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Jutland (horse)
Encyclopedia
The Jutland horse is a draft horse
breed originating in Denmark, named after the Jutland Peninsula
where Denmark lies. Usually chestnut
in color, they are a compact, muscular breed known for their calm and willing temperament. The breed was originally developed for use in agriculture, but today is more often seen in urban settings and at horse show
s. Some of the best known members of the breed are those used by the Carlsberg brewery for pulling beer wagons in Copenhagen
, at competitions, and for demonstrations. Images from the 9th century show a horse similar to the Jutland being used by Viking
raiders in what is now Great Britain. The first written record is from the 12th century, when they were popular as war horses
. Some infusion of bloodlines from other breeds occurred during the 18th century, but development of the modern Jutland type did not begin until about 1850 with the addition of blood from several other breeds, mainly draft horse
s. A stud book
was created in the late 19th century, and the Jutland population grew to a maximum of around 15,000 by 1950. Numbers subsequently declined, and as of 2011 it is estimated that there are only about 1,000 horses remaining.
in color, although they may be bay, gray
, black
or roan
, and frequently have white markings
. In the early 1900s most Jutlands were bay or black, but those colors are now in the minority; chestnut is now considered to be the horse's "national color" and is selectively bred
. They generally stand between , and weigh between 1430 lbs. The breed has a convex facial profile; a short, arched neck; low withers
; a wide chest and straight shoulder and a slightly sloped croup
. Overall, it is a compact, muscular breed. Their temperament is calm yet energetic, and they are considered by breed enthusiasts to be willing workers.
Although compact in size, the Jutland is a strong, powerful horse that was used to transport carriages and heavy goods. An 1897 publication by the United States Bureau of Foreign Commerce noted the ability of the horse to pull carriages and stated, "For this class of work and for heavy draft generally there is probably no better animal than the Jutland horse—a heavy, powerful beast."
from which the Suffolk Punch
was eventually developed. Horses from Jutland were exported to England, Germany and France during the Middle Ages
, and were popular mounts for knights, especially for use in jousting
. The first mention of the Jutland type is from the 12th century, when they are documented as war horses with many useful attributes. The Jutland horse appears in the Danish ballad
Svend Felding's Kamp med Risen, in which mythic hero Svend Fælling goes on a pilgrimage to Rome and on his journey encounters a giant. Other horses prove too shy or too weak to enable him to confront the giant, therefore Svend obtains a Jutland horse from a passing miller, who claims that it is strong enough to carry fifteen skippund. Mounted on the Jutland, Svend succeeds in killing the giant.
The Frederiksborg horse
, another Danish breed, influenced the Jutland during the 18th century. The Frederiksborg had a significant amount of Spanish influence
, and was used to give the Jutland more active gaits. Selection for the modern-day Jutland appears to have begun around 1850, when Suffolk Punch and Ardennes
blood was crossbred on native bloodstock. Cleveland Bay
and Yorkshire Coach Horse
(a Cleveland Bay/Thoroughbred
cross) horses were also added during the 19th century. The development of the breed was significantly influenced by a stallion
named Oppenheim LXII, imported into Denmark in 1862. Sources disagree as to whether Oppenheim was a purebred Suffolk Punch or a Suffolk/Shire
cross. Six generations from Oppenheim, his descendant, Aldrup Menkedal (spelled Oldrup Munkedal in some sources), was foaled. Aldrup Munkedal is considered the founding stallion of the modern breed. Most Jutlands alive today can be traced back to two of his sons, Hovding and Prins af Jylland.
The Jutland strongly resembles the Schleswig
, another heavy draft breed with similar origins that was influenced by Oppenheim LXII and his descendants. With the exception of feathering on its lower legs, the Jutland also resembles the Suffolk Punch.
The first stud book for the breed was created in 1881, and 22,000 horses were registered between then and 2007. In 1887 the first breeders' association was formed. The first stallions were evaluated
according to breed standard in 1888, the same year the Cooperative Jutlandic Breeding Association was created. In 1898, the "Federated Funen Horse Breeding Societies" were established in Funen
, dedicated to the development of Jutland horse breeding and other heavy draught horses. By the 1950s, Jutland population numbers exceeded 15,000, and 405 stud farm
s were devoted to their breeding in Denmark, but since that time, population numbers have dwindled. Though numbers dropped, a 2008 study of the 716 Jutland horses in the Danish studbook at that time concluded that there was little risk of the Jutland becoming extinct due to inbreeding
or low genetic diversity
. The study, which also included populations of the Knabstrupper and Fredericksborg breeds, theorized that the greatest loss to genetic diversity for horses in Denmark would be through the extinction of the Jutland breed, because of its genetic distance from the other two native breeds. The level of genetic diversity of the three Danish breeds was found to be similar to other European breeds. As of 2011, one Danish breed conservation organization estimates that there are about 1,000 Jutlands.
since 1928. The brewery owned 210 Jutlands at their peak, and today still uses about 20 for transporting beer around Copenhagen
. The Carlsberg horses also compete and put on demonstrations at many shows, promoting the brewery and the breed.
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
breed originating in Denmark, named after the Jutland Peninsula
Jutland Peninsula
The Jutland Peninsula or more historically the Cimbrian Peninsula is a peninsula in Europe, divided between Denmark and Germany. The names are derived from the Jutes and the Cimbri....
where Denmark lies. Usually 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...
in color, they are a compact, muscular breed known for their calm and willing temperament. The breed was originally developed for use in agriculture, but today is more often seen in urban settings and at horse show
Horse show
A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
s. Some of the best known members of the breed are those used by the Carlsberg brewery for pulling beer wagons in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, at competitions, and for demonstrations. Images from the 9th century show a horse similar to the Jutland being used by Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raiders in what is now Great Britain. The first written record is from the 12th century, when they were popular as war horses
Horses in warfare
The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses ridden in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons...
. Some infusion of bloodlines from other breeds occurred during the 18th century, but development of the modern Jutland type did not begin until about 1850 with the addition of blood from several other breeds, mainly draft horse
Draft horse
A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...
s. A stud book
Breed registry
A breed registry, also known as a stud book or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders when they are still young...
was created in the late 19th century, and the Jutland population grew to a maximum of around 15,000 by 1950. Numbers subsequently declined, and as of 2011 it is estimated that there are only about 1,000 horses remaining.
Characteristics
The Jutland is typically chestnutChestnut (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...
in color, although they may be bay, gray
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...
, 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...
or roan
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 frequently have white markings
Horse markings
Markings on horses usually are distinctive white areas on an otherwise dark base coat color. Most horses have some markings, and they help to identify the horse as a unique individual. Markings are present at birth and do not change over the course of the horse's life...
. In the early 1900s most Jutlands were bay or black, but those colors are now in the minority; chestnut is now considered to be the horse's "national color" and is selectively bred
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
. They generally stand between , and weigh between 1430 lbs. The breed has a convex facial profile; a short, arched neck; low withers
Withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
; a wide chest and straight shoulder and a slightly sloped croup
Rump (animal)
The rump or croup, in the external morphology of an animal, is the portion of the posterior dorsum that is posterior to the loins and anterior to the tail. Anatomically, the rump corresponds to the sacrum....
. Overall, it is a compact, muscular breed. Their temperament is calm yet energetic, and they are considered by breed enthusiasts to be willing workers.
Although compact in size, the Jutland is a strong, powerful horse that was used to transport carriages and heavy goods. An 1897 publication by the United States Bureau of Foreign Commerce noted the ability of the horse to pull carriages and stated, "For this class of work and for heavy draft generally there is probably no better animal than the Jutland horse—a heavy, powerful beast."
History
The origins of the breed are not fully documented, but some evidence points to the ancestors of the Jutland being used by the Vikings during the early 9th century. Images from the time show Viking raiders in what is now Great Britain riding horses similar in appearance to the modern Jutland. Some of those horses may have been left behind, contributing to the base stockFoundation bloodstock
Foundation bloodstock or foundation stock are horses that are the progenitor, or foundation, of a new horse breed or a given bloodline within a breed. The term is also used in a similar manner when discussing purebred dogs...
from which the Suffolk Punch
Suffolk Punch
The Suffolk Punch, also historically known as the Suffolk Horse or Suffolk Sorrel, is an English breed of draught horse. The breed takes the first part of its name from the county of Suffolk in East Anglia, and the name "Punch" from its solid appearance and strength...
was eventually developed. Horses from Jutland were exported to England, Germany and France during the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, and were popular mounts for knights, especially for use in jousting
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
. The first mention of the Jutland type is from the 12th century, when they are documented as war horses with many useful attributes. The Jutland horse appears in the Danish ballad
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
Svend Felding's Kamp med Risen, in which mythic hero Svend Fælling goes on a pilgrimage to Rome and on his journey encounters a giant. Other horses prove too shy or too weak to enable him to confront the giant, therefore Svend obtains a Jutland horse from a passing miller, who claims that it is strong enough to carry fifteen skippund. Mounted on the Jutland, Svend succeeds in killing the giant.
The Frederiksborg horse
Frederiksborg horse
The Frederiksborger is Denmark's oldest horse breed. They were tremendously popular throughout the Renaissance and Baroque periods and were considered luxury items. Today the breed is rare, but has a loyal following. Stallions and mares undergo studbook inspections before being allowed to breed...
, another Danish breed, influenced the Jutland during the 18th century. The Frederiksborg had a significant amount of Spanish influence
Andalusian horse
The Andalusian, also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE , is a horse breed developed in the Iberian Peninsula. Its ancestors have been present on the Iberian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as an individual breed since the 15th century, and its conformation...
, and was used to give the Jutland more active gaits. Selection for the modern-day Jutland appears to have begun around 1850, when Suffolk Punch and Ardennes
Ardennes (horse)
The Ardennes or Ardennais is one of the oldest breeds of draft horse, and originates from the Ardennes area in Belgium, Luxembourg and France. They are heavy-boned with thick legs and are used for draft work. The Ardennes is found in many colors, although black horses are very rare and are not...
blood was crossbred on native bloodstock. Cleveland Bay
Cleveland Bay
The Cleveland Bay is a breed of horse that originated in England during the 17th century, named after its colouring and the Cleveland district of Yorkshire. It is a well-muscled horse, with legs that are strong but short in relation to the body. The horses are always bay in colour, although a...
and Yorkshire Coach Horse
Yorkshire Coach Horse
The Yorkshire Coach Horse is an extinct horse breed once native to England. It was a large, strong, bay or brown horse with dark legs, mane and tail...
(a Cleveland Bay/Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
cross) horses were also added during the 19th century. The development of the breed was significantly influenced by a stallion
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...
named Oppenheim LXII, imported into Denmark in 1862. Sources disagree as to whether Oppenheim was a purebred Suffolk Punch or a Suffolk/Shire
Shire horse
The Shire horse is a breed of draught horse or draft horse . The breed comes in many colours, including black, bay and grey. They are a tall breed, with mares standing and over and stallions standing and over. The breed has an enormous capacity for weight pulling, and Shires have held the world...
cross. Six generations from Oppenheim, his descendant, Aldrup Menkedal (spelled Oldrup Munkedal in some sources), was foaled. Aldrup Munkedal is considered the founding stallion of the modern breed. Most Jutlands alive today can be traced back to two of his sons, Hovding and Prins af Jylland.
The Jutland strongly resembles the Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
, another heavy draft breed with similar origins that was influenced by Oppenheim LXII and his descendants. With the exception of feathering on its lower legs, the Jutland also resembles the Suffolk Punch.
The first stud book for the breed was created in 1881, and 22,000 horses were registered between then and 2007. In 1887 the first breeders' association was formed. The first stallions were evaluated
Studbook selection
Studbook selection is a process used in certain breeds of horses to select breeding stock. It allows a breed registry to direct the evolution of the breed towards the ideal by eliminating unhealthy or undesirable animals from the population. The removal of individuals from a population is called...
according to breed standard in 1888, the same year the Cooperative Jutlandic Breeding Association was created. In 1898, the "Federated Funen Horse Breeding Societies" were established in Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
, dedicated to the development of Jutland horse breeding and other heavy draught horses. By the 1950s, Jutland population numbers exceeded 15,000, and 405 stud farm
Stud farm
A stud farm or stud in animal husbandry, is an establishment for selective breeding of livestock. The word "stud" comes from the Old English stod meaning "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding" Historically, documentation of the breedings that occur on a stud farm leads to the...
s were devoted to their breeding in Denmark, but since that time, population numbers have dwindled. Though numbers dropped, a 2008 study of the 716 Jutland horses in the Danish studbook at that time concluded that there was little risk of the Jutland becoming extinct due to 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...
or low genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
. The study, which also included populations of the Knabstrupper and Fredericksborg breeds, theorized that the greatest loss to genetic diversity for horses in Denmark would be through the extinction of the Jutland breed, because of its genetic distance from the other two native breeds. The level of genetic diversity of the three Danish breeds was found to be similar to other European breeds. As of 2011, one Danish breed conservation organization estimates that there are about 1,000 Jutlands.
Uses
Although originally bred for use on farms, few members of the breed are used for agriculture purposes today and are mostly bred for horse shows and working in urban areas. However, the Carlsberg brewery has used the Jutland to pull its draysWagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
since 1928. The brewery owned 210 Jutlands at their peak, and today still uses about 20 for transporting beer around Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. The Carlsberg horses also compete and put on demonstrations at many shows, promoting the brewery and the breed.