There are many horse breeds in Germany some of which are very popular all over the world. In this post, we are going to list some of the most common ones. These are well-established breeds in Germany. Take a look.
Black Forest Horse
The Black Forest Horse, also known as Schwarzwälder Kaltblut in Germany, is a light draft horse used for work in farming and agriculture. They are very strong, patient and gentle. You can rarely find this breed these days.
Height: 14.2 – 15.3 hands
Weight: 1250 – 1400 pounds
Zweibrucker
Zweibruckers are heavy horses bred in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. They are warmblooded and therefore they are elegant and versatile. Most of them are found in bay, chestnut, gray and black colors.
Height: 15.3 – 16.3 hands
Weight: 1250 – 1400 pounds
Trakehner
The Trakehner is athletic and bears resemblance to the Thoroughbred horse. It is famous as a dressage horse and you can find them active in other disciplines too.
Height: 15.3 – 17 hands
Weight: 1000 – 1200 pounds
Senner
This is one of Germany’s oldest breed of riding horses in the country. They are now considered to be endangered. The history of this breed is a mystery. You can find these horses in colors of bay, grey, black and chestnut.
Height: 16 – 16.2 hands
Weight: 1000 – 1200 pounds
Rhenish German Coldblood
This heavy draught horse had its origin in the 19th century. It is from the Rhineland area of West Germany. It has huge, strong, muscular limbs as it is mostly used for agriculture and forestry. Some are even used as sports horses.
Height: 16 – 16.2 hands
Weight: 1860 to 2200 pounds
Holsteiner
This interestingly named horse is one of the oldest warmblood horse breeds. It is believed to have been bred for over 7 centuries. It is big and athletic and therefore it was used for war and for pulling heavy loads and other physical tasks.
Height: 16 – 17 hands
Weight: 1350 to 1500 pounds
Hanoverian
This breed is often seen in the Olympic Games. Throughout the 18th century, it was used as a high-class coach horse. In the present times, it is used for showjumping, eventing, and other athletic sports.
Height: 16 – 16.2 hands
Weight: 1350 to 1400 pounds
Dulmen Pony
This is believed to be only native pony breed in Germany. Its roots can be traced back to the 14th century when the earliest breeds roamed around in the Merfelder Bruch. They are adaptable for domestication and they can be used as children’s ponies.
Height: 12 – 13 hands
Weight: Unknown
Aegidienberger
This is a small gaited pony which is a cross between the Icelandic horse and the Peruvian Paso. They are very short and suitable for riding by kids and young adults. There are very few of these horses today.
Height: 13 – 15 hands
Weight: Unknown
Those were some of the most popular German horse breeds you can find today. With the increasing number of breeds, we will keep updating this post from time to time.
Frequently Asked Questions about German Horse Breeds
What is a German horse breed?
The German horse breed is known for its quality. The challenge in creating such a list comes from the fact that there are many breeds of horses with complex or obscure histories, so inclusion here does not imply predominance. Some notable examples include Aegidienberger, Alt-Oldenburger, Arenberg-Nordkirchen and Arenberg Pony).
Are there horses in Germany?
Horses can also be found everywhere from Europe to North America; some may not know that there is also a breed native to Germany–the Dülmen horses!
Is German Warmblood a breed?
Yes, the German Warmblood has been a vital draft/draught horse in Europe since the 13th century. The breed was imported from Switzerland and Germany into Canada, Russia, and the United States in the early 1900s and has spread worldwide to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, etcetera. Today’s modern-day animal is a powerful beast yet docile enough for dressage that weighs between 1600-1800 kg (3520-4080 lb), yielding about 500 kg (1100 lb) of live weight.
How many horses are in Germany?
Equestrian activities are a huge part of the German culture, as evidenced by its stable population. The horse and pony population has quadrupled in 40 years; 1.2 million horses live in Germany today!
What part of Germany Does the Bavarian Warmblood come from?
The Bavarian Warmblood comes from the region of Bavaria in southern Germany. Famed for their intelligence as well as their physical prowess, this is a breed that contains a mix of Anglo-Arabian bloodlines and about 5% Thoroughbred blood. They are named the “Bavarian” after their region in southern Germany, but they were originally bred for farming work on large estates where a versatile horse was desired. From there, they became popular hunting steeds for members of aristocracy all over Europe.