Rhenish Warmblood
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The Rhenish Warmblood, German: Rheinisches Warmblut or Rheinisches Reitpferd, is a German warmblood breed of sport horse. It is traditionally bred at the Warendorf State Stud, which it shares with the Westphalian, and is bred to the same standard as the Westphalian and other German warmbloods, such as the Bavarian Warmblood, Mecklenburger, Brandenburger, and Württemberger.[citation needed]
History
Until the mid-twentieth century, horse-breeding in the Rhineland was centred on the Rhenish German Coldblood, the heavy agricultural workhorse of the region. With the mechanisation of agriculture in the years after the Second World War, agricultural horses were no longer needed and numbers fell sharply.[3] When the Wickrath State Stud closed in 1957, breeding riding horses was gaining economic and cultural importance in Germany.[citation needed] From the 1970s Rhenish breeders and farmers began to develop a new warmblood breed, the Rheinisches Warmblut, based on Westphalian, Hanoverian and Trakehner stock.[3]
The new breed was registered with the Rheinische Pferdestammbuch (established in 1892) until 2014, when the Hannoveraner Verband – the German breed association of the Hanoverian – took over management of the stud-book.[3]
In 1997 there were just over 3500 brood-mares registered in the stud-book, with 178 stallions in natural service;[4][2] in 2020 the breeding population consisted of 618 mares and 8 stallions.[5]: 1
Characteristics
The breed standard calls for a horse of correct sport horse type that is long-lined, fitting into a rectangular outline rather than a square, and noble, a term that suggests aesthetic appeal that does not entail extreme refinement. In motion, the Rhinelander should portray boldness, a long stride, and an elastic quality at the walk, trot, and canter. The temperament, character and rideability of the Rhinelander make it suitable for any type of recreational or competitive riding.[6] These horses are primarily bred for dressage and show jumping.
References
- ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^ a b Breed data sheet: Rheinisches Reitpferd / Germany (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2024.
- ^ a b c Das Rheinisches Pferdestammbuch (in German). Schloß Wickrath: Rheinisches Pferdestammbuch e.V. Archived 24 February 2015.
- ^ Breed description: Rhenish Warmblood. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Archived 15 October 2007.
- ^ Breeding Programme for the Rhineland Riding Horse in the Hannoveraner Verband. Verden: Hannoveraner Verband e.V. Accessed August 2024.
- ^ "German Riding Horse Standard" (PDF) (in German). Central Documentation for Animal Biological Diversity in Germany. Retrieved 12 February 2008.