The Horse Breeds

With the many ways in which horses are used, it is no surprise that many different breeds have been developed. However, all of these horse breeds can be placed into several categories by size and build. These categories are the light, heavy and pony classifications. Some people prefer to further divide some of these categories with classifications such as warmbloods, draft and gaited horse varieties.

Draft (heavy) horses Clydesdale, Belgian Draft, Percheron, and the Shire are probably the most popularly known draft horses. Less known are the Suffolk, Boulonnais, Norwegian Fjoirds, American Cream Draft, Irish Draught or the French Mulassier (one of may endangered domestic draft species.) Generally, draft horses are larger (upto 20 hands high), heavier, slower, large hoofed, heavy-limbed and more sure footed. They are used for pulling, harness teams, fieldwork, and shows; some drafts may be ridden dressage like the Shire, Percheron, or Norwegian Fjord.Click here for more details about heavy horses.

Ponies and Miniatures(e.g. Shetland, Iceland). Less than 14.2 hands high, these creatures have minimal space requirements; feed costs of ponies and miniature horses are beneficial. Approaching extinction as European Royal Courts declined and facing continental scattering, some ponies were imported to the US to haul ore. Later, they were crossbred with draft ponies to produce a heavy boned worker. Others, like the tiny old-world Arabians, are scarce resulting from infusion with other small-blooded horses. American enthusiasts reestablished classic Arabian miniatures; they're inter-continentally outsourcing. Click here for more details about ponies and miniature horses.

Light horses (e.g. Arabian, Thoroughbred) are intermediate, rarely taller than 17 hands.The Thoroughbred is probably the best known breed in the world — and the most valuable. Click here for more details about light horses.

While each of horse breeds has its own breed association, there is no overall horse breed registry, as there is for dogs and cats.