Oldenburg Horse

Origin: Germany — Oldenburg and East Friesland.

Height: 16.2-17.2hh.

Color: Any solid color — black, brown, bay are the most common.Character: Precocious horse (matures early); bold, sensible, and kind.

Physique: Tallest and heaviest of the German warm-bloods. Somewhatplain head with straight face. Long, strong neck; powerful, muscularshoulder, chest deep and roomy, deep girth; strong body and hindquarters;legs short with abundant bone, hocks well let down.

Almost all of the great foundation breeds of the taller saddle horses arerepresented in the pedigree of the Oldenburg. The basis of the breed, whichhas flourished since the early 17th century, seems to have been strongdraught horses of the old Friesian type. To these were added, in the probablefollowing order, Andalusians, Neapolitans, Barbs, English Thoroughbreds,Hanoverians, Cleveland Bays, and Norman/Anglo-Norman horses. Thismixture had been incorporated by the turn of the century, at which time theOldenburg was a prime coach horse type.

After World War I the Oldenburg suffered the usual fate of the coachhorse overtaken by the automobile, and the emphasis of the breed wasswitched to a heavy warm-blood utility animal suitable for cavalry, pack,and light farm work. Mechanization of agriculture brought about a furtherredundancy and change of type, and the patient breeders of the Oldenburgonce more began to change their stock to suit the market. This time Thoroughbred and Anglo-Norman stallions were the main influences, withsome help from Hanoverian and East Prussian horses.

The result is a strong, all-purpose saddle horse of good conformation; apleasant mount for the tall rider and a useful horse for eventing and show-jumping.