Tabla de contenidos para Best of Breeds 2025 en Horse Illustrated

Many horse breeds have come across my path over the years. I’ve had the pleasure of being owned by an Appendix Quarter Horse, an Appaloosa, an American Warmblood, and several off-track Thoroughbreds. I’ve vaulted on a Belgian, barrel raced on a Morgan, trail ridden on a Tennessee Walking Horse, and galloped an Icelandic on the beach in New Zealand (that’s us pictured above). Every breed has amazing and unique qualities that are cherished by the breeders and owners who choose to make it a part of their lives. Perhaps you own one of the breeds featured inside, or maybe you’re simply an admirer of all things horse. Either way, in this sixth edition of Best of Breeds, we invite you to enjoy a journey through our newly refreshed, hand-picked photos…

Europe’s Iberian Peninsula is made up of modern-day Spain and Portugal, spanning 225,000 square miles. It is home to over 50 million people. This peninsula is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, France to the north, and almost touches Morocco to the south. Why the geography lesson? Because if you love Spanish horse breeds, the Iberian Peninsula has the distinction of being the original home of two breathtakingly beautiful ancient horse breeds: the Andalusian and the Lusitano. A PEEK INTO HISTORY These two breeds have long and impressive histories dating back thousands of years. Ancient cave paintings in the region depict horses, and there is fascinating archeological evidence as well. Early aAndalusians and Lusitanos were ridden by knights and used as war…

When standing near a Belgian Draft Horse, it’s easy to feel small—intimated, even. But the Belgian Draft is the epitome of a gentle giant. Developed in North America from Brabant stock, they were bred to be an all-round farm horse. Today, The Belgian Draft Horse Corporation of America remains the largest register for draft horses in America, according to Michelle Keaffaber, Belgian Draft Horse Corporation chief operating officer. “Our office process approximately 3,500 registrations and 3,000 transfers per year, which has been consistent for the past five years,” says Keaffaber. BREED EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS The Corporation includes the Belgian Draft Horse Alliance, whose mission is to help foster continuous growth of the Belgian Draft Horse with programs, including a Hall of Fame, Merit program and a National Belgian Futurity and…

Dutch Warmbloods, or as their registry in The Netherlands is known, Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (KWPN), boast high performance in dressage, jumping and in harness. Riders looking to make it to the Olympic levels or gather up blue ribbons at the lower levels are often drawn to this beautiful breed. The North American registry originated in 1983, and it’s now one of the largest studbooks for warmblood sport horses. The goal of the KWPN is simple. According to their website, they seek to breed “modern sport horses that perform at the top level of international equestrian sports.” KWPN horses are known for their athleticism, versatility, and good brain, which makes them the top choice for many disciplines. The KWPN strives to breed healthy horses with good conformation. Additionally, they have…

In the 1600s, the nobility in Europe treasured unusual pets. This included horses—but not just any horses. By the late 1700s, very small horses that had been bred down from normal-sized horses could be found living among royalty. Not all small horses lived the life of luxury, though. When laws were passed in England in the 1800s banning the use of children as mine workers, many of these small horses were put on the job and used to pull coal wagons. The Dutch also started using miniature-sized horses to work in coal mines around the same time. The idea also caught on in the U.S., and by the 1900s, little horses imported from Europe were pulling coal wagons in the Appalachian Mountains. Called “pit ponies,” these small equines were eventually…

Proud, majestic and—most of all—free. These are the characteristics people cherish about the American Mustang, the wild horse that has lived off the land in North America for centuries. Although equines originally lived on the continent, horses had become extinct here by the time Spanish explorers arrived on the shores of the New World in the 16th century. The ancestors of today’s horse had traveled across the Bering Land Bridge into Asia, where they thrived. When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas on his second expedition, he had horses with him. These Iberian-bred horses were the first of their kind to set foot on the continent since the species had disappeared in the Americas thousands of years prior. Within 200 years, the horses were flourishing on the North American continent…

Imagine gliding down the trail, oblivious to rough terrain, without worrying about hours spent in the saddle causing back pain. This isn’t just a dream for the fortunate owners of Paso Finos. Born with a naturally smooth gait that creates almost no movement for the rider, they’re the perfect way to travel down the trail, especially over long distances. Developed in the Caribbean and Latin America from Spanish horses that were imported to the Americas, the Paso Fino is known for its smooth, four-beat lateral gait, which can be performed at three speeds. The classic fino is slow in forward movement, but the feet take very quick steps. The paso corto has medium speed and stride. The paso largo moves forward the fastest, with a longer stride. The Paso Fino…

There may be no greater bliss than a trail ride—especially on the back of a Tennessee Walking Horse. Their unique gaits have made them increasingly popular as trail mounts. The breed performs three distinct gaits. The flat walk is a brisk, long-reaching walk that ranges from 4 to 8 mph. A nodding head motion, along with overstride, are unique features of the gait. The running walk is an extra-smooth gait like the flat walk except faster, at 10 to 20 mph, giving the rider a feeling of gliding through the air as if propelled by a powerful machine. The canter is performed in much the same way as other breeds, but with lots of spring and rhythm, giving an easy front end rise and fall referred to as a “rocking…

When researchers first began studying the Dappled Horses of Pech-Merle, a 25,000-year-old cave painting in southern France depicting white horses with black spots, they believed the coloration of the horses was a fanciful decoration by a Paleolithic artist. After all, the prehistoric equine DNA tested to that point only revealed black and bay colorations. In 2011, however, researchers from Germany and England discovered the LP gene in DNA samples of prehistoric horses from Siberia and Eastern and Western Europe. The LP gene is the same dominant gene responsible for the Appaloosa’s spots. Most historians believe the genes for the Appaloosa’s spotted coat first arrived by way of Spain with the Conquistadors, while a newer theory puts the Appaloosa’s ancestry in Asia. This new theory suggests the horses came with Russian…

The Connemara Pony is the only equine native to Ireland. Their story begins thousands of years ago, when Celtic horses that had escaped from captivity ended up living wild in the rugged Irish countryside, where they became even more hardy and surefooted than their domestic ancestors. Later in history, when Irish farmers needed horses to till the stony ground for crops, they relied on the wild ponies from the mountains. Poor and with many mouths to feed, farmers typically captured and tamed mares, who could provide them a foal to sell each year. Mares were bred to native stallions and worked during their pregnancies, right up until foaling time. By the 1920s, the Connemara Pony had become a distinct breed in need of preservation. As mechanized vehicles replaced horses on…

If you love the Baroque and the majestic, the romantic and the noble, then one breed of horse should really strike your fancy: the Friesian. Once the mount of medieval knights, this striking black horse looks like it stepped out of a fairy tale. The history of the Friesian traces back to a primitive horse called Equus robustus, which some experts believe was present in Europe during the Ice Age. The people of the Netherlands domesticated the descendants of these large horses, using them for riding and farm work. Sometime before the 17th century, Arabian blood was introduced to the native horses of Friesland, a province in the northern reaches of the Netherlands. This “light horse” blood, combined with the genes of Spanish Andalusian horses also brought to the area,…

Historians believe the ancestors of today’s Norwegian Fjord Horse first appeared in Norway during the Ice Age. These horses were domesticated about 4,000 years ago and went on to become the horse of the Vikings. Archaeological excavations at Viking burial sites show that Fjord Horses were often buried alongside Vikings of high status. Over the centuries that followed, the Fjord was used in Norway mostly as a draft horse, working the fields and clearing the countryside of timber to make room for farms and villages. The Fjord was also used as a saddle and pack horse and was known for its hardworking temperament. In the middle of the 19th century, an organized breeding program was established for the Fjord in Norway. COMING TO AMERICA In the 1950s, Americans discovered the…

Thanks to their petite size and athleticism, Shetland Ponies have long been popular as children’s mounts. Shetlands fill this role quite well, performing in hunter/jumper classes, English and western flat classes, and more. Adults also enjoy Shetlands as driving ponies, participating in events such as carriage driving, pleasure driving, roadster and fine harness. Shetland Ponies also make excellent candidates for “pasture pet” purposes, because they are friendly and cost a bit less to care for than larger equines. DIFFERENT TYPES Not everyone has the same purpose or look in mind when choosing a horse or pony. Some people love the traditional look of the Shetland, while others prefer a more refined or elegant appearance. For these reasons, Shetland Pony breeders have worked over the years to produce different variations and…

American Saddlebreds have an unmistakable presence wherever they go, and they can be found just about everywhere in the equestrian world. Though best known for their breathtaking performances in the show ring, this breed has earned devoted admirers across disciplines. Fans of the breed often describe their horses’ people-oriented nature, which couples with their natural athleticism to make them an excellent choice for trail riding, ranch work, and sports like eventing and dressage, where the partnership between horse and rider is of the utmost importance. A BRIEF HISTORY Originally known as the Kentucky Saddler and later the American Saddle Horse, the American Saddlebred traces its early development back to the 1700s, when colonists in North America selectively bred Thoroughbreds with a now-extinct gaited breed known as the Narragansett Pacer to…

From their start in the fields of Scotland to starring roles in parades, commercials, and competitive arenas, the Clydesdale has grown into one of the most recognizable and beloved draft breeds in the world. The Clydesdale breed originated in Lanarkshire, Scotland, historically known as Clydesdale, in the mid-1700s. Farmers needed a strong, agile horse capable of working in Scotland’s hilly farmland, and began crossing native mares with imported Flemish stallions from Belgium. The result was a powerful, versatile draft horse, perfect for farm work. By the early 1800s, Clydesdales were commonly bred and used throughout Scotland and northern England. In 1877, the Clydesdale Horse Society was established in Scotland to keep breed standards high and create a standardized registry. Soon, the breed began to spread. In the 1900s, Clydesdales began…

During Medieval times, a horse’s main job was to carry men into battle during wartime and to pull carriages during times of peace. If you had good horses, you had everything you needed during both war and peace. In the mid-1500s, Austrian Archduke Charles II, ruler of Inner Austria, sought to create a special breed of horse. He imported Andalusian horses, Berbers and Barbs from Spain and crossed them with a now-extinct breed called the Karst, a rugged, high-stepping, light gray horse native to Austria. Charles’ brother, Maximilian II, the Holy Roman Emperor, also founded a stud at Kladrub in Austria (which is now part of the Czech Republic) with the same goal, and used Spanish breeds crossed with local horses. The elegant and powerful horses that resulted—eventually called Lipizzans—became…

In a sea of solid bays and sorrels, the flashy white markings on an American Paint Horse stand out—there’s no missing a Paint. But beyond their eye-catching looks, Paints bring a steady temperament and athleticism to a versatile array of jobs. From the western show pen and hunter/jumper classes to racing and ranching, Paints have shown their mettle in just about any task. THE ASSOCIATION The American Paint Horse Association (APHA) got its start in 1962 as an organization designed to recognize stock horses with more white on their bodies than what was permissible for a registered American Quarter Horse. Today, the APHA is the second-largest breed association in the United States. To be registered with the APHA, Paint Horses have to have two registered APHA parents or one Paint…

The western performance horse industry is growing like wildfire, with new followers not only zeroing in on their favorite rodeo, cow horse, reining or cutting rider, but also the horses helping those riders to some of the highest-earning purses the equine industry has ever seen awarded. Most of those riders are sitting on an American Quarter Horse. When the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) officially launched in 1940, several ranch breeders were the initial registrants and members. Those ranches, like King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas—the owner of the first registered horse, Wimpy—were drivers in the industry. The AQHA Executive Committee meeting minutes from April 22, 1940, read: All Quarter Horses must be able to run a quarter of a mile in 23 seconds or show that they are capable of…

Horses are an integral part of human history, and the origins of most breeds go back centuries. But some breeds have more modern origins, designed to fit contemporary needs. One of those breeds is the Zangersheide. A warmblood developed in Belgium in the 1960s, the Zangersheide exists for one purpose: to dominate the world of international show jumping. The breed started at the Studfarm Zangersheide, founded in Lanaken, Belgium, by European businessman and equestrian Léon Melchior. Melchior’s goal was to outcross various breeds to create the most competitive jumpers the world had ever seen. Using mostly Hanoverians and French horses, likely of Selle Français breeding, Melchior bred for athleticism and talent as he searched for the ultimate jumping horses. Today, the Zangersheide Studbook, created in 1992, includes horses of Dutch…