The Czech Warmblood (Český teplokrevník in Czech

Czech language

Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...

) is a horse breed

Horse breed

Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...

 from the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

.

Characteristics

The Czech Warmblood is a robust, powerful horse bred with strong bones. The breed has a strong neck on an elegant body, a broad, long back, and good hooves, though they are sometimes flat. The mane and tail are very thick.

The Czech Warmblood is a relatively long-lived, unpretentious and relentless horse. The breed is willing and teachable with a very good temperament. Most are black

Black (horse)

Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...

, chestnut

Chestnut (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...

, bay

Bay (color)

Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish brown body color with a black mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds....

 or dark bay.

Breed history

The Czech Warmblood was in existence by the time of the Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...

 Empire (1876-1918). In the 19th century the breed was influenced by Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 and Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 horses, and later by breeds such as the Furioso, Gidran

Gidran

The Gidran, Gidrán, or Hungarian Anglo-Arab is a horse breed developed in Hungary from bloodstock that included the Arabian horse. All members of the breed are Chestnut. It is an endangered breed today, with only about 200 living representatives worldwide.The Gidran breed began its development in...

, Nonius

Nonius (horse)

The Nonius, or Nóniusz, is a horse breed named after its Anglo-Norman foundation sire. The breed was developed at the Imperial Stud at Mezőhegyes, Hungary by careful linebreeding. Originally bred to serve as a light draft and utility horse for Hungary's military, the breed became a useful...

 and Przedswit

Przedswit

Przedświt is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Wąsewo, within Ostrów Mazowiecka County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland.-References:...

 breeds. German Warmblood

German Warmblood

German Warmblood may refer generally to any of the various warmblood horses of Germany, or more specifically to a warmblood registered with the nation-wide German Horse Breeding Society...

 horses also played a part.

The most famous and successful line is the Bystrý

Bystry

Bystry is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Giżycko, within Giżycko County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Giżycko and east of the regional capital Olsztyn....

. The founder was Stallion

Stallion (horse)

A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded .Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck, as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to...

 469, foaled in 1919. The line is characterized by a robustness, shorter and a less solid run, steeper and a shorter fetlock. They are mainly bay horses.

The stud farm

Stud farm

A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding" Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the...

 in Kladruby

Kladruby

Kladruby is the name of several locations in the Czech Republic,* Kladruby in Plzeň Region .* village Kladruby nad Labem in Pardubice Region * Kladruby in the Teplice District...

 plays a major role in the breeding of the Czech Warmblood. In the pedigree book, many other breeds are mentioned, for example Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

, Selle Francais, Arabian

Arabian horse

The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...

 and Anglo-Arabian

Anglo-Arabian

The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is a Thoroughbred crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made between a Thoroughbred stallion and an Arabian mare, or vice-versa...

.

Uses

Czech Warmbloods are suited to all horse sports

Equestrianism

Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...

. They are good at dressage

Dressage

Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

 and horse racing

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

and are also capable of lighter farm and forest work, hunting and jumping.

External links

• Short description (in Czech)