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Warmblood Stallions

The International Stallion Guide

The International Stallion Guide features stallions from the leading stud farms in North America and Europe. Breeders benefit by having comprehensive stallion profiles at their fingertips for ease of finding a superior match for their breeding programs.

It is a unique source of top calibre stallions, combining a cross section of stallions from multiple warmblood and sport horse breed registries recognized by the WBFSH including Hanoverian, KWPN, KWPN NA, Oldenburg, ISR Oldenburg NA, Holstein, Westphalian, Belgian Warmblood and other established breeds. All stallions in the Stallion Guide are licensed and approved for breeding purposes.

Stallions are included in both the handbook and the On-Line Stallion Guide which gives viewers access to high resolution stallion and offspring images, as well as YouTube videos. Visit www.stallionguide.ca to view the current stallion roster.

In January the high quality, coil bound handbook is mailed directly to thousands of warmblood and sport horse breeders in both Canada and the USA. In addition to top quality stallions advertised in the publication, ten "reference sires" are featured annually, whose bloodlines are seen throughout modern day breeding programs. Breeders interested in genetics love to collect the Stallion Guide as a valued resource to follow the contribution these stallions have made throughout history.

To advertise in the upcoming edition or order a copy of the International Stallion Guide, please visit www.stallionguide.ca.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

	Big Rock Equine Inc. P.O. Box 98 Okotoks, Alberta T1S 1A4 Canada
	Tel:	(587) 952-0418
	E-Mail:
	Theresa Rogers Publisher

What is a Warmblood Stallion?

Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds, primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian sport. The term distinguishes these horses from both heavy draft horses ("cold bloods") and refined light saddle horses such as the Thoroughbred and Arabian ("hot bloods"). Though modern Warmbloods are descended from heavier agricultural types systematically upgraded by hotblood influence, the term does not imply that Warmbloods are direct crosses of "cold" and "hot". It is thought that the Warmblood type, which originated in continental Europe, descended from a landrace of wild, native proto-warmblood ancestors,[1] and possibly trace back to a wild prototype called the Forest Horse.

Breeding policies of Warmblood Stallions

Open studbook policies separate most warmbloods from true "breeds" such as Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Percherons, Morgans, which have a closed stud book and require two purebred parents. Instead, most warmblood registries accept breeding stock from other similar populations to continuously improve their own horses, and do not consider their own horses to be a discrete "breed". The Trakehner is an exception, so though some other breeds are used within the breeding population, this horse is considered a true breed. The Hanoverian, Holsteiner, and Selle Francais studbooks are also considered slightly less open than others. Most warmblood registries recognize breeding stock from any other registry that is a member of the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses, which is affiliated with the IOC-recognized International Federation for Equestrian Sports.

A defining characteristic of a Warmblood registry is studbook selection, though even some purebred breeds in Europe use this practice. Studbook selection is the use of external evaluation - critiquing conformation and movement - of potential breeding stock to cull out unsuitable breeding horses and direct the evolution towards a particular goal. Today, studbook selection usually entails a performance proof in addition to external evaluation, particularly for stallions.

Standards of conformation and movement are not designed to perpetuate a particular ancestral type, but rather to meet a particular need. This concept is illustrated by the history of the Oldenburg horse through the past 150 years: in the late 1800s, the standard called for a heavy but elegant, high-stepping carriage horse, in the early 1900s for a heavier, stronger, economical farm and artillery horse, and since 1950 for a modern sport horse.

The most critical characteristic of a Warmblood registry is that its breeding goal or "breeding aim" is to breed sport horses. Each registry has a slightly different focus, but most breed primarily for show jumping and dressage, though many include combined driving and eventing as well. The breeding aim is reflective of the needs of the market. In eras and regions which called for cavalry mounts, Warmbloods were bred to fit that need; when and where horses for light to moderate agricultural work were needed, Warmbloods have filled those roles, too. The purposeful evolution of the standard breeding aim is another characteristic of the Warmbloods.

Warmbloods have come into their own since the end of World War II, when mechanization made agricultural horses obsolete and recreational riding became more widespread in the western world. The ancestral types are referred to as the heavy warmbloods and are preserved through special organizations. The heavy warmbloods have found their niche as family horses and in combined driving.

Warmblood Stallion Registries

Most warmbloods were developed in continental Europe. Germany is particularly known for breeding warmbloods.

The best-known German Warmbloods are the Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Oldenburg and the purebred Trakehner. Others include the Württemberger, Rhinelander, Westphalian, Zweibrücker, Brandenburger, Mecklenburger, and Bavarian Warmblood. Several of these breeds are also represented by ancestral types such as the Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger, Alt-Württemberger, and Rottaler.

Western European warmbloods include the French Selle Français, Belgian Warmblood, Zangersheide, Dutch Warmblood, Swiss Warmblood, Austrian Warmblood and Danish Warmblood. Scandinavian countries also produce high-quality warmbloods like the Swedish Warmblood.

Warmblood registries which are not based in continental Europe include those that regulate the breeding of American Warmbloods and Irish Sport Horses.

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