Holsteiner
Modified: 30-11--0001 00:00:00
The HOLSTEINER horse is the oldext of the German warmbloods, taking its name from the the Elmshorn district of Holstein, the area in which it originated. The principal breeding centre is still in this region. The Holsteiner is based on the horses that used to live in the marshes surrounding the Elbe and other neighboring rivers. As early as 1300, the monastery of Uetersen in the Haseldorf marshes was using them at its stud, which was dedicated to breeding war-horses andhorses for tournaments (tourney horses). Throughout the Middle Ages, the Kings of Denmark and the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein greatly encouraged the breeding of such horses.
ORIGINS
The indigenous stock, in the pattern of so many of the German warmbloods, initially received a massive infusion of Spanish, eastern, and Neapolitan blood. From the 16th century through to the 18th century, Holstein horses were in demand in Denmark, Spain, Htaly, France, and other European countries. They were also an increasing influence on other German warmblood breeds, and were used to improve the Westphalian and Mecklenburg stock, as well as being introduced at Celle and Dillenburg, breeding centers for the famous Hanoverians.
It was in 1680, at the royal stud of the Dukes of Holstein at Esserom, that the Holsteiner stallion Mignon was used to begin the breeding of the famous cream horses that became the pride of the Electors of Hanover and formed part of the complement of horses at London's Royal Mews until 1920. At this time, the Holsteiner was valued as a tough, reliable carriage and coach horse, whose high, showy action, deriving from its Spanish antecedents, did not preclude its use on the land or as a heavyweight saddle horse.
BREEDING
The Holsteiner has always been very tractable in temperament, a prized characteristic fostered by very careful selective breeding. However, in 1680 it was hardly a supremely elegant horse, nor was it very fast. The conformational failures were corrected early in the 19th century by the importation of English Thoroughbreds The coarse Roman nose began to disappear, the action became lower, and the ability to gallop was improved. Even more important was the introduction of Yorkshire Coach Horse stallions. These were a faster derivative of the Cleveland Bay produced by mating Cleveland mares with half-bred Cleveland stallions. Their introduction established the Holsteiner's equable temperament and fixed a characteristically wide action that suited the relatively heavy frame. The result was a hard, handsome carriage horse that could also be employed as an artillery draught animal and as a strong riding horse, in which capacity it was in demand as a cavalry remount.
The breed was developed along these lines, chiefly at the Traventhal Stud founded by the Prussians in 1867 at Schleswig-Holstein. The stud at Traventhal no longer exists, and responsibility for the breed now lies with the Society of Breeders of the Holstein Horse in Elmshorn. The stock is subjected to the performance testing that is customary with all the European warmblood breeds
THE MODERN HOLSTEINER
After the Second World War, the demands of the horse market changed and German breeders responded positively, recognizing the need to produce a purpose-bred competition horse. To do so, recourse had to be made to upgrading Thoroughbred blood. The Holstein Society used more Thoroughbreds than any other society.
In a fairly short space of time, the Holsteiner became a multi-purpose riding horse of between 1.63 in and 1.73 in (16-17 hh). Ht was not just bred for a particular pursuit, but was suitable for all the ridden disciplines. The modern Holsteiner is lighter than before, and resembles a quality hunter with bone and substance. It has scope, is bold, and can gallop and jump. It is, in fact, the all-round competition horse, and of all the German warmbloods it is probably the best eventing prospect.
As a reminder of its past, it retains a little knee action, but this is no deterrent; the movement is free and long and notably rhythmical and elastic.
One of the world's greatest showjumpers was Fritz Thiedemann's Holsteiner, Meteor. Thiedemann always favored Holsteiners above any other breed. Other famous Holsteiners include Granat, the world champion dressage horse, and the good international eventers Albrant, Madrigal, and Ladalco.
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