The Kentucky Appalachian Bred Rocky Mountain Horse

l the horses that were registered in 1987 with theas part of the performance tests, they were to pull a
German Equestrian Federation, approximately 8heavy sledge at the walk; trot before a light carriage;
percent were Oldenburg horses but that 8 percentand work at least 1,000 meters under saddle. In current
represents one of the top lines in Germany. Theperformance tests, the stallion demonstrates his
percentage is small because the Oldenburgendurance, speed, jumping ability, general courage,
Warmblood is bred in a small area near the modernmanner of going and rideability. A horse that may be
region of Lower Saxony surrounding the city ofhandsome enough to be initially approved for breeding
Oldenburg and few horses are available. This breedingbut that does not pass the performance test can not
area is historically confined to approximately 5,400receive final breeding stock status. Therefore, those
square kilometers in the center of the Hanoverianstallions who do qualify are truly the finest
region. However, even though it represents therepresentatives of the breed.
smallest breeding area in Germany, the OldenburgThe year 1861 brought about the founding of the
horse is nevertheless one of the most important.Oldenburg studbook; and the requirement of hip and
The early Oldenburg horses were developed asneck branding with a "Crowned O" for the identification
carriage horses and were well-known for consistencyof approved, registered horses. The foundation of two
in conformation, great power, and coal black color.horse breeding societies by the Horse Breeding Act of
They were also famed for their gentle character andApril 9, 1897 was another major milestone. These two
extreme willingness to work under saddle, in front of asocieties merged in 1923 to form today's Verband der
carriage or in the fields. But breeders wanted a bitZьchter des Oldenburger Pferdes e.V (literally:
more from this horse, and so they combined the bestSociety of the Breeders of Oldenburg Horses or
of the best bloodlines from many elegant breeds, withOldenburger Horse Breeders Society). By 1922, the
the result being the production of a magnificentOldenburg registry contained 3,250 stallions and 34,000
all-purpose saddle horse. Today, due to natural athleticmares.
abilities, the Oldenburg Warmblood is used forBy the 1930s, the aim of the Oldenburg breeder was
show-jumping, dressage, and three-day-event as wellto produce an all-purpose saddle horse. In 1950, the
as occasional driving.French Anglo-Norman stallion, Condor, (who was
Unlike many other Warmblood breeds, the modern62.5% Thoroughbred), was added to make Oldenburg
Oldenburg horse is the result of utilizing the best of allhorses even more elegant and refined and founded a
European bloodstock; and starting with Graf Johannnew stallion line. This line produced a very consistent
XVI von Oldenburg (1573-1603), nearly everytype of heavy, well-moving, mostly black in color,
successive ruler has added at least one additionalwell-tempered Oldenburg mares. No other breeding
breed of horse to the Oldenburg Horse pedigree whicharea was able to achieve the success that Oldenburg
was originally based on the German Friesianreached with stallions of French origin; and the results
Warmblood horse. Graf Johann XVI von Oldenburgof these cross-breedings were then combined with
started the breeding farms in the Oldenburg region foreven more elegant and famous sport-horse-type
the purpose of producing war horses. They werestallions from France, along with Trakehners and
given as gifts to important rulers and war heroes. HeHanoverians.
used Turkish, Neapolitan, Andalusian, and elegantMost of the breeding of Oldenburg horses today is in
Danish stallions to improve his stable of Friesian horses,the hands of private individuals, but closely controlled
which were described as being large and strong.by the Oldenburg Breeding Society. Private breeders
When Graf Anton Gunther von Oldenburg (1603-1667)are able to travel throughout Europe and the United
came into power, he became even more famous thanKingdom, while state-controlled breeding societies are
his predecessor and traveled extensively throughoutlimited by funding and other restrictions to their local
Europe. He brought back many elegant stallions fromstock. Many mare owners from the surrounding
Naples, Spain, Poland, England, Tartary, and Barbary,Hanoverian breeding area bring their horses to
but the breeds of these stallions are not on record.Oldenburg stallions despite the fact that breeding fees
Unlike Graf Johann XVI, Graf Anton Gunther permittedare often twice as much as those offered by
commoners to use his stallions for breeding, and soongovernment-owned Hanoverians.
the 17th Century Oldenburg Warmbloods were in greatCurrently there are around 409 actively breeding
demand throughout Europe. They served as elegantstallions in the breeding area in 122 breeding stations
riding horses and tall, attractive carriage horses. Kingwith approximately 7,300 registered broodmares
Leopold I, of the Holy Roman Empire, rode a blackproducing 4,100 foals per year, which makes
Oldenburg stallion through Vienna on his wedding day.Oldenburg one of the largest German Verbands.
His wife followed in a splendid carriage drawn by eightAs a result of using the finest bloodlines of France,
white Oldenburg horses. Graf Anton Gunther himselfEngland, Ireland, and Germany, the modern Oldenburg
was famous for traditional dressage riding, mostis slightly taller and extremely elegant in contrast to
notably on his famous Oldenburg stallion, Kranich.many other German Warmblood horses. But despite
Along with the additions to the bloodlines from theits size, the modern Oldenburg is a compact horse with
Oldenburg rulers, the modern Oldenburg horses alsorelatively short legs; yet a long, strong neck inherited
owe some of their refinement to the introduction offrom its days as a carriage horse; and large hooves
the English Thoroughbred, during the late 18th and earlythat are able to bear the weight of such a large animal.
19th centuries. The German-bred Hanoverian King,Oldenburg horses are accepted in a variety of colors,
George I of England (1714-1727), together with hisbut usually black, brown or gray are seen. The
German successors to the British throne, took anOldenburg has kind eyes that mirror the horse's calm
interest in the horses that were bred in their country oftractable nature. With so many different bloodlines and
origin and sent a large number of Thoroughbreds tobreeds that make up the Oldenburg Warmblood,
Oldenburg to improve the local stock.precise confirmation takes a backseat to overall
During the year 1820, a law was enacted that statedperformance quality.
that only government-approved stallions could be usedThe secret of the horses with the "Crowned O Brand"
in a breeding program, and all stallions were forbidden.lies in knowing that in Oldenburg, quality is the only
The first of the stallion testings was held that year, andbreed standard that counts.