The horse is an animal characterized by its great beauty and mainly by its intelligence, which has led it to remain at man’s side throughout time. To find the transcendence of the horse in the life of man it is necessary to look back thousands of years. It is possible that there is no other animal that fascinates man more, because of the elegance of its movements, its strength, its plant, its look, it becomes essential in the history of man. Even though this animal is wild, it is the most docile animal we can find, so riding it is a gesture of freedom.
Nowadays, due to their athletic condition, most horses are used for sporting purposes.
It is difficult to choose only 10 breeds of horses as the best in the world, because each of them has its own characteristics that make them unique.
We can also recommend you an article made by Equishop under the title “15 horse breeds you should know”.
After conducting thousands of surveys through websites and various equestrian organizations, these are the top rated horse breeds worldwide:
According to this study below we detail you, according to their ranking, the most desired horse breeds in the world.
ANDALUSIAN HORSE
This is a Spanish breed horse originating from Andalusia. It is officially considered as “Purebred Spanish Horse”, also commonly known as “Spanish horse”. It belongs to one of the oldest equine breeds in the world, we are talking about an Iberian horse of baroque type, very much desired by the nobility for being one of the best horses for war due to its robustness and strength, without leaving aside its beauty, partly due to its thick mane and tail. It is not a breed of violent character but of great intelligence and sensitivity. This horse has played a very important role in the formation of new equine breeds both in America and Europe.
ARABIAN HORSE
Arabian horses are considered genetically pure. It is possible to prove with archeological evidence that 4,500 years ago there were horses very similar to the Arabian breed of today. They have earned their prestige thanks to their strength, endurance and intelligence. They have an affable and trustworthy character and therefore maintain a close relationship with people. They have a peculiar appearance with their head and tail always held high, their head is wedge-shaped with large eyes and nostrils and a small muzzle. Because of its close disposition to man, this breed is frequently chosen for exhibition, dressage, therapeutic riding, jumping, cutting and riding. The characteristics of this animal are found in many of the riding breeds we have today.
TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE
This horse originated in the USA. Like the Kentucky saddle horses, both breeds originated from the crossing of different Morgan breeds with Saddle red and Thoroughbreds. These animals were chosen by pioneers and cotton planters for their robustness and bravery because they had to spend long hours guarding the crops. The Tennessee walking horse is a large sized horse with a high withers ranging from 106-170cm. It has a rather large head, oblique and strong shoulders, strong limbs, and its main coats are brown and black.
THOROUGHBRED HORSE
Horse of English origin. This breed was developed between the 17th and 18th centuries after crossing English mares with Arabian stallions. These stallions were three: the Arabian Darley, Godolphin and the Turkish Byerley, which created three thoroughbred lineages: Maqtchem, Herod and Eclipse. Essentially, the thoroughbred horse is recognized by its long and slender body. The head is constantly alert and with little muscle on its jaw, its limbs are muscular, long and slender with strong hindquarters, kidneys and croup that resist the vigor of the gallop. It is for all these reasons that it is the horse par excellence for races and equestrian activities in which speed and endurance are required.
APPALOOSA
Horse originally from the USA. This breed originated from the breeding of Spanish horses by the Nez Perce Indians. This animal was used in warrior and hunting practices due to its special coloring, strong structure and diversity. It has a great capacity to cover long distances. The most striking characteristic of the Appaloosa is its particular mottled coat, in most cases the colors and spots of the males are brighter than those of the females.
MORGAN
Originally from the USA, this horse was one of the first breeds to be developed in the United States. This horse comes from a single progenitor, Justin Morgan, born in 1973, who was able to transmit his exact morphology to his three offspring, which is why this breed was able to originate. Among its characteristics we find: It does not have a great withers height, its head is wide and pronounced jaw, muscular neck and croup, robust and short back, robust limbs and thick and abundant mane. Due to their versatility, they are used in different disciplines, mainly in racing. Nowadays, crosses are made with thoroughbreds to achieve greater withers height.
QUARTER HORSE
This horse originated in the USA. When the Spanish colonists arrived in the Americas, they arrived loaded with horses of different breeds. These animals were left free during the conquest, causing wild horses that were later domesticated by the Red Indians. From 1750 onwards these Indian horses were known as Quarte Race. They were used on farms to pull carts. It is a breed that possesses strong acceleration over short distances. It has a small head, wide-set eyes, a muscular and robust neck, its broad chest shows strength and its limbs, although slender, are very robust.
PAINT HORSE
Horse of American origin. This breed is the successor of the Quarter Horse, the Native Americans began their breeding from the cross between the Quarte Horse and the Pinto. Its coat is spotted and it is the typical cowboy horse used in ranches. They are highly intelligent, hard working and very friendly. They are also used in trail riding, rodeo and are ideal to be ridden by young riders.
MINIATURE HORSE
Horse of European origin. This animal has a height between 86-97cm and it is because of these measurements that it receives its name. Because they have the characteristics of horses, they are classified as such and not as ponies, even though they have the same size. They are friendly and get along well with humans, so they are fantastic as pets. They are sometimes trained as service animals used as guide dogs by people with disabilities. They have great endurance and their average lifespan is longer than that of a normal horse.
WELSH PONY
Horse of Welsh origin. This animal usually reaches a height of approximately 164 cm. From this breed have originated others such as the Hackm, the Hackney and the Polo Pony. It has great intelligence and courage, and is used as a saddle pony due to its strength and docility. Its great endurance allows it to withstand long winters outdoors and with scarcity of food.