Through the years, horses still remain as popular domesticated animals. Although most people use horses for their riding hobby or for racing, there are still few individuals who use them for actual transportation. There are various breeds of horses around the world. Whether you are thinking of buying one or just want to educate yourself about horses, knowing some of the popular breeds will somehow get you started. Here’s a countdown of the top 10 most popular horse breeds in the world:
10. Andalusian Horse
Also known as Spanish Horse and Pura Raza Espanola, this breed of horse originated from the Iberian Peninsula. Horse of Kings is the common nickname of this horse breed. Its distinguishing features are tall, thick mane, elegant, compact, and strongly built. One breed of horses that has Andalusian blood is the Azteca.
9. Welsh Pony and Cob
This breed is said to be closely related to breeds that are hailed from Wales. It has a strong physical body structure, with an impressive sound mind. It is sure-footed and hardy. This breed of horse is said to have existed in the Middle Ages. Such horse is widely used worldwide for jumping, showing, trail riding, trekking, and pleasure riding.
8. Tennessee Working Horses
These gaited breeds are from the Southern part of the United States. They have varying colors like bay, black, chestnut, sorrel, and white. Tennessee Working Horses have a height of 15 to 16 hands, in average. They are recognized for their flashy movement and unique four-beat running walk.
7. Morgan Horse
This breed came from Massachusetts and is known for its versatility and elegance. It has muscular and well arched neck with a clean cut head and it is usually 14.1 hands to 15.2 hands tall. Morgan horse is said to originate in the United States. The common colors of this horse are chestnut, black, and bay.
6. Appaloosa Horse
The horse’s breed descent can be traced back to prehistoric cave drawings and can be easily identified with their leopard-like spots. It usually stands 14.2 HH to 15 HH, and is very popular all over North America and Europe. Its place of origin is said to be in the United States.
5. Thoroughbred Horse
This breed is popular to racing and jumping, and was developed in England between the 17thand 18thcentury. Thoroughbreds are known to give riders a good riding experience. Some common distinguishing features of this horse breed are its athletic body type, tall height, and slimmer body.
4. American Miniature Breed
This breed of horse is friendly and interactive in nature, making it as safe as family pets. Since the 1600’s, the tiny horses is very popular and even up to these days, and can be particularly found in the Americas and Europe. Even so, this breed can still be found in several places in the world.
3. American Paint Horse
United States is said to be the place of origin of American Paint Horse breed. Paint is the alternative name of this horse. Its distinguishing features are its white and dark hair that creates broad-pinto spotting patterns. Moreover, this breed has common ancestry to Thoroughbred and the American Quarter Horse.
2. American Quarter Horse
This heavily muscled breed of horse is one of the oldest breeds in the United States. Compared to other breeds of horse, it can run faster at a short distance over a straight away. The alternative name for this horse is Quarter Horse. Its great sprinting speed is definitely amazing.
1. Arabian Horse
One feature that makes this breed of horse better than the others is its 30 years life span. The alternative names of this horse are Arab and Arabian. Its bone structure is finely chiseled. The neck is arched, and it has a high-carried tail.
The unique characteristics of these horse breeds made them popular to many people across the globe. These are the ones you should have if you are a horse lover.
Santosh Kumar is a Professional SEO and Blogger, With the help of this blog he is trying to share top 10 lists, facts, entertainment news from India and all around the world.