1. BREEDS OF HORSES

2. Terms to Know Domesticated – Tamed for use by man
Feathering – Fringe of hair around the horse’s foot just above the hoof
Hands – The height of a horse, taken from the top of the withers to the ground. 1 hand=4 inches

3. More Terms to Know
Overo – White extends up from the belly & legs towards the back
Tobiano – White extends downward over the horse’s back

4. Horse Terms Foal: Young horse of either sex up to one year of age
Filly: Female less than three years of age
Colt: Male less than three years of age
Mare: Mature female, four or older
Stallion: Mature male, four or older
Gelding: Castrated male

5. CLASSIFICATIONS Light Horse Breeds Breeds of Ponies
Breeds of Draft Horses

6. Light Horse Breeds American Paint Horse American Saddlebred Horse
Appaloosa
Arabian
Morgan
Palomino
Pinto
Quarter Horse
Standardbred
Tennessee Walking Horse
Thouroughbred

7. Light Horse Characteristics
14 to 17 hands
Weigh 900 to 1,400 pounds
Primary use is for riding, driving or racing
Generally more capable of more action and greater speed

8. American Paint Horse

9. American Paint characteristics
Origin: United States
Color: White with any other color; may be overo and tobiano
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight: 750 to 1,300 pounds
Uses: Stock, pleasure, show purposes, racing

10. American Saddlebred

11. American Saddlebred characteristics
Origin: Fayette County, Kentucky
Color: Bay, brown, chestnut, gray, black or golden
Height: 15 to 16 hands
Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 pounds
Uses: Saddle, pleasure, stock and fine harness

12. Appaloosa

13. Appaloosa characteristics
Origin: Idaho, Oregon, & Washington
Color: Variations & combinations of colors and spots; eye encircled with white, mottled skin; hooves black & white striped
Height: 14 to 15 hands
Weight: 900 to 1,200 pounds
Uses: Stock, pleasure, race and parade

14. Arabian

15. Arabian characteristics
Origin: Arabia
Color: Bay, gray, chestnut; white on head & legs is common
Height: 14 to 15 hands
Weight: 850 to 1,100 pounds
Dished face is most distinguishing characteristic
Uses: Saddle, show, stock, pleasure, racing

16. Morgan

17. Morgan characteristics
Origin: Vermont
Color: Bay, brown, black, chestnut; white markings less common
Height: 14 to 15 hands
Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 pounds
Known for easy manageability and remarkable endurance
Uses: Saddle, stock, harness, jumpers

18. Palomino

19. Palomino characteristics
Origin: United States
Color: Golden with white, silver or ivory mane & tail
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight: 900 to 1,300 pounds
Uses: Parade, pleasure, stock, saddle

20. Pinto

21. Pinto characteristics
Origin: United States, from horses brought in by Spanish conquistadors
Color: Half color (bay, brown, chestnut) with white spots from 2 to 12 inches across
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight: 750 to 1,300 pounds
Uses: Hunters, polo mounts, racing, saddle, stock

22. Pinto characteristics cont’d
Type not color determines if a horse is identified as a paint or pinto. The Pinto registry accepts several breed types, while the Paint registry accepts only Quarter or Thoroughbred conformation.

23. Quarter Horse

24. Quarter Horse characteristics
Origin: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado & Kansas
Color: Chestnut, sorrel, bay, dun, palomino, black, brown & roan
Height: 14 to 16 hands
Weight: 1,050 to 1,300 pounds
Well-muscled & powerfully built; considered most versatile
Uses: Stock, racing, pleasure

25. Standardbred

26. Standardbred characteristics
Origin: United States
Color: Bay, brown, chestnut, black, gray, roan and dun
Height: 15 to 16 hands
Weight: 900 to 1,300 pounds
Developed primarily for harness racing
Uses: Harness racing, trotting or pacing, show

27. Tennessee Walking Horse

28. Tennessee Walking Horse characteristics
Origin: Tennessee
Color: Sorrel, chestnut, roan, black, white, golden, gray, bay and brown
Height: 14 to 15 hands
Weight: 1,000 to 1,200 pounds
The running walk is distinctive to the breed
Uses: Pleasure, plantation walking, show

32. Thoroughbred

33. Thoroughbred characteristics
Origin: England, developed as a running horse
Color: Bay, brown, chestnut, sorrel, black, gray; white on the face & legs is common
Height: 15 to 17 hands
Weight: 900 to 1,400 pounds
Conformation emphasizes factors contributing to racing & sports
Uses: Race horses, saddle, stock, hunters and jumpers, polo mounts

34. Breeds of Ponies
Hackney
Pony of the Americas
Shetland Pony
Welsh Pony

35. Hackney

36. Hackney characteristics
Origin: England
Color: Chestnut, bay, brown; white markings are desirable
Height: 12 to 16 hands (those under 14 are referred to as ponies)
Weight: 800 to 1,200 pounds
Uses: Valued chiefly for show purposes, heavy harness or carriage horses

37. Pony of the Americas

38. Pony of the Americas characteristics
Origin: Mason City, Iowa
Color: Similar to Appaloosa
Height: 46” to 54”
Weight: 400 to 800 pounds
Breed standard calls for conformation between Quarter Horse and Arabian
Uses: Western type using pony for youth

39. Shetland Pony

40. Shetland Pony characteristics
Origin: Shetland Isles
Color: Black, dark brown, bay, chestnut, mouse & spotted
Height: 43” & under; 43” to 46”
Weight: 300 to 500 pounds
Develops long shaggy outer coat during winter months and has a full mane & tail
Uses: Child’s mount, harness, racing, roadster

41. Welsh Pony

42. Welsh Pony characteristics
Origin: Wales
Color: Black, gray, bay, roan, cream, chestnut
Height: “A” division – 12 hands & under; “B” division – 12 hands & over
Weight: “A” division – less than 500 pounds; “B” division – 500 to 900 pounds
Uses: Child’s mount, harness racing, pleasure, parade, hunting

43. Draft Breeds
Belgian
Clydesdale
Percheron
Suffolk

44. Belgian

45. Belgian characteristics
Origin: Belgium
Color: Bay, chestnut, roan
Size: Wide, deep, low set bodies
Weight: Male – 1,900 to 2,200 pounds; Female – 1,850 to 2,100 pounds
Very docile & quiet
Uses: Exhibition purposes, special attractions, farm work

46. Clydesdale

47. Clydesdale characteristics
Origin: Scotland
Color: Bay and brown with white markings
Height: 16 to 17 hands
Weight: Male – 1,700 to 1,900 pounds; Female – 1,500 to 1,700 pounds
Superior style and action
Heavy feathering of feet
Uses: Exhibition purposes, special attractions, farm work

48. Percheron

49. Percheron characteristics
Origin: France
Color: Black or gray
Height: 16-1 to 16-3 hands
Weight: Male – 1,800 to 2,000 pounds; Female – 1,700 to 1,850 pounds
Extremely docile
Uses: Exhibition purposes, special attractions, farm work

50. Suffolk

51. Suffolk characteristics
Origin: England
Color: Chestnut, varying from light to dark; no white
Height: 15-2 to 16-2 hands
Weight: Male – 1,600 to 1,800 pounds; Female – 1,450 to 1,600 pounds
Excellent deposition
Uses: Exhibition purposes, special attractions, farm work