{EE} | Enchanted Estates | Canadians and Standardbreds

[Amortentia]

Enchanted Estates

I will be (slowly) working towards having a nice eventing and racing stock with a mix of Standardbreds, Canadian Pacers, and Canadian Warmbloods. I'm hoping to breed them all myself, starting with the necessary ancient breeds, though I will be using some foundation studs owned by other players where I can, with breeds I'm not interested in owning myself. I also plan to have a fairly extensive breeding program with Andalusians and Thoroughbreds, which are both fairly popular breeds and ones that can be used to produce quite a few other breeds.

At this point I'm mostly breeding for stats, though I will focus more on height/build, temperament, and colour later on.

Current Goals
Main: Produce a quality Andalusian.
-Complete as many courses as possible.
-Keep up with training all of my competition stock and show them regularly.
-Get all of my competition stock on their prospective leader boards.
-Make some friends?

Achievements
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[Amortentia]

Breed Histories & Standards

Andalusian: The Andalusian horse is one of the most ancient of horse breeds and has lived on the Iberian Peninsula since pre-history and is represented in cave paintings dating back 25,000 years. The Andalusian derives its name from its place of origin, the Spanish region of Andalusia, and has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century. The conformation of the Andalusian has changed very little over the centuries.

Throughout its history, the Andalusian has been known for its prowess as a war horse and was prized by the nobility. The breed was also used as a tool of diplomacy by the Spanish government and kings across Europe rode and owned Spanish horses. As time went on, kings from across Europe, including every French monarch from Francis I to Louis XVI, had equestrian portraits created showing themselves riding Spanish-type horses. The Iberian horse became known as the "royal horse of Europe" and was seen at many royal courts and riding academies, including those in Austria, Italy, France and Germany.

Exports of Andalusians from Spain were restricted until the 1960s, but the breed has since spread throughout the world, despite still-low population numbers. In 2010, there were little more than 185,000 registered Andalusians worldwide.

Head - The head should be of “average” size, and proportionate to the body. It should be rectangular, lean, with a straight or slightly convex profile. The ears should be mobile, medium sized, well placed and parallel with a well rounded outside curve. They should not point inwards. The forehead should be wide, flat or slightly convex, with large, expressive triangular eyes. The muzzle should be soft and smooth. The upper lip should be longer than the lower lip, and divided (hare’s lip). The nostrils should be long, in the shape of an inverted comma or almond. The jaw should be neither pronounced nor very muscular and blend into the rest of the head.

Neck - The neck should be of average length and size. It should have and slightly arched curve on top and slightly concave curve on the bottom. The shoulder should be long, elastic and sloping at a 45 degree angle from the line of the ground. It should have sufficient movement to allow freedom of the front legs.

Chest - It should be proportionate, low set and muscular.

Body - The body should be well proportionate and robust. The withers should be unobtrusively wide and obvious. A solid muscular back, wide, short loin, muscular and somewhat rounded and well joined to the back and the croup.

Back - The back is located between the kidneys and the withers and here is where the impulsion created by the hindquarters is transmitted to the forehand. It should be flexible, fairly short, and sufficiently wide in proportion to the rest of the animal, and very slightly concave.

Loin - The loin is formed by the six lumbar vertebrae, and the muscular mass that covers them, between the back and the croup. The lumbar region is short, wide, and very sensitive to the touch.

Croup - The croup should be of average length and width, rounded, strong, and slightly sloping. The tail set is low and placed between the buttocks.

Temperament - The Temperament is noble and docile, with a willingness and desire to please, and very intelligent. They can seem almost human at times and they form strong bonds with their owners. They love attention from their humans which makes them generally easy to train and they love showing off. Despite being docile, they have great bravery in different uses and situations, and show exuberance.

Movement - The movement should be agile, high, with good extension, harmonic and rhythmic. They possess a predisposition for collection. The Andalusian is a most impressive sight, with his sculptural beauty, proud bearing and natural high action.

Coat - Approximately 80% of Andalusians are gray, 15% are bay and 5% are black or dilute colours.

Source: PAALH

Thoroughbred: The thoroughbred horse is synonymous with equine athleticism. Although bred primarily for racing, thoroughbreds excel in many equine endeavors, especially eventing, foxhunting and show jumping. Many former racehorses go on to second careers in these disciplines, but they also make good pleasure horses for experienced riders.

Some people mistakenly use the term thoroughbred as synonymous with purebred, as in, "That's a thoroughbred dog." While incorrect, it's easy to understand the error. The thoroughbred stud book dates back to the late 18th century, so the pedigrees of today's thoroughbred's trace back more than 200 years. According to Equinest.com, 84 percent of thoroughbred genes come from 31 original ancestors, with three main sires consisting of the Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian.

Size - Thoroughbreds range from 15.2 hands in height to 17. Secretariat, arguably the most famous thoroughbred of modern times, stood 16.2 hands and was massively built. Most thoroughbreds have a somewhat smaller bone structure than "Big Red," but it varies according to particular bloodlines. While the average thoroughbred weighs about 1,000 pounds, other healthy specimens might weigh 100 pounds less or 200 pounds more.

Colour - The Jockey Club, the official registry of the thoroughbred, allows black, bay, dark bay or brown, chestnut, gray or roan coloring in the breed. The latter is a mixture of white hairs on a red or black base coat. In recent years, the Jockey Club has accepted palomino and white as acceptable colors in the registry. Thoroughbreds can have white facial markings, as well as white leg markings below the knee.

Conformation - The ideal thoroughbred is a beautiful animal. He boasts a refined head, long neck, well-defined withers, deep shoulder, strong chest, short back and powerful hindquarters. The overall impression connotes elegance with muscularity, with the classic "look of eagles" in the eye. Of course, not all thoroughbreds live up to this standard, but even the lesser members of the breed should not have a "common" appearance.

Temperament - Thoroughbreds are smart horses with a strong work ethic. As a hot-blooded equine, like their Arab ancestors, they are more sensitive and spirited than cold-blooded or warmblood breeds. These qualities often make them unsuitable for novice horse owners, but those with equine experience appreciate that these high-strung animals make extraordinary partners with correct and careful training.

Source: Animals (Mom.me)

Canadian Horse: Typically Canadian, the Cheval Canadien has been the unsung hero of North American horse breeds. Over a span of about 150 years, from 1665 when the first horses were sent over to Canada by King Louis XIV of France, the breed developed in Quebec from foundation Spanish, Norman, and Breton stock. Only the fittest survived the harsh winters, scarcity of feed and hard work, earning them the nickname “Le Petit Cheval de Fer” or “The Little Iron Horse”.

A calm and willing disposition, excellent feet, stamina and strength, made it an ideal cavalry horse, and by the mid 1800’s Canadians were sold by thousands to the U.S. Army. They found their way into the early stud books of the Morgan, Standardbred, and Tennessee Walking Horse breeds.

Sadly throughout the 1900's, the breed number diminished to the point to where, outside of the province of Quebec, the Canadian Horse became virtually unknown. During the 1970’s, the breed hit an all time low when only approximately 400 registered Canadian Horses remained in existence, and less than 5 registrations were being recorded per year. Fortunately, since that time, dedicated breeders have worked diligently to save the breed from extinction and to preserve it according to the traditional and historic breed standards. The breed has slowly made a comeback and the population now stands at approximately 6000 horses. Most notably, today’s Canadian Horse still retains the same qualities that made them famous throughout North America centuries ago. Unfortunately the same can't be said about many other North American developed breeds today. Click here to view/download the breed standards.

Ranging from 14-16 hands and 1000 to 1400 lbs, they are most frequently black but also may be brown, bay or chestnut. They are hardy easy-keepers, strong and willing to work all week long, yet still exhibiting the presence, style and multi-talented nature to draw a fine carriage or win a jumping competition on the weekends.
In recognition of the breed’s contribution to the history and development of the country, the Canadian Horse was named the official National Horse of Canada in April of 2002.

The Canadian is well known and respected as a pleasure and combined driving horse, and has continued to gain popularity as a riding horse, both English and Western, for recreation and competition. Canadians have proven their versatility in a number of disciplines, from jumping and dressage, to driving and pulling, to back country trail and cow work.

Source: CHHAPS

Click to make bigger!

Canadian Warmblood: When thinking of a Warmblood, often what comes to mind is the elite Hanoverian, Holsteiner, and Dutch Warmblood athletes scattered across Europe. After all, European breeders have been developing the Warmblood for the past three centuries.

These days however, riders don’t have to travel to Europe to purchase a horse suitable for performance in the Olympic disciplines. Warmblood breeding programs in Canada have gained amazing ground over the last couple of decades. Now, Canadian breeders are producing horses of the same calibre as their European counterparts.

The road to the current state of Warmblood breeding in Canada has not been an easy one. The Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association (CWHBA) has worked tirelessly to improve breeding standards, promote the breed, and to educate people about its past, present, and future. A thorough understanding of the origins of the Warmblood is essential to appreciating their vision and the ultimate purpose of their efforts.

It once was thought that the Warmblood was a cross between cold-blooded horses, such as the Draft breeds, and hot-blooded horses, like the Arabian or Thoroughbred. In fact, the Warmblood boasts a unique heritage independent of these influences, and is itself one of the oldest surviving horse breeds.

The modern Warmblood horse is a descendant of Equus Caballus Mosbachensis, which is a subspecies of Equus Caballus. Equus Caballus is essentially the ancestor of the modern, domesticated horse.

Equus Caballus Mosbachensis dates back to the Pleistocene Epoch (1.8 million to ~10,000 years ago), and was indigenous to Western Europe, particularly present day Germany. Other subspecies of Equus Caballus include the Coldblood and the Konik, or Tarpan, both of which originated in Europe, and the Afro-Turkic which occupied North Africa and the Middle East. Modern day descendants of the Coldblood include the Draft and heavy horse breeds; the Tarpan horse became extinct in the late nineteenth century, and the Arabian is one example of a horse of Afro-Turkic type.

Modern Warmbloods are easily distinguishable from other breeds by virtue of their unique combination of substance and elegance. They are generally tall and their build is one of refined solidity.

According to the CWHBA, “the overall impression is one of nobility, harmony, balance, and athleticism. The frame should impress with its substance rather than its lightness or fineness. In profile, the animal will appear ‘uphill’ in build, with muscular hindquarters supporting a rectangular frame that features a relatively erect, poll-high neck.”

The body should be large and substantial, but not massive, and the legs should be strong with large, flat joints. The hooves ought to be proportionately large, even, and sound.

The ideal Warmblood has three elastic, uphill gaits, superior athleticism, and strength. The incredible physical power generated by these characteristics is tempered by an exceptional temperament and good-natured rideability.

“I’ve had tremendous experience firsthand with the Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association and with their horses,” says Joni Lynn Peters, of Armstrong, BC, who is currently long-listed for the Canadian dressage team with her Canadian Warmblood, Travolta (Ferro x Landwind II W). “They have been very sweet and very lovely,” Peters continues, referring to the two Canadian Warmblood geldings (Travolta is one) she has purchased at the Fall Classic Breeders’ Sale, an auction held in the European tradition by the Alberta chapter of the CWHBA.

The above traits are what make the Warmblood uniquely suited for, and dominant in, competition in the Olympic equestrian disciplines.

Source: HorseJournals.com

Canadian Pacer: During the peak popularity of the Canadian Horse, three sub-types could be distinguished. All three are now considered extinct, having disappeared or been merged back into the main Canadian Horse population. The first, the Canadian Heavy Draft or St. Lawrence, which disappeared by the late 1700s, probably developed from Shire and Clydesdale crosses. They were probably a popular export to New England, which bred large numbers of horses for Caribbean plantations. The second, the Frencher, sometimes also called the St. Lawrence, was a trotting horse known for its power and speed, resulting from crosses with Thoroughbreds. Mixed with French trotting lines, they played a role in the development of the US trotting horses.

The third type was the Canadian Pacer, which was historically better documented than the other two types. Canadian Pacers were likely the result of breeding pacing horses imported from France with Narragansett Pacers from New England. The resulting horses were known for their ability to race on ice. From there, they were exported to the United States, where North Carolina became a breeding center, later exporting them to Tennessee in the late 1700s. Pedigrees were not maintained, so early breeding histories are often impossible to trace. The Canadian Pacer influenced the Tennessee Walker, the American Saddlebred, and the Standardbred.

Commonly called "Canucks", the fastest members of the breed came from Quebec near the St. Lawrence River. Racing began in this area during the long, severe winters, when Sunday races after attending church for Mass became common. Eventually these races became large enough to endanger the church-going populace, and races were banned within a certain distance of churches. They instead moved to local rivers, whose smooth, frozen surfaces provided useful raceways, and the resulting contests drew attention to the pacers from Quebec.

Several horses imported to the United States from Canada had a lasting impact on American horse breeding. In the early 1800s, a roan-coloured stallion named Copperbottom was imported to Lexington, Kentucky from Quebec, through Michigan. He began to be offered for stud service in 1816, and his progeny spread throughout the eastern US. Known mainly as saddle stock, they also included several pacing horses. Another roan stallion, Tom Hal, a successful pacer in his own right, founded an important family of pacers in the US. Appearing in Kentucky in 1824, he was offered for stud, and his offspring (many of whom carried on the family name, being differentiated only by the name of the owner) began the family of Standardbreds that included Little Brown Jug, Brown Hal, Star Pointer, Adios and Good Time, all champion harness racing horses. Another pacing import to the US was a black stallion named Old Pilot, said to have been bred near Montreal, who originated the Pilot family of trotting horses. Old Pilot produced a son, also named Pilot, who was acclaimed as a sire of trotting horses, as well as being a successful harness horse himself.

Source: Wikipedia

Standardbred: In the 17th century, the first trotting races were held in the Americas, usually in fields on horses under saddle. However, by the mid-18th century, trotting races were held on official courses, with the horses in harness. Breeds that have contributed foundation stock to the Standardbred breed included the Narragansett Pacer, Canadian Pacer, Thoroughbred, Norfolk Trotter, Hackney, and Morgan.

The foundation bloodlines of the Standardbred trace to a Thoroughbred foaled in England in 1780 named Messenger. He was a gray stallion imported to the United States in 1788. He sired a number of flat racing horses, but was best known for his great-grandson, Hambletonian 10, also known as Rysdyk's Hambletonian, foaled in 1849 and considered the foundation sire of the breed and from whom all Standardbreds descend. Hambletonian 10 was out of a dam with Norfolk Trotter breeding, and the mare and foal were purchased by William Rysdyk, a farm hand from New York state, who successfully raced the colt as a three-year-old against other horses. The horse went on to sire 1,331 offspring, 40 of whom trotted a mile in under 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Another influential sire was the Thoroughbred Diomed, born in 1777. When the sport started to gain popularity, more selective breeding was done to produce the faster harness trotter.

The Standardbred breed registry was formed in United States in 1879 by the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders. The name arose due to the "standard" required of breeding stock, to be able to trot or pace a mile within a certain time limit. Every Standardbred had to be able to trot a mile in less than two minutes and 30 seconds. Today, many Standardbreds are faster than this original standard, with several pacing the mile within 1 min, 50 sec, and trotters only a few seconds slower than pacers. Slightly different bloodlines are found in trotters than in pacers, though both can trace their heritage back to Hambletonian 10.

Standardbreds tend to be more muscled and longer bodied than the Thoroughbred. They also are of more placid dispositions, as suits horses whose races involve more strategy and more changes of speed than do Thoroughbred races. Standardbreds are considered people-oriented, easy-to-train horses.

They are generally a bit heavier in build than Thoroughbreds, but have refined, solid legs and powerful shoulders and hindquarters. Standardbreds have a wide range of heights, from 14 to 17 hands, although most are between 15 and 16 hands. They are most often bay, brown or black, although other colors such as chestnut are seen. Gray and roan are also found.

The Standardbred typically weighs between 800 and 1,000 pounds. Their heads are refined and straight with broad foreheads, large nostrils, and shallow mouths. The typical Standardbred body is long, with the withers being well defined, with strong shoulders and the muscles being long and heavy, which helps with the long strides. The neck of the Standardbred is muscular and should be slightly arched, with a length of medium to long. Their legs are muscular and solid, with generally very tough and durable hooves.

Individual Standardbreds tend to either trot or pace. Trotters' preferred racing gait is the trot, where the horses' legs move in diagonal pairs; when the right foreleg moves forward, so does the left hind leg, and vice versa. The pace is a two-beat lateral gait; pacers' forelegs move in unison with the hind legs on the same side. However, the breed also is able to perform other horse gaits, including the canter, though this gait is penalized in harness racing.

Source: Wikipedia

Breeding Paths

Andalusian
[Arabian x North African Barb] x [North African Barb x Forest Horse] = West African Barb
[Przewalski Horse* x Tarpan] x Tarpan] = Mongolian
[Tarpan x Mongolian] x [Tarpan x West African Barb] = Sorraia
West African Barb x Sorraia = Carthusian
[Sorraia x Carthusian] x [Sorraia x West African Barb] = Andalusian

Thoroughbred
Forest Horse x [Arabian x Andalusian] = Friesian
Exmoor Pony* x [Exmoor Pony* x Friesian] = Galloway
Arabian x Turkmene* = Akhal-Teke
[Arabian x North African Barb] x [Akhal-Teke x Galloway] = Thoroughbred

Canadian Horse
Thoroughbred x [Arabian x North African Barb] = Cleveland Bay
[Thoroughbred x Cleveland Bay] x Cleveland Bay = Norfolk Trotter
[Tarpan x Belgian*] x [Forest Horse x Belgian*] = Norman Cob
Norman Cob x [Forest Horse x Belgian*] = Percheron
[Arabian x Sorraia] x North African Barb = Spanish Jennet
[Spanish Jennet x West African Barb] x [Andalusian x West African Barb] = Spanish Barb
Spanish Barb x [Arabian x Forest Horse] = Boulonnais
Forest Horse x Belgian* = Ardennais
[Ardennais x Boulonnais] x [Norfolk Trotter x Percheron] = Breton
[Norman Cob x Andalusian] x [Arabian x Breton] = Canadian Horse

Canadian Warmblood
Canadian Horse x Thoroughbred = Canadian Warmblood

Canadian Pacer
Sorraia x [Arabian x Sorraia] = Garrano
Sorraia x [Exmoor Pony* x Garrano] = Asturcon
Asturcon x [Galloway x Spanish Jennet] = Narragansett Pacer
Narragansett Pacer x Canadian Horse = Canadian Pacer

Standardbred
[Arabian x Norfolk Trotter] x [Norfolk Trotter x Thoroughbred] = Hackney
[Thoroughbred x Hackney] x [Arabian x Exmoor Pony*] = Welsh Mountain Pony
[Welsh Mountain Pony x Hackney] x [Norfolk Trotter x Spanish Barb] = Welsh Cob
Thoroughbred x [Arabian x Welsh Cob] = Morgan
[Thoroughbred x Canadian Pacer] x [Morgan x Narragansett Pacer] = Standardbred

New Breeds Needed

1. West African Barb: [Arabian x North African Barb] x [North African Barb x Forest Horse]
2. Mongolian: [Przewalski Horse* x Tarpan] x Tarpan
3. Sorraia: [Tarpan x Mongolian] x [Tarpan x West African Barb]
4. Carthusian: West African Barb x Sorraia
5. Andalusian: [Sorraia x Carthusian] x [Sorraia x West African Barb]
6. Norman Cob: [Tarpan x Belgian*] x [Forest Horse x Belgian*]
7. Ardennais: Forest Horse x Belgian*
8. Spanish Jennet: [Arabian x Sorraia] x North African Barb
9. Spanish Barb: [Spanish Jennet x West African Barb] x [Andalusian x West African Barb]
10. Boulonnais: Spanish Barb x [Arabian x Forest Horse]
11. Akhal-Teke: Arabian x Turkmene*
12. Friesian: Forest Horse x [Arabian x Andalusian]
13. Galloway: Exmoor Pony* x [Exmoor Pony* x Friesian]
14. Thoroughbred: [Arabian x North African Barb] x [Akhal-Teke x Galloway]
15. Cleveland Bay: Thoroughbred x [Arabian x North African Barb]
16. Norfolk Trotter: [Thoroughbred x Cleveland Bay] x Cleveland Bay
17. Percheron: Norman Cob x [Forest Horse x Belgian*]
18. Breton: [Ardennais x Boulonnais] x [Norfolk Trotter x Percheron]
19. Canadian Horse: [Norman Cob x Andalusian] x [Arabian x Breton]
20. Canadian Warmblood: Canadian Horse x Thoroughbred
21. Garrano: Sorraia x [Arabian x Sorraia]
22. Asturcon: Sorraia x [Exmoor Pony* x Garrano]
23. Narragansett Pacer: Asturcon x [Galloway x Spanish Jennet]
24. Canadian Pacer: Narragansett Pacer x Canadian Horse
25. Hackney: [Arabian x Norfolk Trotter] x [Norfolk Trotter x Thoroughbred]
26. Welsh Mountain Pony: [Thoroughbred x Hackney] x [Arabian x Exmoor Pony]
27. Welsh Cob: [Welsh Mountain Pony x Hackney] x [Norfolk Trotter x Spanish Barb]
28. Morgan: Thoroughbred x [Arabian x Welsh Cob]
29. Standardbred: [Thoroughbred x Canadian Pacer] x [Morgan x Narragansett Pacer]

Note: Italicized breeds are the ones I will be focusing on and breeding long-term. Bolded breeds are the ones I've managed to produce at this point. Breeds with asterisks after them are ones I will not be breeding or adopting/buying myself. I will use other players' foundation stallions that are up for stud in this case.

[Valkyriea]

Oooo I'm doing Canadian Warmbloods as well

[Amortentia]

Oh awesome! Yay for Canadians!