Breed Profile: Galician Pony

Image by HombreDHojalata on Wikipedia.

Height: ~12 to ~14hh
Common uses: Riding, meat production
Characteristics: Short stature, hardy, straight profile, thick mane/tail, light feathering
Colors: I've not heard anything on color restrictions, so no clue.

This lesser-known breed originated in Galicia, Spain, and has helped improve the Galiceno breed. Currently these ponies are only used for riding and meat-production, but their hair used to be used for making brushes. They also help attract tourists to Galicia for the yearly roundup, branding, and sale.

Breed Profile: Friesians

Image by Larissa Allen

Height: 14.2 to 17hh, with an average of 15.3hh
Common uses: Riding, jumping, carriage horses, dressage, circus horses, and (previously) mounts for knights in armor
Characteristics: Robust, tall, stately, regal-set head, elegant high-stepping action, luxurious mane/tail, some feathering on legs, curved neck, strong forequarters, good disposition
Colors: Black. Always. Occasionally a chestnut can pop up (which means both parents are ^aa/^Ee), but those horses are rare and are (almost always) not permitted to be registered as a Friesian. They're generally known as Red Friesians.

Unfortunately, I don't personally know any Friesian horses. I wish I did, but, alas and alack, I don't. Anyway, they seem like pretty good horses. They aren't known for having any conformational faults (that I know of), and because Friesian horses are so conformationally similar, they're used a lot in movies as carriage horses and the like.

Anyway, yep. In case you're wondering where they got the odd name, it's because the breed originated in Friesland (a province in the Netherlands).

That's all for now. If I'm ever able to get some pictures of a Friesian or two, I'll see about adding them to this post for you. :)

Breed Profile: The Noriker

I think horses of this breed look really magical, and would be really excited to meet one face to face. :)

Other names: Norico-Pinzgauer, Pinzgauer, and Oberlander. The Noriker's which are bred in Germany's state stud farm of Marbach are known as Black Forest Horses.

History: Over two thousand years ago, this breed found its start in the province of Noricum, although the breed has been mostly developed around Salzburg. During Roman times this area was called Juvavum, and was known for the horses bred there. This breed is very common in Austria, and currently more than half of the horses there are Norikers.

Uses: These beauties were bred with the intention of a strong war horse that could also be used as a pack animal. People have found that Norikers also excel in agricultural work, harness, and hauling timber.

Height: 16-17hh

Conformation: Good clean limbs, sturdy, hard hooves, thick neck, thick mane/tail, deep chest

Color: Black, bay, chestnut, brown, gray, roan, pinto

Source: europeferd.eu via NHBA on Pinterest