Trakehner

The Trakehner is a special sport horse. With his high proportion of thoroughbred horses inbreeding, he is very noble, but also quite spirited and sensitive. This is why some riders find it difficult. A good character is just as much a breeding goal as toughness and perseverance.

Origin and History

The Trakehner is the oldest German horse breed. Trakehner has been bred since 1732: Breeding began in the main Trakehnen stud in East Prussia. Their horses were bred for the mounted military, the cavalry. Thoroughbreds like Perfectionist xx, the father of the legendary temple guardian, were used in breeding relatively early. The Trakehner horses were characterized by hardness and willingness to perform, which made them very popular.

In 1944 there were 750 recognized Trakehner stallions and 14,000 broodmares, but then Trakehnen had to be evacuated, the people had to flee: East Prussia was lost and horses and people fled west. The difficult trek across the frozen Stettiner Haff on the Baltic Sea is legendary: the horses sometimes pulled the wagons through the deep thaw. The losses on the 1,000-kilometer-long journey were enormous: of the 30,000 Trakehners, around 1,500 horses were left after the end of the war. For example, only 27 mares could be rescued from the main stud in Trakehner. The remaining horses were distributed in Germany. After the war, Trakehner was mainly bred in Schleswig-Holstein and in the former GDR. There, the Graditz and Ganschow studs, in particular, made a name for themselves in Trakehner breeding. To this day, not only riding horses but also driving horses are bred and trained in Ganschow.

But Trakehner also had a lot of influence in the West German warmblood breeds: With the Hanoverians, it was the stallions Abglanz and his son Sales, who are still up-to-date in the Akzent II / Alabaster and Argentan / Argentinus lines. In Warendorf, Abschaum founded its own line of stallions and Julmond influenced the breeding of modern Württembergians. Due to the high proportion of thoroughbreds – English thoroughbreds as well as Arabs and Shagya Arabs, the Trakehner was ideally suited for refining the formerly heavier warm-blooded breeds.

The Trakehner piebalds are a specialty in warmblood breeding: After the Second World War, the piebalds were initially only bred in Poland. Few Trakehner check mares survived the chaos of war there. From there, a breeder from Baden-Württemberg imported two mares and revived the breeding of Trakehner piebalds. It was not until 1996 that Westrich’s mares were recognized and registered with the Trakehner Association. The Trakehner piebalds from the Deschenhof stud near Stuttgart are still a specialty today.

Interior

You want an uncomplicated, sociable, and motivated Trakehner inbreeding. Many a Trakehner horse is perhaps a little less straightforward than intended, and its sensitivity may not be suitable for every rider. Sensitive and experienced riders are usually a little better served with these intelligent horses than beginners. However, when used correctly, the resilience of the Trakehner is legendary. You are tough and willing to perform. If your posture is not ideal or you are not being sensitive, you can appear stubborn or over-the-top.

Exterior

Trakehners are on average between 160-170 centimeters tall. This means that they are not among the largest warmblood horses. They come in all races – including piebalds.
The Trakehner is a riding horse with a certain elegance. A generous physique and suitability for sport are desired: the head is noble, the neck well-shaped and the shoulder sloping, the back should swing and be stable and the foundation dry.

Suitability / Use

Trakehner is sporty riding horses for sensitive and fine riders. Due to their large proportion of whole blood, they are considered to be somewhat more difficult than other warmblood horses. This is certainly not a problem for sensitive riders, but Trakehner is, therefore, less suitable for beginners. Trakehner has a talent for dressage as well as jumping. They are represented in both disciplines at all levels. They are also quite successful in terms of versatility. For a rider and horse owner who can handle bloody horses, they are a dream: sporty, intelligent, and very willing to perform!

Attitude

Trakehners are warm-blooded animals with a high percentage of whole blood. Regular exercise with conspecifics is therefore mandatory – as is of course for every horse. Sometimes they are a little more difficult to feed than other warm-blooded animals. Since Trakehner was originally bred to be tough, not all horses need a lot of concentrated feed. A high proportion of roughage is ideal.