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The Russian Don is named after the Steppes region of Russia where the Don river flows. The horses have a eastern-type, medium-sized head with wide forehead, and a broad, straight back and loins. The horses have muscular forearms and gaskins, but also have a tendency to have calf knees, sickle hocks, and upright pasterns. The shoulders are usually quite upright, leading to choppy strides. The Don's quarters can be weak, with a rather straight croup. The Don is usually chestnut or brown with a golden metallic sheen reminiscent of their Akhal-Teke ancestry. They stand 15.3-16.2 hh. The horses evolved in harsh conditions with severe weather, so the Don is naturally extremely hardy and tough. They have a quiet, yet energetic, temperament. The Don probably originated in the 18th and 19th centuries from crosses between the Mongolian horses and the Turkoman Horse, Karabakh, Akhal-Teke and Orlov Trotter stallions. The breed is well-known for their hardiness from the military campaigns of 1812-1814, when the Cossacks drove Napoleon's troops from Russia. The Don survived the extreme cold and harsh winters. Selective breeding for the Don began in the 1830s. They were primarily bred for cavalry mounts and for use in harness. |
