Equestrian sport is becoming increasingly popular in our country. After all, it is somewhat similar to car racing and beauty contests. It combines an element of excitement and purely aesthetic pleasure. In horse breeding, one of the smallest and at the same time the most productive in terms of achievements is the Holstein breed of horses.
Horses from the Middle Ages
The first mention of this breed is found in documents dated 1225. The homeland of the ancestors of the named horses is medieval Germany. Marshy in winter and very dry in summer, the lands of Schleswig-Holstein adjacent to the Elbe River formed a horse with high endurance, unpretentiousness in food and a good disposition. In those days, agricultural work was associated with certain difficulties. Therefore, horses with a balanced character, increased stamina and extremely strong were selected.
Such a horse, moreover, could easily ensure victory in a tournament for a knight in full vestment, which, incidentally, weighed up to 200 kilograms. Frequent use in tournaments left a mark on the character of the animal - the Holstein breed of horses seeks to win, sometimes no less than its rider.
Pedigree start
The breed began with massive heavy trucks. Enlightened monks from the Itersen Monastery began to pay attention to systematic tribal work for the first time. It was to them that the Holstein breed of horses owed its origin. A photo of the first representative of this breed would be very different from individuals from modern families.
Blood of the Spanish breed was added to the genes of the heavyweights, and the horses became higher, and the blood of the Neapolitan breed gave them smooth lines. But the main quality in artificial selection remained endurance, to which added dexterity and mobility.
Horses were especially popular as cavalry horsemen. For their devotion to the master and the will to win, they deservedly were in demand in Europe at that time.
Until the beginning of the XVIII century, horse breeding in Germany belonged to farms. For a good horse, the government even paid cash rewards.
Golshtinsky breed of horses in the "golden age of carriages"
With the beginning of the era of carriages and refined carriages, there was a need for horses to match the decoration of a rich wagon. Yorkshire British carriage horses, adding their blood to the Holstein pedigree, gave the appearance of the latter a gloss and mobility. A longer neck, a high withers and slanting shoulders - this is how the Holstein breed of horses looked like in the XVIII century. Features of the best carriage horses, such as a good and confident gait, a high step amplitude, were firmly fixed in hardy holstein.
The structure of horse breeding as a livestock industry is changing. And now itโs not the farmers, but the breeders who are engaged in improving the exterior of the Holstein. The first plant, which declared itself in 1860, was located in Trafental. Today it no longer exists, and the main stud farm in Germany, specializing in the Holstein breed of horses, is located in Elmshorn.
In the middle and end of the 20th century, the blood of the breed described improved thoroughbreds from France and other countries. And its modern representative enters the arena.
Features
Look at the photo of the Holstein breed horse and you will see an athlete with a pronounced aesthetic appeal. These are high horses (at the withers up to 175 cm) with a curved neck and proudly set head, proportionally balanced in relation to the proportions of the body.
The humpback Greek profile and large smart eyes, combined with a straight back and slanting shoulders, give aristocracy and gloss to the breed. Suffice it to say that in the stables of the Danish and Swedish king, the Holstein breed of horses is used for ceremonial trips.
Balanced proportions and muscular legs make the animal's gait special - with roundish movements and large amplitude. The horses in the gallop look the most profitable; they have soft and light. Lynx is not a strong point of this breed.
A powerful torso and strong legs allow the horse to perform technical and neat, with a clear trajectory jumps. Leap is Holstein's trump card. It is accurate and powerful, but incredibly flexible.
Color standard - from black to red and gray. Small spots of a lighter color are allowed.
Golshtinsky breed of horses: characteristic
Incredibly loyal to man. The will to win and the excitement of competition made this breed one of the most successful in equestrian sports.
The named horses are equanimous, kind and peaceful. Persistence in character gives them confidence.
These are studious horses that tolerate long trainings. They love sports, and leadership qualities push them to victory.
Holstein horses: use
The leadership of the breed in sports is undeniable. They are in the top five in show jumping. In dressage in the top ten there will certainly be horses of this breed. In the history of the Olympic Games there are enough eminent Holstein. One of them is bay Meteor, the owner of three Olympic medals in show jumping (1952). Holstein horses are good at driving.
Because of the incredible desire to win, this particular breed of horses is used in stylized knightly tournaments. The horse helps the rider, and sometimes wins almost for him.
Their character is good for breeding, and for sports victories.
Legends of breeding
The mother families of the Holstein breed of horses are known to connoisseurs and connoisseurs. One of the most productive is the uterine family 275, which began with the maternal line of Landgraph I (born in 1966). This horse became a legend of Germany during his lifetime. Today, his life-size bronze statue adorns the equestrian center in Elmshorn.
He could be a winner in the show jumping, but the horse-makers participate exclusively in exterior competitions. But the children glorified him in sports. The horse was remarkably calm in nature and conveyed this quality to all his descendants. For thirty years of his life, he gave birth to 128 licensed (approved for breeding) horses. Of the nearly six hundred of his daughters, 420 are listed in the stud book of the Holstein breed of horses. One hundred and three mares received the state honorary title of Germany - the dream of any horse breeder.
To list all the champions in sports, the descendants of the legendary horse, is pointless. It is enough to note that his children won more than three million marks in the races. His blood flows in the veins of today's champions.
Names that left a mark
One of the heirs to this horse was Luch, winner of the USSR Cup in 1975 and absolute champion in 1977. The athletes did not want to give him for breeding to the Kaliningrad stud farm and secretly castrated, hoping for a victory in the Olympic Games. Ray did not become a champion, and the line of the Holstein breeding horse was lost forever.
In addition to the Meteor, which was already mentioned, Holstein entered the history of equestrian sports with these names:
- Feine Dame - bronze medalist in show jumping;
- Almox Classic Touch, who took gold in jumping over an obstacle at the 1994 World Cup in Barcelona.
Another manufacturer is Caletto II. For four years of participation in breeding, before the tragic death during the fall, he became the parent of 7 stallions, all of whom became champions. But most importantly, he is the father of Almox Classic Touch.
Today it is one of the most promising breeds in equestrian sport. View a photo of the Holstein breed horse, select characteristics these horses and you will see this.