile: The Akhal-Teke
Courtesy of The Akhal-Teke Association of America
A horse like a shimmering gold mirage, its head held high, almond eyes focused on you, poised to leap into action, yet held by the tether of its deep bond with the human beside it.
That is the quintessential Akhal-Teke, a race that has shared its history with humans for thousands of years and is among the oldest equine breeds.
ORIGINS
These horses are descendants of the steeds that enabled the Scythians to dominate Central Asia until the 4th century BC, described by the Greek historian Herodotus as controlling a vast empire from the Russian Steppes and India westward to the Baltic and the Caspian Sea, The Scythians were partly pastoral, partly nomadic raiders who supplied slaves to the Greeks. Fast horses were essential to their trade.
It is claimed the Ice Maiden of the Altai Mountains, discovered 11 years ago and widely publicized in America through the Nova special, was a Scythian. This woman, who lived over 24 centuries ago, according to radio-carbon dating, was buried with six horses in gilt harness. Her tribe has been called the Pazyryks. They occupied the mountain plateaus that now lie on the border between Russia and China. The Ice Maiden must have been a powerful figure to merit the sacrifice of so many horses, although in fact 5 were geldings and the sole mare was found to have crippling arthritis in her joints.
Meet the American Bashkir Curly Horse Breed
The American Bashkir Curly is one of the most mysterious breeds. It’s the only known hypoallergenic horse. People who are allergic to horses often find that they are not allergic to Curly Horses.
These unique horses with a curly coat are indeed a breed, a very old ancient breed found in art and statuary in early China as far back as 161 AD. There is also historic evidence of their presence in South America and Europe.
How did the Curly horses come to the USA? The answer is still uncertain, but there is proof that the Curlies have been in North America since the early 1800s.
Many Indian pictographs illustrating the "Winter Counts" (number of horses in their herd) have noted that in the winter of 1801-1802 the Sioux had stolen some curly horses from the Crow. This incident placed the tribes at the Standing Rock/Cheyenne River Reservation at the mouth of the Grand River in the Dakotas.
A significant location of the Curlies today has been traced to Indian Reservations in North and South Dakota. Many Curlies then and now have been acquired from the wild horses that roam the open lands of the United States.
