Irish Horse
Encyclopedia
Irish Draught
The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland which developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping.-...
and the 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...
. It has been given recognition as a separate breed,. It is commonly bred from parents who are also Irish Sport Horses, in addition to being bred from the definitive parent breeds.
The Irish Sport Horse is traditionally used for all purposes, from transportation, to riding, and working the land. However, it is becoming increasingly popular as a competition riding horse. Its natural athletic ability and fantastic jumping talents means that it excels in the show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
arena, as well as competing at the highest levels of eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
. The horse is globally renowned for being one of the best fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
mounts in the world, and the Irish Sport Horse studbook regularly tops the rankings for eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
http://www.wbfsh.org/html/rankings.htm.
Ireland produces a great number of Irish Sport Horses each year, many of them selling for great amounts in the United States and Europe.
For the 13th consecutive year the Irish Sport Horse Studbook has achieved the prestigious title of the leading studbook in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses Eventing Rankings 2006/2007.
The highest placed Irish Sport Horse in the individual rankings was McKinlaigh (ISH) ridden by Gina Miles (USA). The ISH Studbook finished on 1238 points, over 100 points ahead of the Selle Francais Studbook, which finished in second place.
Characteristics
Irish Draught
The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland which developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping.-...
and the athleticism, speed, and endurance of the 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...
. It has an excellent temperament, being calm, yet lively when needed, and is very tough. Connemara
Connemara pony
The Connemara pony is a pony breed originating in Ireland. They are known for their athleticism, versatility and good disposition. The breed makes excellent show ponies.-History:...
blood is also found in some Irish mares. Due to its sense and strength, it is popular with police forces in Britain and Ireland.
The Irish Sport Horse tends to fall into three types: light-weight for carrying a rider up to about 70 kg, middle-weight to carry a rider up to about 89 kg, and heavy-weight for riders exceeding 89 kg. Carrying a rider according to this classification includes being able to participate in hunting or other strenuous riding activities. Nowadays, most Irish Horses are middle-weights, and it is uncommon to find a true heavy-weight or a Lady's horse (trained for sports in side-saddle, and usually a light-weight).
The horse has an attractive head with a sometimes convex profile (a "Roman nose"). It has a slightly-arched and muscular neck, long, sloping shoulders, a deep but not overly broad chest, a short, compact back, and a muscular croup with powerful hindquarters. The croup is often sloping and long, a trait coming from the Irish Draught
Irish Draught
The Irish Draught horse is the national horse breed of Ireland which developed primarily for farm use. Today, they are especially popular for crossing with Thoroughbreds and warmbloods, producing the popular Irish Sport Horses which excel at the highest levels of eventing and show jumping.-...
, which improves its jumping ability. The high withers of the 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...
are also evident in many cases.
The Irish Sport Horse can be any color
Equine coat color
Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings. A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them.While most horses remain the same color throughout life, a few, over the course of several years, will develop a different coat color from that with which they were born...
, although it used to be rare to find tobianos and overos, they are becoming increasingly popular in eventing, showjumping and hunter trials. It ranges in height from 15 to 17 hands
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
.
External links
- Irish Horse Board, Ireland (maintains Irish Sport Horse studbook)
- World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses
- Showjumping Association of Ireland (SJAI)