Horse
Pronunciation:
Hung-gare-ee-an Wor'm-blud
Breed Description:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse has been bred selectively to be used for Olympic-level dressage, show jumping and eventing, as well as for driving.
It has been bred to be a lighter breed of warmblood compared with some of the other heavier warmblood breeds that preceded its creation. This has resulted in a really elegant frame of horse that still has the animated action and talent associated with the generic warmblood animal.
One of the top British show jumpers of all time, John Whitaker (whose most famous horse was undoubtedly Milton, a grey Dutch Warmblood) won numerous international show jumping competitions on a Hungarian Warmblood called Randi. The famous German show jumper, Marcus Beerbaum also had some success on his Hungarian Warmblood, Heritage Poker.
All solid colors are accepted for registration as a Hungarian Warmblood.
Temperament:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse is very intelligent and willing to learn. It has an exceptional disposition and is relatively easy to train.
Height:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse has an average height of between 16 and 17 hands or 64 to 68 inches at the withers.
Weight:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse is a medium-weight horse and averages around 1,400 lbs, depending on its height.
Health Problems:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse has no health problems specific to the breed.
Living Conditions:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse should be kept in stables or some other type of shelter, especially during the harsh winter months, and turned out into a paddock during the day.
Exercise:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse needs to have a good, well-planned exercise schedule, especially when training for competition in any of the disciplines.
Life Expectancy:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse can live for between 25 and 30 years if it is well cared for.
Grooming:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse should have a regular grooming routine.
Origin:
The Hungarian Warmblood breed of horse was developed at the famous Mezohegyes State Stud in Hungary which bred horses for the country's army from the late 18th century. Like all warmblood horses, the aim of breeders was to produce a superior sport horse that was capable of winning Olympic and World Games competitions, specifically dressage, show jumping and eventing, as well as combined driving events.
The stud originally crossed older warmblood breeds like the Holsteiner, Hannoverian and Dutch Warmblood with established native breeds from Hungary such as the Nonius, Kisber Felver, Gidran and Furioso-North Star breeds. While the Gidran breed is extremely rare, the Nonius breed was developed at the Stud many years ago and is still used as an agricultural horse.
Nowadays strict approval and licensing for breeding with all stallions is required. The standards have been set to ensure that all registered horses meet the qualifications required to make them successful sport horses.
