| No matter where you look, you will see them | | | | goals in mind for so many years, it is possible to |
| advertised: Warmblood horses for sale. But what | | | | expect a consistent level of quality and type from |
| exactly is a Warmblood and what makes them | | | | Warmblood breedings. |
| different from the other breeds? | | | | Warmblood breed registries have stringent testing |
| There are two different definitions for the term. One is | | | | programs to select only the best stock for the |
| commonly referred to as Warmbloods, while the other | | | | breeding programs, culling animals that cannot make |
| is not capitalized: warmbloods. Technically a | | | | the grade. This allows the registries to maintain a |
| warmblood is any horse that is a crossbred between | | | | consistent level of quality, and to make improvements |
| a "cold blood", such as a draft horse, and a "hot blood", | | | | to the breed. |
| such as a Thoroughbred. | | | | Another thing you may come across when shopping |
| Many people who crossbreed drafts with | | | | for a horse is an animal advertised as "warmblood |
| Thoroughbreds will call their offspring warmbloods. | | | | type". This means that the horse has a solid, yet |
| While this upsets many Warmblood breeders, they are | | | | refined build and is athletic. This may be applied to any |
| technically correct. The thing is, most draft crosses are | | | | breed of horse and has nothing to do with bloodlines at |
| not of the same quality and type as a Warmblood, | | | | all. |
| and most are not suited to the upper levels of | | | | So, if you are looking for a performance horse, be |
| performance. Draft crosses tend to be inconsistent in | | | | aware that a horse advertised as a warmblood may |
| type, and the second generation crosses may show | | | | in fact be any combination of bloodlines that makes it a |
| any range of draft or non-draft qualities. The also tend | | | | cross between a cold blood and a hot blood. A horse |
| to be heavier in type than is considered best for | | | | who is of "warmblood type" may not have any actual |
| performance. | | | | warmblood bloodlines in it at all, and could even be |
| While Warmbloods were developed from similar | | | | grade. If a horse is advertised as a Warmblood, it |
| crosses, this development started hundreds of years | | | | should have European Warmblood bloodlines such as |
| ago. In recent years there is rarely any addition of | | | | Hanoverian, Holsteiner or Oldenburg in it. It should be |
| heavier bloodlines. Instead, many Warmblood breed | | | | registered with one of the recognized Warmblood |
| registries have chosen to add some lighter blood from | | | | registries. |
| select Thoroughbred bloodlines to refine the breeds | | | | While you can find a perfectly good warmblood or |
| and produce horses with even better performance | | | | horse of "warmblood type" who will be successful in |
| ability. | | | | the ring, not all will have been bred for the purpose. It is |
| It takes many generations to produce an animal that is | | | | possible to find a higher level of consistency of type of |
| genetically sound and will consistently produce the | | | | quality from a Warmblood from a recognized registry. |
| same quality and type generation after generation. | | | | A Warmblood may cost more, but often the price |
| Since Warmbloods have been produced with specific | | | | difference is worth it. |