Horse
Pronunciation:
aus-trian warm-blood
Breed Description:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse is a warmblood sporthorse which is registered with the Association of Warmblood Breeding in Austria (AWO) (Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Warmblutzucht in Osterreich). The Austrian Warmblood is bred for dressage, show jumping and recreational riding by following strict selection procedures that does not allow breeding of horses that do not fit the standard. Stallions and mares both must be approved by the registry before their offspring can be registered. These horses tend to be of a uniform color, mostly black, brown, bay, chestnut and grey. Because these horses really do not have any identifying features, the best way to recognize an Austrian Warmblood is by the AWO brand which is a stylized “A,” branded on the left hip.
Temperament:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse is known for having good rideability, excellent character, willingness to work and a generally well balanced temperament.
Height:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse measures between 15.2 hands and 16.2 hands in height.
Weight:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse weighs between 1000 and 1500 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse is a healthy and robust breed of horse with no unusual health problems.
Living Conditions:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse is a domesticated breed and therefore has the same requirements for shelter, feed and water that all domestic horses need.
Exercise:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse has been developed specifically for the sports of dressage and show jumping but they benefit from any kind of regular exercise. Because they have been produced specifically for good movement and jumping ability, they are generally suited for any type of recreational riding.
Life Expectancy:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse has an average life span for a horse. Depending on management and environment, these horses can live to 25 or 30 years of age.
Grooming:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse doesn’t have any special grooming requirements. Like all breeds of horses, they require daily grooming to ensure coat health and shine, especially before and after work. In addition, they should have their feet cleaned daily. All horses benefit from regular foot care, vaccinations and worming to maintain optimum health.
Origin:
The Austrian Warmblood breed of horse originated in what was the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the late 1700’s. These horses were originally produced as farm horses, riding and carriage horses and cavalry mounts. After combining a variety of heavy warmblood, Thoroughbred, Nonius and Shagya Arabian bloodlines, the old Austrian horse breeds were formed. These old Austrian breeds provided the native mare base upon which the Austrian Warmblood was founded. After World War II ended and horses were no longer being used for agriculture and transportation, the Federal Stud Farm of Piber moved to change their breeding focus from farm, carriage and cavalry mounts to recreational riding mounts. AWO was founded in 1964 and now operates under the Central Association of Austrian Horse Breeders. 