Black Forest Horse
Encyclopedia
The Black Forest Horse, also called the Black Forest cold blood or Schwarzwälder Kaltblut, is a rare draft horse
breed originating in southern Germany
.
coat with a flaxen mane
and tail, a short head, strong neck, well laid back shoulders, wide croup (hindquarters) and expansive gaits
. It stands from 14.2 to 15.3 hands high (148-160 cm) and weighs approximately 500 kg. It has very strong hooves and joints.
, today a major center of breeding is the Marbach stud
.
and pulling carriage
s and carts. They are good-natured and gentle and recently have become popular riding horses
.
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
breed originating in southern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Characteristics
Features of the Black Forest Horse include a dark chestnutChestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
coat with a flaxen mane
Mane (horse)
The mane is the hair that grows from the top of the neck of a horse or other equine, reaching from the poll to the withers, and includes the forelock or foretop. It is thicker and coarser than the rest of the horse's coat, and naturally grows to roughly cover the neck...
and tail, a short head, strong neck, well laid back shoulders, wide croup (hindquarters) and expansive gaits
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
. It stands from 14.2 to 15.3 hands high (148-160 cm) and weighs approximately 500 kg. It has very strong hooves and joints.
Breed history
Developed in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, today a major center of breeding is the Marbach stud
Marbach stud
The Marbach Stud, also known as Weil-Marbach, is Germany's oldest state stud farm for horse breeding, has a history that dates back over 500 years. It is located in southwest Germany near Gomadingen in the Reutlingen district of Baden-Württemberg. The annual stallion parade is an internationally...
.
Uses
Black Forest Horses were originally used for work in the forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and pulling carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s and carts. They are good-natured and gentle and recently have become popular riding horses
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
.
Further reading
- (German) Black Forest Cold Bloods - History and Stories, Volume I by Thomas Armbruster, Wolf Brodauf and Gerhard Schröder, Schillinger-Verlag, 2007 Freiburg, ISBN 9783891553336