Horse and pony breeds

Profiles of the native breeds of Britain and Ireland, and of the Thoroughbred, Arab and warmbloods: where each comes from, its history, its breed standard and what it is used for today.

England 2

Cleveland Bay

England's oldest horse breed: always bay with black points, a strong, clean-legged carriage and riding horse from North Yorkshire.Height 16–16.2 hhRare breed: Priority Horse

Thoroughbred

The racehorse bred in England from Middle Eastern stallions and British mares, recorded in the General Stud Book since 1791, and a talented all-rounder after racing.Height No height standard: the breed is defined by pedigree, not size

Ireland 2

Irish Draught

Ireland's national breed: once the all-purpose horse of the small Irish farm, now prized for breeding hunters, show jumpers and event horses.Height Mares about 15.2–16.2 hh; stallions about 16–17 hh Horse

Irish Sport Horse

Ireland's sport horse, first bred by crossing the Irish Draught with the Thoroughbred and now a leading eventing and show jumping breed; the Traditional Irish Horse keeps the original bloodlines.Height No height range in the breed standard, which describes a functionally correct, balanced horse

Europe 3

Hanoverian

Lower Saxony's warmblood, bred from the state stud at Celle founded in 1735: once a carriage and cavalry horse, now one of the world's leading sport horses.Height Big-framed and compact (the breeding aim sets no height range)Horse

KWPN (Dutch Warmblood)

The Royal Dutch sport horse: farm horses of Groningen and Gelderland transformed after the war into one of the world's largest and most successful sport horse studbooks.Height No height range in the breeding goal, which is set by breeding direction Horse

Warmbloods

Sport horses bred in graded studbooks, such as the Hanoverian, the Dutch KWPN and the British WBS-UK, for show jumping, dressage and eventing.Height Varies by studbook; WBS-UK grades mares from 15 hh (15.3 hh and over for its Select Stud Book)

Middle East 1

Arab (Arabian)

The desert horse of the Bedouin, recognised by its refined, often dished head and high tail carriage, whose blood runs through the Thoroughbred and many British native breeds.Height No height limit; usually 14.2–15.2 hh (144–154 cm)