Selecting Your Horse
Breeds and Use Classification
Riding horses can be placed in two general categories: stock type (ridden with a western or stock saddle and western-type bit) and pleasure type (often a horse of American Saddle Horse or Thoroughbred type ridden with an English-type saddle, either flat, dressage or hunt seat). These categories are usually, but not always, represented by specific breeds. Often horses may be of different breeds, yet used for the same purpose. However, some breeds have been developed to a point where they excel other breeds for a specific use. For example, the Thoroughbred surpasses all breeds at top speed running, while the American Saddle Horse excels other breeds in the gaited classes.
A breed is a group of animals with common ancestry and certain distinguishable traits or characteristics as a result of selective breeding, usually sufficient fixed to pass on through successive generations.
Characteristics such as color, size, type, disposition, etc., may or may not be unique to a certain breed, but usually there is something(s) unique about a breed.
Type is a commonly accepted standard or ideal that combines essential characteristics in adapting an animal for a particular purpose or use. Draft horses, light horses, and ponies are easily recognizable types.
Breed selection determines, in general, the type of your horse and the type of horse you want will help determine the breed.
A broad classification of the breeds and their usual use, based on conventional horse show classes, is given in table 1. A list of less known breeds is presented in table 2.
Table 1. General use and breed classification.
| R i d i n g H o r s e s |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
| Three-gaited |
American Saddle Horse predominates |
Roached mane and tail |
|
| Five-gaited |
American Saddle Horse |
Long Mane and tail, quarter boots |
|
| Walking |
Tennesse Walking Horse |
Long mane and tail, quarter boots |
|
| Hunters and jumpers |
Any breed through pure or high grade; Thoroughbreds predominate |
Short, braided mane and tail |
|
Stock
(or Westerns) |
Quarter, Arabian, Morgan, Palomino, Thoroughbred, Appaloosa, Pinto, Warmblood |
Usually shown with roached mane, wit mane on withers and foretop left long |
| M i s c e l l a n e o u s |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
Bridle Path
(Pleasure Horse) |
Any breed, other than stock type |
|
| Saddle type |
Usually American Saddle Horse |
|
Hunter type
(hacks) |
Usually Thoroughbred, Anglo, Arab, Warmblood, or Hanovarian |
Braided mane and tail |
|
| Western Pleasure |
Any breed or combination of breeds — Quarter Horses predominates; includes Arabians, Morgans, Palominos, Appaloosas, and Pintos |
|
| Parade Horses |
Any breed, color breeds predominate (Palominos, Appaloosas, Pintos), and Arabians, American Saddle Horse |
Shown with much silver and decorative trappings |
| D r i v i n g H o r s e s |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
| Fine Harness |
American Saddle Horse |
Long mane and tail |
|
| Heavy Harness |
Hackney |
Docked tail and short mane |
|
Roadsters
Hitched to a buggy or to a wagon, or to a bike (sulky) |
Standardbred |
Long mane and tail |
| P o n i e s* |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
| Riding Ponies; Saddle (English equipment); Hunting (English equipment); Western (Western equipment) |
Shetland maximum height 11.2 hands (46 inches); Welsh, Hackney, Pony of America, or crossbreds, not over 14.2 hands (58 inches) and usually under 14 hands |
|
| Parade |
Any breed or combination of breeds or ponies |
| D r i v i n g P o n i e s |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
| Shetlands (Harness) Hitched to buggy or bike (sulky) |
Shetland, 11.2 hands (46 inches) |
|
| Harness (long mane and tail) Hitched to a buggy |
Usually crossbreds: Shetland x Hackney, or Welsh x Hackney, 12.2 hands (50 inches) and under; and Hackney |
|
| Hackney; Hitched to a buggy |
Hackney, usually 14 hands (56 inches) or under |
Short mane and docked tail |
| R a c e H o r s e s |
| USE |
BREED |
DISTINGUISHING
SHOW RING FEATURES |
| Trotting and running |
Standard bred, Thoroughbred, and Quarter Horses (racing type) |
* Ponies measure 14.2 or under; horses 14.2 hands or over. Measurement is from the
ground to the top of the withers. One hand = 4 inches. |
| Table 2. Lesser known breeds of horses |
| Breed |
Origin |
Unique trait |
| American Buckskin |
USA |
Color |
| Gotland |
Sweden |
11-13 hands |
| Connemara |
Ireland |
14 hands; docile |
| Galiceno |
Spain |
12-13 hands; gait |
| Paso Fino |
Peru/Colombia |
Gait — broken pace |
| Spanish Mustang |
USA/Barb |
5 Lumbar |
| Trakehner |
Germany |
T.B. type hunters |
| Lipizzan |
Austria |
Whitens with age; dressage |
| Half Arab |
|
½ Arab |
| Anglo Arabian |
|
half T.B. and Arab |
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