Russian riding horse

The Russian riding breed of horses is the only variety today that originates from the famous Orlovo-Rostopchinskaya breed line. In the course of its development, it was widely in demand both in the sports field and among the military cavalry. The reason for this is the unsurpassed physical qualities of the animal and the disposition suitable for these purposes.

Russian horse breed

History of the breed

The history of the formation of the Russian riding horse is rather difficult. Its creator is considered to be Count and part-time cavalry general A.G. Orlov. In addition to his merits in military operations and state activities, he was also famous for his extensive collection of thoroughbred horses, which he bred on his own Ostrov estate.

It is worth noting that the talent of the collector was not the only advantage of the general. He also had extensive knowledge in breeding work. In addition, he owned the Khrenovsky stud farm, where he had already bred more than one famous horse. Starting to develop the next breed line, Orlov sought to create a strong, hardy and fast animal that shows itself equally well both in long campaigns, military operations, and in parades. Therefore, the count made a number of requirements for the animal, including:

  • the large size of the horse;
  • strong legs and body;
  • resistance to prolonged physical exertion;
  • elegance in the exterior and external showiness of the animal;
  • obedience, lack of aggression and high ability to train;
  • hard work;
  • good speed performance.

Combining all these qualities in one animal at that time seemed almost an impossible task. Therefore, to breed it, the general used a complex selection process, and selected the material for experiments on his own, acquiring the best representatives of various breeds. It is authentically known that in the work Orlov used:

  • purebred Arabian horses;
  • mares of English pedigree lines;
  • Spanish breeds;
  • Danish horses;
  • Turkmen horses.

The selection of candidates was extremely tough and was based on a number of requirements. To obtain suitable copies, the count spared no expense and time. So, it is known that he bought an Arabian stallion with the nickname Smetanka for 60 thousand rubles, which at that time was a fortune.

Orlov began direct work on breeding as early as the XNUMXth century. The process was extremely difficult, and many of the animals he acquired died, unable to withstand the local harsh climate. Basically, the success of the intermediate stages of selection became possible due to the high level of equipment and qualifications of personnel for which the Khrenovsky plant was famous throughout the state.

The history of the formation of the Russian riding horse

The history of the formation of the Russian riding horse

The first results of the general’s work appeared in 1801. The resulting horse was tall, spectacular appearance, strong physique. In the course of further selection, the breed was brought to perfection. The bred animals made an indelible impression not only on domestic, but also on many foreign breeders. Most of them sought to get such a stallion in their collections.

Decline and recovery of the breed

Often representatives of the Oryol breed appeared at exhibitions in Paris, Chicago and other cities, taking gold medals there. But the cavalry also paid increased attention to such living creatures. They were actively used during the First World War, which led to a significant decrease in the number of Oryol horses. In fact, by the middle of the XNUMXth century, only a few remained.

Subsequently, the breed was combined with another well-known variety of racehorses, which were bred in parallel by Count Rostopchin. The resulting offspring was already listed as Oryol-Rostopchinsky. The mixing of blood had practically no effect on the quality of the horses, so they had the same popularity abroad.

But, despite this, the number of horses gradually decreased, and the breed practically disappeared. It was only possible to restore it in the 80s. The main merit in this belongs to the staff of the Timiryazev Academy. They tried to reproduce the breeding process of Count Orlov as much as possible. The remaining horses from the Oryol-Rostopchin breed were taken as the basis, to which the blood of Arabian horses, the Akhal-Teke breed, the Traken and some others was added. The result was a Russian riding horse, which was officially registered in 1999.

Appearance standards

Russian riding refers to medium horses. The growth of a mature stallion varies between 165-170 cm. Mares, as a rule, grow up to 162-166 cm. But it is worth noting that the animal reaches such indicators only by the 4th year of life.

In the appearance of the horse, the staff of the Timiryazev Academy tried to preserve the features of the Oryol-Rostopchinskaya breed line as much as possible. Therefore, the animal, in addition to external showiness and grace, also suggests pronounced characteristic features of riding horses:

  • muscular strongly folded body of a square shape;
  • strong slender limbs with pronounced tendons and ligaments;
  • flat back;
  • croup with strongly developed muscles;
  • wide and powerful chest;
  • long graceful neck;
  • medium-sized head with a wide forehead;
  • short ears.

The appearance of the representatives of the breed

The appearance of the representatives of the breed

Color

The color of the Russian riding horse is dark according to the standard. In this regard, the bay, caraca suit and the color of the raven wing prevail. Red-haired representatives of the breed are much less common.

Reference. Gray and brown individuals are considered rare.

It is worth noting that the breed standard assumes the uniformity of the color of its representatives. Therefore, the presence of white spots on the body, head or limbs significantly reduces the value of the horse.

Character

Each Russian riding horse has its own personality. These animals are distinguished by intelligence, sociability and curiosity. They are quick to train and are constantly trying to get the attention of their owner. Aggression in their character is completely absent.

But this creature should not be treated with disdain. Stallions and mares do not tolerate such an attitude and respond to the rider in the same way. They stop listening to commands, behave capriciously, become irritable.

With proper handling and the absence of rudeness, the animal shows its best side and is happy to cooperate.

Application

The main area of ​​​​use of Russian riding horses is sports. Animals are distinguished by amazing agility, strength, jumping ability, as well as rhythmic gait. Such a wide list of advantages often provides horses with first places in dressage competitions. The most famous in this regard are the stallions Barin and Dixon.

Reference. Horses are suitable for participation in show jumping and triathlon. Often they can be seen at the Olympics, as well as world cups and championships.

In addition to sports, this breed is used in various parades and shows. In addition, it is still applicable in the arenas.

The Russian riding horse is rightfully considered the pride of Russian horse breeding. Such animals have repeatedly won gold medals at world-class competitions, which ensured their wide popularity among foreign breeders. At the same time, the main reasons for the demand for such animals are outstanding physical qualities, docile nature and spectacular exterior.

Anna Evans

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