We often hear about warmbloods being referred to as a "modern type." You know, leggier, shorter-backed, more refined than.... what? I'm wondering if younger readers or folks who are new to horses/dressage know what to compare the modern warmbloods to when considering what the "modern type" is.
Well, here's a pretty good example of an iconic warmblood stallion, Argentinus. He appears in the bloodlines of many of the top competing jumpers and dressage horses today. And he's definitely the "old style" warmblood:
To my knowledge, the old style warmblood is a horse who...
- Has a long back/short leg
- Has a heavy body type with very substantial bone
- Often will have a plain head
- Shows powerful gaits but not necessarily lightness
- Has a sire born prior to 1995 (somewhat arbitrary cutoff, and there are notable exceptions like Rembrandt)
RESOURCES
Argentinus from Horsegate.com
Argentinus from Greenacres Stud
Argentinus from Hannoveraner.org
Argentinus from Pro-stallions.com
Stallions in the U.S by Argentinus sire or dam from Chronicleforums.com
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When I think of "old type" Abglanz is the first horse that comes to mind. He was shorter in the leg and longer in the back than Argentinus. Check him out!
ReplyDeleteIn my youth, I constantly studied a breed encyclopedia from 1970 and the "old style" is fixed in my mind as a breed standard. That's also why I'm so fond of Cleveland Bays, old fashioned hunter types and quality cobs. :-)
ReplyDeleteGood advice - turn down the sound! Lovely video, but if you want to feature a classic horse, use classical music. IMHO.
ReplyDeleteLove the old style warmbloods. Argentinus is lovely, but what was up with his grotesquely thick throatlatch at 0:28 in the video? Obesity? Bad trick of the light?
ReplyDeleteFarmWife (Marnie)
www.BraysOfOurLives.com
What a beautiful horse. Thank you so much for sharing! Katherine
ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head. My schoolmaster, a 17 year old Holsteiner mare, fits this bill perfectly. She is 17 hands and is built like a brick house with the attitude to match.
ReplyDeleteShe has worked hard all of her life. However, she is as sound as a bell, and I am looking forward to carefully conditioning her to possibly compete in our first recognized event in October. :)
I also plan to breed her (she is not a maiden), as this phenotype is the one that has proven to be rideable into old age. I don't want to spend ten years training an animal that I have to retire at fifteen...that is a waste of my time! I will take power and longevity over flashy gaits any day.
Thanks for posting about this. I've met so many young warmbloods that are the "new and improved" phenotype that are injured due to the cumulative effects of size and power on a too light body.
he is lovely. Definitely not as "refined" as the modern WB, but still quite lovely. I'm guessing there has been a lot of TB influence in the modern WBs??
ReplyDeleteI know for myself, when I think of old style warmbloods, I think of Kelly Clarkson. Specifically, angsty Kelly Clarkson from her sophomore album. Also - did those old school guys know how to grow some heel, or what? I actually miss those big boned behemoths. Lightness is overrated. Power is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI love the old style Warmblood! They are such beautiful and strong animals...the Germans still favor them to be built a little heavier do they not?
ReplyDeleteIf you look at any breed which has an "American type" to is (for example, the Shetland Pony) you can see how much Americans breed "refinement" into their horses...sometimes, I think, not always for the betterment of the breed!
He kind of reminds me of some of the stationbred horses we get here in New Zealand. My friend had a pony who had a very similar build; long in the back, shorter legs and more "full bodied" IMO. Very lovely. Also he has fantastic hock action!
ReplyDeleteI don't think they could have picked a MORE inappropriate song for that! Goodness!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic horse though! I loved that clip of him trotting out in liberty, flicking his front feet with each step!
I also secretly love the picture of the two men standing with him... notice that the stallion is looking at the camera like he owns the place. Where are the two men looking?? At the horse! Cuz they know HE owns the place!
Beautiful horse - and thanks for the music warning. My two are built like tanks and I love the way they look and move.
ReplyDeleteI agree some other posters that I prefer the old type as well. Unfortunately as horses have become a true luxury item instead of useful work animals I think there has been a major shift from an emphasis on function to an emphasis on delicacy, beauty and "fanciness."
ReplyDeleteThis is true of other breeds, not just warmbloods. A great example is Morgans. If you look at foundation style Morgans they are very similar to old style warmbloods, stout with tons of bone and serious athleticism. These days most Morgans I meet unfortunately look more like Saddlebreds with lots of knee action and cute little heads but generally not very sound or sensible.
I love the stallion in the video but his over-conditioned stud neck is a little gross in some of the clips.
This guy's gorgeous. At 5'10" I am the shortest member of my family (my brother is 6'7") and none of us are light, so we have always appreciated the heavier horses.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the other commenters, I prefer the old types myself - Warmbloods and Morgans too - mostly because they look sounder to me and because if we breed everything lighter I worry all breeds will end up looking more or less the same. Boring.
ReplyDeleteThe first stable I took lessons with was the home of a gorgeous old style Dutch stallion named Vulcaan. He is still the warmblood gold standard in my mind.
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