Breeds

STEVE: Well, a warmblood is a horse that was derived in Europe, primarily, that took into consideration the sporting events of dressage and jumping primarily and the hunters — mostly dressage and jumping.

They came from a mixture of draft horses and thoroughbreds. They’re extremely heavy-bodied, they’re a lot more durable. They’re much, much bigger than, let’s say, the typical thoroughbred. They have a little bit lower-key personality, and they’ve been best suited, as we’ve found now, for the Olympics and the higher-end jumping, Grand Prixs, things of this nature, and also the high-level dressage horses.

ALEX: The warmbloods have such a good personality that they adapt well to their training regimens. They’re very athletic. They’re easy to ship. They’re easy to move around. They are bigger horses, but they take those things really easily.

STEVE: Warmbloods, they have separate pedigrees now. The German pedigrees are everything from Holsteiners to Westphalians. There are a number of areas that have derived and started producing their own different types.

The Dutch warmbloods, they have a Dutch pedigree or a Dutch registry. They have a French or Selle Francais warmblood registry. They have Irish warmbloods. They have everything under the sun as far as different types, and each one is a bit unique. But some of them are a little bit more refined, a little bit finer-boned, a little bit hotter-blooded, a little quieter, but they’re all pretty much large — larger than thoroughbreds — a little heavier-boned. They also have quieter mannerisms that make them a little easier —not quite as hot or excitable as far as training is concerned — in the jumping and the dressage disciplines.