Don Horse

Origin: USSR - Central Asia.

Height: 15.1-15.3h h.

Color: Any solid color - usually chestnut, bay, gray, or golden.Character: Energetic, calm, consistent.

Physique: Medium-sized head of the Thoroughbred type, widesetintelligent eyes, straight face, smallish ears; neck somewhat long and straight,good withers and rather upright shoulder, roomy chest. Back straight andrather broad, with well-sprung ribs; hindquarters strong. Legs long andhard, though tending to be straight behind, pasterns often upright. Astonish-ing stamina and endurance. Action inclined to be a little short and inelegant.

This former Cossack horse was extensively used in the raids on Napoleon'sdefeated army during its long retreat from Moscow throughout the bitterwinter of 1812. Food was scarce, and what there was of it was of poorquality, but though most of the French horses died of weakness the littleCossack horses galloped in again and again to the attack and when theFrench were finally gone were ridden the long way home to Moscow. It wasan inelegant little animal, light-framed and tough and wiry; but for courageand endurance it was equal to the Arab.

The Don was the favourite horse of the Cossacks, and as such was animportant cavalry mount. It was not a pampered animal. It was (and still is)herded on the central Asian steppes, where it must forage for survival in theheavy winter snows.

Today the Don is taller and of better conformation. During the 19th intury, Turkoman, Karabakh, Karabair and other stallioils of the Oriental
pe were loosed to run with it on the steppes, doing muchim
improve the Don's appearance. Subsequently Thoroughbred and stallions were
red to it, which gave it height. The result is a quality saddle horse which
is unusual stamina.