365 Days in Horse Country – The Trakehner
Originally from Eastern Germany, this breed goes back to the
sixth century BC. The Scythians first
bred the ancestors of today’s Trakehners for travel and welfare. In the 1700s, they used their horses for war
mounts to fight the Prussian army. By
the 1900s, the Trakehners were well known throughout Europe as riding horses
with great endurance and heart.
The Trakehner is considered one of the warmblood breeds (a European horse bred for sport), and it is a large, elegant horse with a lot of muscle. Most stand about 16 hands in height, although some can be as small as 1.2 hands. They can come in almost any colour, although bay, gray, chestnut, and black are the most common. Some Trakehners have been seen in roan and pinto patters.
Trakehners are best known for their talents in jumping and dressage, and they are often seen in international competition. They are lighter in build than most other warmbloods.
Michael