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The Holstein is a breed of horse originating in the Schleswig-Holstein region of northern Germany. It is thought to be the oldest of warmblood breeds, tracing back to the 13th century. There are relatively few Holsteins, however, they still excell in a variety of disciplines. The Holsteins usually are a bay, dark bay, or black (although other colors are found) and are 16-17 hands high. They have powerful hindquarters, making them great jumpers, with strong bone, excellent movement (needed for dressage), and sloping shoulders, making them great gallopers. They generally have strong limbs, a long, crested neck, and strong feet. Holsteins also generally have a greater powers of endurance than most warmbloods. The Schleswig-Holstein marshlands of Germany have been breeding horses since 1225. It was famous for its war horses in the middle ages, and then, in the 16th to 18th century bred popular coach horses after refining their horses with Spanish, Neapolitan, and Barb blood. In the 19th century, the demand for a faster coach horse and for a lighter cavalry horse encouraged the breeders to lighten the breed with British Stallions. The most influential were three Yorkshire Coach Horses, all of which traced back to the Thoroughbred stallion Eclipse. They made the Holstein into a high-stepping carriage horse, as well as a horse strong enough for agricultural work. |
