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REC.EQUESTRIAN, the body of the text has been unaltered as far as possible. The
information is for use at own risk. Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 15:05:57 CET From:
Dr. Lutz Massonne Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Holstein
Being a horse similar to the Hanoverian, only a
bit heavier, the Holstein breed can be traced back to the medieval war-horses
of the 14th century. By crossing in Spanish and Arabian blood the breed became
lighter. Since the 19th century the Holstein carries more English half-bred and
thoroughbred blood, which made him a good multi-purpose horse with success in
international sports. To keep the warmblood type, no more Thoroughbred blood
may be crossed in any more. The Holsteiner is bred primarily in the surrounding
of the city of Elmshorn in the Holstein region. With an average height of 160
to 170 cm the Holstein is heavily built, with good shoulders and a compact,
rounded body, large barrel and a heavy croup. The legs are short and heavily
boned.
The Holstein is willing and very adaptable, has
good nerves and intelligence. The most common colours are bay, dark bay and
black. On the fat pastures of the marshes as well as on the dry grounds of the
"Geest" (the less plentiful inland region - LM) already during the
Middle Ages excellent horses were bred. Dukes of Holstein, Danish kings and not
least the monasteries were sponsors of horse breeding "for toiling the
land as well as for the woes of war", as written in old chronicles.
Stallions from Andalusia brought to the Holstein horse the proud outlook and
the high knee action. Holstein stallions were valuable assets, the founded not
only the Hanover breed, but also were used in Oldenburg, Mecklenburg and
Westphalia. However, the Holstein type stabilised only when Yorkshire Coach
stallions were imported from England in the last century. The stallions
"Owstwick", "Brilliant" and "Burlington Turk" are
seen as the foundation fathers of today's Holsteiner.
During the Prussian time of Holstein the state
stud ("Landgestuet") Traventhal was founded in 1867. In 1891 the
breeders on the marshes united, and in 1896 the Geest region breeders also
founded a society. In 1935 both societies united to form todays Holstein
breeder association. Of great importance was the founding of the Riding and
Diving school at Elmshorn in 1894. The schools goals were and still are:
education of the young breeders, schooling of horses to prepare them for
top-class sport, successful public relations for the Holstein horse. In 1960
the state stud Traventhal was closed, as the number of breeding acts had
rapidly declined. The stallions were then transferred to the breeder's
association.
The breeding goal of the association is:
production of a marketable horse type with the assets of a riding horse, but
still keeping the characteristics of a rural multi-purpose horse. To achieve
this goal, mainly Thoroughbred stallions with steeplechase success were used,
to keep the jumping abilities of the Holstein breed.
Todays Holsteiner is somehow similar to the
English or Irish Hunter, a powerful and noble horse, suited for showjumping as
well as driving. Holstein teams are very successful at driving competitions.
Although the number of horses of Holstein breed is much smaller than those of
Hanoverian or Westphalian breed, the number of Holstein horses in competition
driving is equal to the other breeds. It is not possible to look at the
Holstein breed without a word of honour for the most famous four-legged
Holsteiner. Fritz Thiedemann's "Meteor" was the best of the best of
Holsteins many good showjumpers, known and successful on all large European
events. His statue is located in front of the Elmshorn riding and driving
school.
Exterior: Sometimes heavy head with Roman nose.
Well-set neck and good proportioned shoulder, deep and broad chest. Strong,
sometimes rather long back with muscular loin and well-muscled croup. Correctly
formed legs with clear tendons and joints. In its original type a heavy-boned
large horse with large canter strides and enormous jumping ability, the modern
type is a bit more noble. Colour: mainly bay (light bay to dark bay), seldom
chestnut or grey Size: 165 to 175 cm Usage: All-round horse for riding and
driving with special jumping ability.
Holsteiner: warmblood breed, local in the state of
Schleswig-Holstein. The breed is a private breed based on local farmers with
stallions belonging to the breeder's society at Elmshorn. Holstein is a rather
small breeding region with about 3000 broodmares which created a large number
of international top class sport horses for dressage, showjumping and driving.
The Holstein is a strong riding horse with a size from 160 to 170 cm, mainly
bay horses. The breed is known since the Middle Ages and was carried mainly by
monasteries, nobility and the Danish court, including the local farmers.
During the 16th and 17th century Spanish and
Neapolitan stallions were crossed in, who dominated the appearance of the
Holstein until the 19th century with features like Roman nose and impressive
size. At those times the Holstein was in great demand as a carriage and riding
horse with high knee action all over Europe. Holstein stallions influenced many
local breeds or were even used as a basis. In the 16th century the Royal
stables of Phillip II of Spain and the Hessian prince's stables at Dillenburg
bought many Holstein stallions, in 1735 the state stud at Celle was founded
with 13 Holstein stallions as basis of Hanover's breed. In 1767 Holstein
stallions went to Westphalia to improve the small local breeds and 1780 some
Holstein stallions were sold to Oldenburg. The French equestrian writer
Gueriniere praised the Holsteins value as a riding horse and France bought
thousands of cavalry horses in Holstein.
In the 19th century the breed type changed by
adding heavy doses of English Thoroughbred blood who at last dominated the
appearance of the Holstein riding horse. The Prussian stud agency founded the
state stud Traventhal in 1867, which bred mainly for military purposes and did
not suit the needs of the rural breeders. As a countermeasure they founded the
Holstein breeding society in 1891 and the riding and driving school at Elmshorn
in 1894, which until today manages education, marketing and private stallion
keeping. The state stud was closed in 1960 in the course of the overall decline
of horse breeding.
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