Robust horse
The robust horse category includes horse breeds that correspond to the primeval horse and pony breeds such as the Icelandic pony , fjord horse or Haflinger and which can be kept in open stables or pasture all year round in the prevailing local climate without extensive weather protection . It is not a precise zoological delimitation, but characterizes the physical constitution as well as the possible posture and use. The dense, rain-repellent fur and the dense tail attachment (so-called "rain hood") are considered to be a biological robust horse characteristic, which allows a species-appropriate attitude in the Central European climate.
In many cases, old horse breeds from peasant breeding, such as the Freiberg, are also very suitable for robust keeping. Even thoroughbred Arabs can do this thanks to their excellent adaptability , albeit limited, but in the narrower sense they are not robust horses, as they cannot generally be kept in an open stable with other robust horses, for example Icelanders, without special consideration and supplementary feeding, and they can be kept as thoroughbred horses for Robust horse form a pair of opposites.
A decisive factor in characterizing the robust horse is its versatility in use. Robust horses are mainly used as leisure horses , typically for cross-country riding and especially for trail riding , which is supported by their unadulterated natural instincts . They can also compete with warm and thoroughbreds in all other disciplines. Robust horses are understood to mean, regardless of the height of the stick - the term robust pony is rather unusual - adult riding horses with a solid foundation and a manageable riding horse character that is also suitable for weaker riders and children. Robust horses are also very well suited as grazing animals for extensive grazing and for landscape maintenance .
Another characteristic of robust horses is that they are easy to feed. These horses usually do not need additional feeding of grain products ( concentrated feed ) if they are used only slightly; On the contrary, if they are underemployed on normal pasture, they tend to accumulate excessive fat, which must then be regulated by the owner if there are no health problems (" affluent diseases ") such as obesity , summer itch or laminitis .
The behavior is also characterized by their compatibility with other horses, which allows them to be kept in groups without any problems, but also their tendency towards a highly independent, individual nature, which often requires experience and a certain amount of loving assertiveness from the owner. It is assumed that robust horse breeds behave as closely as possible to the original wild horse behavior . They have therefore also become corresponding, comparatively easily accessible study objects in horse behavior research.
Individual evidence
See also
literature
- Schäfer, Michael: The language of the horse. Lifestyle, behavior and forms of expression. Franckh Kosmos, 1993