Gelderland (horse)
Modern Gelderlanders in harness.
|
|
| Other names | Gelderlander |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Netherlands |
The Gelderland, or Gelderlander, is a heavy warmblood breed of horse that was developed in the province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. The Gelderlander, along with the similar Groninger horse from the north, provided the foundation for the Dutch Warmblood. Originally bred to be a stylish carriage horse versatile enough to work on the farm, the Gelderlander declined in popularity in the middle of the 20th century. Today the breed is registered in a separate studbook of the Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of the Netherlands (KWPN).
This warmblood horse originated in the sandy province of Gelderland in the Netherlands. Native mares of this province were crossed with Andalusian, Neapolitan, Norman, Norfolk Roadster, and Holstein stallions to produce the Gelderland (also known as the Gelderlander). In the nineteenth century, other breeds were introduced, such as the East Friesian, Oldenburg, Hackney, and Thoroughbred. Today the Gelderland is used as a carriage driving horse and as a show jumper. It has an effective high stepping trot.
Times changed and the Groningen horse became less of an essential element of agriculture, while recreational, competitive riding sports gained popularity. Initially, breeders had tried to develop the riding-type characteristics within the Gelderlander breed, but progress was too slow. The "sportregister" was for part-Gelderlander horses, crossed with more modern horses from other regions in hopes of creating what the market demanded: an agricultural riding horse. The Selle Francais stallion L'Invasion and Holsteiner Normann were imported by Gelderland breeders in hopes of speeding up this process. They were followed by Amor and Cavalerist from Holstein, Eclatant from Hannover, and Artilleur from France.
...
Wikipedia