Oldenburg

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

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Basic Info

Oldenburg (horse), breed of all-purpose riding and show horse. The Oldenburg was developed as a coach horse by Count Anton Gunther von Oldenburg in the province of Oldenburg (now Germany) in the 17th century. Since then, breeding programs have modified some characteristics of this horse to keep pace with changing needs for its use. The Oldenburg is a tall horse, standing about 167.5 to 178 cm (about 66 to 70 in, or 16.5 to 17.5 hands) high at the withers (the high part of the back, located between the shoulder blades). Its large, powerful body has a straight back and a wide, deep chest. The short, strong legs have well-defined joints with sound hooves The long neck is muscular, and the head straight, with bold eyes, alert ears, and flared nostrils. It matures early, usually in three years. The tail is set low, typical of a coach horse. The coat of the Oldenburg is usually colored bay (reddish), gray, or black.

Health

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Habitat

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Behavior

The breeding goal is a noble, large-framed and correct horse with dynamic, spacious and elastic movements - well suited for dressage, hunter classes, show-jumping or eventing because of its temperament, character and rideability

Origin

Germany

History

The Oldenburg horse in Germany is bred in the far northern part of Germany, in the relative small breeding area of the former kingdom of Oldenburg. The Oldenburg horse belongs to one of Europe's oldest warmblood breeds. The development of the Oldenburg horse was attributed to the work of Herzog Anton Günther von Oldenburg. He developed the breed in the 16th century, using mares of the Friesian breed as well as selected stallions from Spain and Italy. His purpose was to develop a grand carriage horse. In the early 1960's the German Oldenburg breeding association made the decision to produce a modern riding horse and embarked on an extensive cross-breeding program. The new breeding goal was to produce an outstanding sport horse. At the first step of the new breeding program Oldenburg mares were bred to top European Thoroughbred stallions for refinement. Later on the resulting mares were bred to Europe's finest riding horse bloodlines of Anglo-Norman, Trakehner and Anglo Arabs but also Hanoverians, Holsteiner and Westfalian and Dutch stallions. The result is that the Oldenburg sport horse is now one of the most modern and successful riding horse of the world. Today horses like WEIHAIWEJ (under Franke Sloothaak), LADY WEINGARD (under Markus Beerbaum), DONNERHALL (under Karin Rehbein) and BONFIRE (under Anky van Grunsven) represent the success of the Oldenburg sport horse breeding.

Common Foods

grass