Dutch harness horse
Encyclopedia
The Dutch Harness Horse, or Tuigpaard, is a warmblood
type of fine driving horse
that has been developed in the Netherlands
since the end of World War II
. Their studbook is kept by the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands) or KWPN. The breed is based on the native Groningen
and Gelderland
horses, which were formerly indispensable in agriculture
and transportation
services. Strict selection procedures and a clear breeding aim enabled breeders to produce a refined, high-stepping horse within a few decades. While with 40 sires
and fewer than 2,000 broodmares
the population is not large, Dutch Harness Horses are highly recognizable. In the past few years, a handful have come to North America, where they are owned by devotees of sport horse
s and Saddle seat
horses alike.
aficionados who seek a larger, more substantial horse. They are traditionally shown with a braided mane and natural tail, and when shown in-hand often wear a white bridle without a cavesson. The hooves
are usually allowed to grow longer than a riding horse's feet, but are never shod with weighted shoes. While the colors black
, brown, bay and chestnut
are most common, there are greys
, true roans
, and creme dilutes
. Tuigpaarden are often very well-marked, and many have extensive sabino
or rabicano
markings. There are even some tobiano
s, though they are rare.
The expressive head is made up of straight lines and distinctly warmblood in type. It is usually narrow, long and quite dry, similar to the Saddlebred
.
The neck is set on quite high, and the shoulders are uniformly long and powerful. The carriage of the head and the level croup with high-set tail distinguish the harness horses from their riding-type relatives. The longer back, more open loin, and flatter croup enable the hindlegs and forelegs to work independently and with great action. By comparison, the harness horse appears to stand higher off the ground.
Strict selection procedures mean that the Dutch Harness Horse is reasonably uniform in type and motion, and also means that the gait qualities of the horses are inherent. As the show horses are not asked to canter
in harness, this gait receives less attention. The walk is diligent, but the trot
is the true show gait. The forelegs are typically longer than the hindlegs - by design - and as such the horse will "sink" in the back and rise in the front. This quality is responsible for the powerful, active hind end and the great freedom in the forehand. These horses usually have a metronomic trot and ample suspension.
In comparison to the riding horse type
, the Tuigpaarden are more hot and sensitive to the energy of a crowd. However, with the control of the stallion inspections, bad-tempered horses or those with poor constitutions are at the very least identified, if not culled outright. A dangerous stallion would never obtain breeding permission in the first place, and so the breed is reactive and courageous, but pleasant and kind.
Branding
is now illegal in the Netherlands, so the lion-rampant brand of the KWPN appears on the left thigh of only older horses. Today, KWPN horses are microchipped
instead.
The letter which begins a Dutch Harness Horse's name corresponds to his year of birth. Daughters are often given only a very slight variation of the dam's name, for example: 1988 was the "G" year, so the daughter of a mare named "Zilvia" was "Gilvia".
, and during the late 19th century and early 20th century, these horses were known as "luxury horses." They consisted of two separate breeds: northern Groningens
which were heavier and primarily dark colors, and Gelderlanders
from the south which were taller, leggier, and usually chestnut. They were elegant, though heavy, carriage horses which could work on the farm too. Naturally, horse owners felt competitive about whose horse or horses were the finest and most showy. This was not forgotten when mechanization made agricultural horses obsolete and the driving horses needed a new occupation. The Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands or KWPN was founded in 1969 and from the beginning featured a distinct studbook for driving horses.
Much of the development from heavy carriage horse to fine driving horse was completed within the native horse populations, however the influence of the Hackney
stallion Cambridge Cole significantly helped the gene pool. Also influential was the chestnut American Saddlebred
stallion, Immigrant (American Saddlebred Horse Association name Callaway's Mardi Gras), born in 1990. In comparison to his Dutch peers, his gaits
were not considered impressive, but he did contribute his good character and dry type to the gene pool. Other Hackneys to cover Dutch Harness Horse mares were Marfleet Raffles and his son Grants Hornet, and Brook Acres Silversul. Currently the Hackney Horse stallions GTF Maker's Mark and Plain's Liberator are approved for use in Dutch Harness Horse breeding. A palomino
American Saddlebred stallion, originally named Denmark's Golden Playboy, stood in the Netherlands as Holland's Golden Boy.
competitions, they have also made their mark in combined driving
. Several of the teams at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games were Dutch Harness Horses. A few have distinguished themselves in sport, rather than show, though they are the exception. Some of the successful sport Dutch Harness Horses include Constance Menard
's Lianca and Anneke Muilwijk's Atuur, both of which compete in dressage
.
The Dutch Harness Horse is unique from other high stepping trotting breeds in that it has strict shoeing rules for competition, the shoes must be within a certain width and thickness and no pads are allowed. This insures that the breed is sound and able to trot so spectacularly on its own accord, not because of special shoeing.
Of late, Dutch Harness Horses have been crossbred with Arabians
in the United States to produce a more powerful horse for half-Arabian Saddle seat
-style English pleasure
, fine harness and "park" classes.
or bite, sub-par semen analysis, or any evidence of a congenital disorder or defect is not permitted to breed. A horse which has had surgery to correct a congenital abnormality is likewise culled. Furthermore, the stallions and elite performance mares must undergo a thorough radiographic exam of their joints. Horses with evidence of OCD
lesions do not pass. For these reasons, the breed is healthy, sound, and long-lived. The primary concern facing the breed is inbreeding
, due to the small size of the gene pool.
Warmblood
Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds, primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport...
type of fine driving horse
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
that has been developed in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Their studbook is kept by the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland (Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands) or KWPN. The breed is based on the native Groningen
Groningen Horse
The Groningen Horse is a Dutch horse breed developed for light draft and agricultural work. It is closely related to heavy warmblood breeds like the East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger...
and Gelderland
Gelderland (horse)
The Gelderland, or Gelderlander, is a heavy warmblood breed of horse that was developed in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Gelderlander, along with the similar Groninger horse from the north, provided the foundation for the Dutch Warmblood...
horses, which were formerly indispensable in agriculture
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
and transportation
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
services. Strict selection procedures and a clear breeding aim enabled breeders to produce a refined, high-stepping horse within a few decades. While with 40 sires
Stallion
A Stallion is a male horse.Stallion may also refer to:* Stallion , an American pop rock group* Stallion , a figure in the Gobot toyline* Stallion , a character in the console role-playing game series...
and fewer than 2,000 broodmares
Mare (horse)
A mare is an adult female horse or other equine.In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse age three and younger. However, in Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four years old; in harness racing a mare is a...
the population is not large, Dutch Harness Horses are highly recognizable. In the past few years, a handful have come to North America, where they are owned by devotees of sport horse
Sport horse
Sport horse, or Sporthorse, is a term used to describe a type of horse, rather than any particular breed. The term generally refers to horses bred for the traditional Olympic equestrian sporting events of dressage, eventing, show jumping, and combined driving. The precise definition varies...
s and Saddle seat
Saddle seat
Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...
horses alike.
Characteristics
The Dutch Harness Horse is distinctive among warmbloods for its high action, and gaining popularity among those saddle seatSaddle seat
Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...
aficionados who seek a larger, more substantial horse. They are traditionally shown with a braided mane and natural tail, and when shown in-hand often wear a white bridle without a cavesson. The hooves
Horse hoof
A horse hoof is a structure surrounding the distal phalanx of the 3rd digit of each of the four limbs of Equus species, which is covered by complex soft tissue and keratinised structures...
are usually allowed to grow longer than a riding horse's feet, but are never shod with weighted shoes. While the colors black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
, brown, bay and chestnut
Chestnut (coat)
Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...
are most common, there are greys
Gray (horse)
Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...
, true roans
Roan (horse)
Roan is a horse coat color pattern characterized by an even mixture of colored and white hairs on the body, while the head and "points"—lower legs, mane and tail—are more solid-colored. The roan pattern is dominantly-inherited, and is found in many horse breeds...
, and creme dilutes
Cream gene
The cream gene is responsible for a number of horse coat colors. Horses that have the cream gene in addition to a base coat color that is chestnut will become palomino if they are heterozygous, having one copy of the cream gene, or cremello, if they are homozygous. Similarly, horses with a bay...
. Tuigpaarden are often very well-marked, and many have extensive sabino
Sabino horse
Sabino is a group of white spotting patterns in horses that affect the skin and hair. A wide variety of irregular color patterns are accepted as sabino. In the strictest sense, "sabino" refers to the white patterns produced by the Sabino 1 gene, for which there is a DNA test...
or rabicano
Rabicano
Rabicano, also called white ticking, is a horse coat color characterized by limited roaning in a specific pattern: interspersed white hairs most dense and originating from the flank and the tailhead...
markings. There are even some tobiano
Tobiano
Tobiano is a spotted color pattern commonly seen in Pinto horses, produced by a dominant gene. The tobiano gene produces white-haired, pink-skinned patches on a base coat color. The coloration is present from birth and does not change throughout the horse's lifetime, unless the horse also carries...
s, though they are rare.
The expressive head is made up of straight lines and distinctly warmblood in type. It is usually narrow, long and quite dry, similar to the Saddlebred
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
.
The neck is set on quite high, and the shoulders are uniformly long and powerful. The carriage of the head and the level croup with high-set tail distinguish the harness horses from their riding-type relatives. The longer back, more open loin, and flatter croup enable the hindlegs and forelegs to work independently and with great action. By comparison, the harness horse appears to stand higher off the ground.
Strict selection procedures mean that the Dutch Harness Horse is reasonably uniform in type and motion, and also means that the gait qualities of the horses are inherent. As the show horses are not asked to canter
Canter
The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the gallop, and is used by all riders. The speed of the canter varies between 16-27 km/h , depending on the length of the stride of the horse...
in harness, this gait receives less attention. The walk is diligent, but the trot
Trot (horse gait)
The trot is a two-beat diagonal gait of the horse, where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. There is a moment of suspension between each beat....
is the true show gait. The forelegs are typically longer than the hindlegs - by design - and as such the horse will "sink" in the back and rise in the front. This quality is responsible for the powerful, active hind end and the great freedom in the forehand. These horses usually have a metronomic trot and ample suspension.
In comparison to the riding horse type
Dutch Warmblood
A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the...
, the Tuigpaarden are more hot and sensitive to the energy of a crowd. However, with the control of the stallion inspections, bad-tempered horses or those with poor constitutions are at the very least identified, if not culled outright. A dangerous stallion would never obtain breeding permission in the first place, and so the breed is reactive and courageous, but pleasant and kind.
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
is now illegal in the Netherlands, so the lion-rampant brand of the KWPN appears on the left thigh of only older horses. Today, KWPN horses are microchipped
Microchip implant (animal)
A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal. The chips are about the size of a large grain of rice and are based on a passive RFID technology....
instead.
The letter which begins a Dutch Harness Horse's name corresponds to his year of birth. Daughters are often given only a very slight variation of the dam's name, for example: 1988 was the "G" year, so the daughter of a mare named "Zilvia" was "Gilvia".
History
The Dutch have a strong tradition of breeding driving horsesDriving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
, and during the late 19th century and early 20th century, these horses were known as "luxury horses." They consisted of two separate breeds: northern Groningens
Groningen Horse
The Groningen Horse is a Dutch horse breed developed for light draft and agricultural work. It is closely related to heavy warmblood breeds like the East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger...
which were heavier and primarily dark colors, and Gelderlanders
Gelderland (horse)
The Gelderland, or Gelderlander, is a heavy warmblood breed of horse that was developed in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Gelderlander, along with the similar Groninger horse from the north, provided the foundation for the Dutch Warmblood...
from the south which were taller, leggier, and usually chestnut. They were elegant, though heavy, carriage horses which could work on the farm too. Naturally, horse owners felt competitive about whose horse or horses were the finest and most showy. This was not forgotten when mechanization made agricultural horses obsolete and the driving horses needed a new occupation. The Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands or KWPN was founded in 1969 and from the beginning featured a distinct studbook for driving horses.
Much of the development from heavy carriage horse to fine driving horse was completed within the native horse populations, however the influence of the Hackney
Hackney (horse)
The Hackney Horse is a recognized breed of horse that was developed in Great Britain. In recent decades, the breeding of the Hackney has been directed toward producing horses that are ideal for carriage driving. They are an elegant high stepping breed of carriage horse that is popular for showing...
stallion Cambridge Cole significantly helped the gene pool. Also influential was the chestnut American Saddlebred
American Saddlebred
The American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
stallion, Immigrant (American Saddlebred Horse Association name Callaway's Mardi Gras), born in 1990. In comparison to his Dutch peers, his gaits
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
were not considered impressive, but he did contribute his good character and dry type to the gene pool. Other Hackneys to cover Dutch Harness Horse mares were Marfleet Raffles and his son Grants Hornet, and Brook Acres Silversul. Currently the Hackney Horse stallions GTF Maker's Mark and Plain's Liberator are approved for use in Dutch Harness Horse breeding. A palomino
Palomino
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold coat and white mane and tail. Genetically, the palomino color is created by a single allele of a dilution gene called the cream gene working on a "red" base coat...
American Saddlebred stallion, originally named Denmark's Golden Playboy, stood in the Netherlands as Holland's Golden Boy.
Uses
While most Tuigpaarden are shown in special fine harnessFine harness
Fine harness is a type of driving competition seen at horse shows, that feature light, refined horses with high action. Popular breeds in this event include the American Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian, Dutch Harness Horse, and Hackney ....
competitions, they have also made their mark in combined driving
Combined driving
Combined driving also known as Horse Driving Trials is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. The sport has three phases: Dressage, Cross-country Marathon and Obstacle Cone Driving and is...
. Several of the teams at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games were Dutch Harness Horses. A few have distinguished themselves in sport, rather than show, though they are the exception. Some of the successful sport Dutch Harness Horses include Constance Menard
Constance Menard
Constance Menard is a French professional Dressage rider and equestrienne.She started training with Michel Autran from the Cadre Noir in 2003....
's Lianca and Anneke Muilwijk's Atuur, both of which compete in dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
.
The Dutch Harness Horse is unique from other high stepping trotting breeds in that it has strict shoeing rules for competition, the shoes must be within a certain width and thickness and no pads are allowed. This insures that the breed is sound and able to trot so spectacularly on its own accord, not because of special shoeing.
Of late, Dutch Harness Horses have been crossbred with Arabians
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
in the United States to produce a more powerful horse for half-Arabian Saddle seat
Saddle seat
Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...
-style English pleasure
English Pleasure
English pleasure is generic term for a number of different English riding classes seen at horse shows in the United States, where the horse is ridden in either hunt seat or saddle seat tack....
, fine harness and "park" classes.
Medical issues
Prior to licensing, Tuigpaard stallions must undergo a thorough vet check. Any horse with defects of the genitaliaCryptorchidism
Cryptorchidism is the absence of one or both testes from the scrotum. It is the most common birth defect regarding male genitalia. In unique cases, cryptorchidism can develop later in life, often as late as young adulthood. About 3% of full-term and 30% of premature infant boys are born with at...
or bite, sub-par semen analysis, or any evidence of a congenital disorder or defect is not permitted to breed. A horse which has had surgery to correct a congenital abnormality is likewise culled. Furthermore, the stallions and elite performance mares must undergo a thorough radiographic exam of their joints. Horses with evidence of OCD
Osteochondritis
Osteochondritis is a painful type of osteochondrosis where the cartilage or bone in a joint is inflamed.It often refers to osteochondritis dissecans...
lesions do not pass. For these reasons, the breed is healthy, sound, and long-lived. The primary concern facing the breed is inbreeding
Inbreeding
Inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents. Inbreeding results in increased homozygosity, which can increase the chances of offspring being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This generally leads to a decreased fitness of a population, which is...
, due to the small size of the gene pool.
See also
- Heavy warmbloodHeavy warmbloodThe Heavy Warmbloods are a group of horse breeds primarily from continental Europe. The title includes the Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger , Groningen, and similar horses from Silesia, Saxony-Thuringia, and Bavaria...
- Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger
- Groningen HorseGroningen HorseThe Groningen Horse is a Dutch horse breed developed for light draft and agricultural work. It is closely related to heavy warmblood breeds like the East Friesian and Alt-Oldenburger...
- Gelderland (horse)Gelderland (horse)The Gelderland, or Gelderlander, is a heavy warmblood breed of horse that was developed in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Gelderlander, along with the similar Groninger horse from the north, provided the foundation for the Dutch Warmblood...
- Dutch WarmbloodDutch WarmbloodA Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the...
- American SaddlebredAmerican SaddlebredThe American Saddlebred, formerly known as the American Saddle Horse, is a breed of horse that was developed in Kentucky by plantation owners. Today, in the horse show world, they are most commonly seen under saddle in Saddle seat style riding, and in various types of driving, including pleasure...
- Hackney (horse)Hackney (horse)The Hackney Horse is a recognized breed of horse that was developed in Great Britain. In recent decades, the breeding of the Hackney has been directed toward producing horses that are ideal for carriage driving. They are an elegant high stepping breed of carriage horse that is popular for showing...