wk 2 - breeds, types, & classes of horses

what is a breed of horses?

• group of horses w a common ancestry

• occurs through generations of selective breeding

• represent various types & classes

how do recognized breeds work?

• association w a stud book & breeding records

• have certain foundation sires

  • all registered foals must trace their ancestry back to these stallions

what are the foundation stallions for the Thoroughbred?

• thoroughbred

  • Darley Arabian

  • Byerly Turk

  • Godolphin Arabian

what are the foundation stallions of the Morgan?

Justin Morgan

how do color breeds work?

• particular colors → appealing → established registries w color requirements

• some registries require only color for resgistration

  • others have conformation standards

what is an example of a registered color breed?

• Palomino Horse Association of California

  • 1st color breed registration

what are some color breed registries? (1/2)

• Appaloosa

• Albino

• Paint

• Pinto

what are some color breed registries? (2/2)

• Buckskin

• White

• Cream

• Spotted

how does breeding horses for a certain color work?

• do not breed true

• two horses of the same color doesn’t guarantee desired color

how are horses classified?

depends on height & weight

what is the most common measurement of horse height?

the hand (equal to 4 inches)

how is the height of a horse measured?

top of withers to the ground

how are horses grouped?

• according to size, weight, & build

• can be further divided by use

what are the names of groups/classifications of horses?

• groups

  • light, draft, pony

• classification

  • warmblood, coldblood, pony

what are the measurements of a light horse?

• 12 - 17.2 hands high

• 900 - 1400 lbs

what are light horses used for?

• primarily for riding, driving, showing, racing, or utility on a farm/ranch

• capable of more action & greater speed

what are the measurements for draft horses?

• 14.2 - 17.2 hands high

• 1400 lbs or more

what are draft horses used for?

primarily used for heavy work or pulling loads

what are the measurements for ponies?

• 14.2 hands high or less

• 500 - 900 lbs

how are horses unique?

• possess distinct conformation on reduced scale

• either draft, heavy harness, or saddle type

what does warmblood or coldblood mean?

• not referring to blood temperature

• refers to overall temperament

• “hot-tempered”

what are warmblood horses?

• light horses sometimes grouped as this

• fine boned & good for riding

what are coldblood horses?

• heavy, solid, strong horses w calm temperament

• draft horses

what does the term “cob & hack“ mean?

used to describe types of horses

what kind of horse gets referred to as a “cob“?

• sturdy, placid horse

• 14.2 - 15.2 hands high

• not heavy or coarse enough to be draft animal

what kind of horse gets referred to as a “hack“?

• enjoyable, good riding or driving horse

• sometimes considered small Thoroughbred in EU or saddlebred in America

what are miniature horses?

• scaled-down vers of full-size horse

• NOT ponies

what are the requirements for registration for miniature horses?

• max height of 34 inches at withers

• measured in inches, not hands

what are the 2 major miniature horse registries that maintain pedigrees in US?

• AMHR (American Miniature Horse Registry)

  • subgroup of American Shetland Pony Club

• AMHA American Miniature Horse Association

what are the requirements for albino horses?

• Origin - US

• light horse

• white only

• no height requirements

what is the background for Albino horse?

• foals born white

• inherit White Fatal Gene from parents

• pure albino foal rarely survive

what are the requirements for American Quarter Horse?

• Origin - US

• light horse

  • 15.2 - 16.1 hands

  • any solid color

what is the background of American Quarter Horse?

• oldest of American breeds

• most versatile

• largest registry

what are the requirements for Arabian horses?

• Origin - Arabia

• light horse

• 14.3 - 16 hands

• Bay, brown, chestnut, gray, black

what is the background for arabian horse?

• adapted for desert conditions

• one less vertebra

• foundation of all light breeds

what are the requirements for American Paint Horse?

• Origin - US

• light horse

• variable height

• black & white bold patches all over body

what is the background of American Paint Horse?

Quarter horse foundation

what are the requirements for Pony of the Americas (POA)?

• Origin - US

• Pony

• 11.2 - 13 hands

• Appaloosa color pattern

what is the background of Pony of the Americas (POA)?

very good for young riders

what are the requirements for Thoroughbred?

• origin - England

• light horse

• 14.2 - 17 hands

• any solid color, white markings allowed

what is the background for Thoroughbred?

bred mainly for racing

what is the cause of rare (threatened) breeds?

• American agriculture changing

• traditional livestock lost popularity → threatened w extinction

• rare breeds classified by American Livestock Breed Conservancy

when is a breed’s status considered critical?

fewer than 200 animals registered annually in US

what are some examples of critical horse breeds? (1/2)

• American Cream

• Caspian

• Cleveland Bay

what are some examples of critical horse breeds? (2/2)

• Exmoor

• Florida Cracker

• Suffolk

when is a breed’s status considered threatened?

fewer than 1000 registrations occur annually in US

what are some examples for threatened horse breeds? (1/2)

• Akhal-Teke

• Canadian

• Dales Pony

what are some examples for threatened horse breeds? (2/2)

• Dartmoor

• Hackney Horse

• Lipizzaner

• Colonial Spanish

when is a horse considered feral?

once domesticated & have become wild

what are some places where feral horses can be found?

• CA, Colorado, Idaho

• Montana, Nevada, New Mexico

• Utah, Wyoming

what organizations register Donkey breeds?

American Donkey & Mule Society

what donkey breeds are recognized by the American Donkey & Mule Society? (1/2)

• Mammoth Jack

• Large Standard Donkey

what donkey breeds are recognized by the American Donkey & Mule Society? (1/2)

• Standard Donkey (burro)

• Miniature Mediterranean Donkey

• American Spotted Ass

what is the mammoth?

• blend of several breeds of jack stock

• largest of asses

  • jacks being 56+ inches high

what is the Donkey?

• is 48-56 inches high

• standard donkey (burro): 36-48in high

• miniature Mediterranean donkey: under 36in high

what is the American Spotted Ass?

• registered as either white w colored spots

• or colored w white spots

what is a mule or hinny?

• cross between donkey & horse

• name depends on parentage

what is a mule?

offspring of male donkey (jack) & female horse (mare)

what is a hinny?

offspring of male horse (stallion) & female donkey (jenny)

how does a mule look like?

• like a horse in size & body shape

• shorter, thicker head, long ears, & braying voice of donkey

how does a hinny look like?

• similar to mule

• smaller & more horselike w shorter ears & longer head

why are mules incapable of reproducing?

horses & donkeys have different amount of chromosomes