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This page has been sourced from REC.EQUESTRIAN, the body of the text has been unaltered as far as possible. The information is for use at own risk. Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1993 15:05:57 CET From: Dr. Lutz Massonne Newsgroups: rec.equestrian Wuerttemberger The history of the Wuerttemberger dates back to the 16th century, when local mares of different types were crossed with Arab stallions. Later also Trakehner, Normandy, Oldenburg and Nonius stallions were involved, creating a useful and easy keeping multi-purpose horse for the agriculture in the Wuerttemberg region. The breed registry was founded in 1895, after the breed had stabilised, mainly influenced by the Anglo-Normandy-stallion "Faust", born 1886. With the help of Trakehner stallions the breed changed after world war II to a noble, medium sized (average 163 cm) powerful type. This medium warmblood, suitable for riding as well as driving, has a good overall appearance, with impressive head, broad chest and heavy boned legs. Overall, it is a robust horse, mainly seen as black horse, bay or chestnut. Wuerttemberg is one of the breeding region, which (like Oldenburg and East Friesland) had to radically change the type of their horses. Once the Wuerttemberg horse was a near-draft heavy farming horse, as needed by the local farmers: strong, reliable, well mannered. But what was good and demanded for centuries suddenly was not needed any more. Therefore the breed had to change to preserve the regional horse breeding. Todays Wuerttemberg horse is an elegant riding horse, comparable with all the other "traditional" riding horse breed, but still retaining the reliability and good temper of the old type. Today on the grounds of the more than 400 years old stud at Marbach (the oldest stud in Germany) an old breed has arisen in new glamour. Exterior: Noble head, well-set neck, deep chest, high withers. Well muscled, not too long back and broad, muscular croup. Sloping shoulder, correct legs, hard hooves. Colour: Bay, chestnut, black, few greys Size: 160 to 165 cm Usage: Multi-purpose sporthorse with good temper Wuerttemberg warmblood breed, located in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg Since the founding of the former Royal stables at Marbach on the Lauter in 1573, which is active as state stud since 1736, horse breeding is documented in Wuerttemberg. However, the breeding activities were mainly unsuccessful due to the harsh climate, difficult soils and frequently changing breeding policies of the different rulers. Only at the end of the 19th century, by mixing in Anglo-Normandy and Trakehner bloodlines systematically, good breeding results were obtained with a warmblood farming horse. To change to breed from a farm horse towards a riding horse in the 60's of our century, mainly Trakehner stallions were used, of which the state stallion "Julmond" as founding father of a famous line is still renown. This refinement gave the Wuerttemberg breed some obvious Trakehner features. The size lies around 165 cm, the main colours are chestnut and bay, also grey horses are common.
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