Horse
Pronunciation:
kal ə 'brēs
Breed Description:
The Calabrese breed of horse originated in Italy. It can be bay, brown, chestnut, gray, or black. The Calabrese breed of horse is generally used as an all-purpose riding horse, and is also suitable for jumping, as it has strong legs and remarkable balance. The Calabrese has a refined head, a muscular but well-shaped neck, long sloping shoulders and a broad chest.
Temperament:
The Calabrese breed of horse has an exceptionally manageable temperament and is gentle and easy to train.
Height:
The Calabrese breed of horse stands from 16 to 16.2 hands high.
Weight:
The Calabrese breed of horse generally weighs between 975 and 1100 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Calabrese breed of horse has no known breed-specific health problems. Like all horses, they need to be wormed and vaccinated regularly.
Exercise:
The Calabrese breed of horse is active and energetic.
Grooming:
The Calabrese breed of horse requires regular grooming, which means cleaning its coat, combing out its mane and tail, picking out its hooves, and keeping its dock, eyes, muzzle, and nostrils clean with damp sponges (a different one for the dock area than for the eyes, nose, and mouth). A hard-working, stabled Calabrese may require a thorough grooming each day, while one kept in the pasture may require only a light going over with a dandy brush.
Origin:
The Calabrese breed of horse originated from Calabria in southern Italy, and was derived from a group of Arabian horses imported from North Africa before the founding of Rome. Its current characteristics started to evolve during the Bourbon period, when Arabian and Andalusian bloodlines were introduced. In the 1900s, Thoroughbred and Hackney blood also was added. The Thoroughbred blood was used to improve performance and increase the Calabrese's size. Arabian blood is still added on occasion to ensure that the breed retains its original refined traits. 