Rhenish-German Cold-Blood
Encyclopedia
The Rhenish-German Cold-Blood is a big horse
which comes from Germany
. This cold-blood was very popular in its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century, but now there are fewer uses.
, Westphalia
and Saxony
were used, but the main foundation stock came from Belgium
. The Belgian (horse)
was imported in large numbers to establish what was to become Germany's most numerous breed of heavy horses. Some Ardennes
blood was also used.
The heavy horses of Germany now make up only 2% of its equine population. The Rhenish is one of four German heavy horse breeds (the others being the Black Forest Horse
, Schleswig horse and the South German Cold-Blood), and its numbers today are very small.
, with a large, muscular body. Its head is plain, and the neck is short and strong. The body is compact, broad and deep, and the hindquarters are very muscular. The limbs are strong and short and have a fair amount of feather. They can be chestnut
, red roan
with flaxen mane and tail or bay roan
with black points. They stand between 16 and 17 hands
high.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
which comes from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. This cold-blood was very popular in its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century, but now there are fewer uses.
History
The Rhenish was developed as a breed in the Rhineland less than 100 years ago. Local heavy horses from RhinelandRhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
, Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
were used, but the main foundation stock came from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. The Belgian (horse)
Belgian (horse)
The Belgian Draft horse or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds...
was imported in large numbers to establish what was to become Germany's most numerous breed of heavy horses. Some 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 also used.
The heavy horses of Germany now make up only 2% of its equine population. The Rhenish is one of four German heavy horse breeds (the others being the Black Forest Horse
Black Forest Horse
The Black Forest Horse, also called the Black Forest cold blood or Schwarzwälder Kaltblut, is a rare draft horse breed originating in southern Germany.- Characteristics :...
, Schleswig horse and the South German Cold-Blood), and its numbers today are very small.
Breed Characteristics
The Rhenish is similar to the BelgianBelgian (horse)
The Belgian Draft horse or Belgian, also known as Belgian Heavy Horse, Brabançon, or Brabant, is a draft horse breed from the Brabant region of modern Belgium, where it is called the or Flemish: . It is one of the strongest of the heavy breeds...
, with a large, muscular body. Its head is plain, and the neck is short and strong. The body is compact, broad and deep, and the hindquarters are very muscular. The limbs are strong and short and have a fair amount of feather. They can be 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...
, red 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...
with flaxen mane and tail or bay 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...
with black points. They stand between 16 and 17 hands
Hand (unit)
The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
high.