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The Trakehner horse is a relatively young breed, although the lands of East Prussia, on which the breeding of these horses began, were not horseless until the beginning of the 18th century. Before King Frederick William I established the Royal Trakehner Horse Breeding Authority, a local aboriginal breed already lived on the territory of modern Poland (at that time East Prussia). The local population was the descendants of small but strong "Schweikens", and the war horses of the Teutonic knights. The knights and the Schweikens met only after the conquest of these lands.
In turn, the Schweikens were the direct descendants of the primitive tarpan. Although evil tongues claim that Mongolian horses also contributed to the future elite horse breed - Traken. Be that as it may, but the official history of the Trakehner horse breeds begins in 1732, after the founding of a stud farm in the village of Trackenen, which gave the breed its name.
History of the breed
The plant was supposed to supply the Prussian army with high-quality replacement horses. But a good army horse did not exist then. In fact, in the cavalry units they recruited "whoever we find with the required dimensions." At the plant, however, they began selection based on the local breeding stock. The producers tried stallions of eastern and Iberian blood. Considering that the modern concept of the breed did not exist then, information about the use of Turkish, Berberian, Persian, Arab horses should be treated with caution. These were definitely horses brought from these countries, but how much was it a breed ...
The same applies to stallions of the Neapolitan and Spanish breeds. If the Neapolitan at that time was quite homogeneous in composition, then it is difficult to understand what kind of Spanish breed we are talking about. There are still many of them in Spain, not counting the extinct “Spanish horse” (not even images have survived). However, all these breeds are close relatives.
Later, the blood of a Thoroughbred Riding Horse was added to the livestock of sufficient quality for that time. The task was to get a high-spirited, hardy and large horse for the cavalry.
By the second half of the 19th century, the Trakehner breed of horses was formed and the Studbook was closed. From this point on, only Arabian and English purebred stallions can be used by producers "from the outside" to the Trakehner breed. Shagiya Arabian and Anglo-Arabs were also admitted. This situation persists to this day.
This is a cross in the first generation, where one of the parents is an English thoroughbred, the other is a Trakehner breed. Such a cross will be recorded in the Studbook as Trakehner.
In order to select the best individuals for the breed, all the young stock of the plant were tested. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, stallions were tested in smooth races, which were later replaced by parfors and steeple chases. The mares were tested in harness for agricultural and transport work. The result is a high-quality riding and harness breed of horses.
The working and exterior characteristics of the Trakehner horses were ideally suited to the requirements of the time.This contributed to the widespread distribution of the breed in many countries. In the 1930s, the broodstock alone numbered 18,000 registered mares. Until the Second World War.
Photo of a 1927 Trakehner horse.
World War II
The Great Patriotic War did not spare the Trakehner breed either. A large number of horses fell on the battlefields. And with the offensive of the Red Army, the Nazis tried to drive the tribal core to the West. The uterus with foals several months old went to evacuation on their own. The Trakener plant for 3 months, under the bombing of Soviet planes, left the advancing Red Army in cold weather and without food.
Of the herd of several thousand that had gone to the West, only 700 heads survived. Of these, 600 are queens and 50 are stallions. A relatively small part of the Trakehner elite was captured by the Soviet army and sent to the USSR.
To begin with, the trophy herds tried to send them for year-round maintenance in the steppe in a company with the Don breed. "Oh," said the Trakehns, "we are a breeder breed, we cannot live like this." And a significant part of the trophy horses died in winter from hunger.
"Pf," the Donchaks chuckled, "what is good for a Russian, death for a German." And they continued tebenevka.
But the authorities did not suit the death and the Trakehns were transferred to a stable maintenance. Moreover, the captured livestock turned out to be large enough for even the “Russian Traken” brand to emerge for some time, which lasted until the time of perestroika.
Photo of Trakehner rock ash under the saddle of E.V. Petushkova.
Since perestroika, not only has the Trakehner livestock in Russia decreased, but the requirements for horses in modern equestrian sports have also changed. And Russian zootechnicians continued to “preserve the breed”. As a result, the "Russian Traken" was virtually lost.
And at this time in Germany
Of the 700 surviving heads in Germany, they managed to restore the Trakehner breed. According to the Trakehner Breeding Union, there are 4,500 queens and 280 stallions in the world today. VNIIK could disagree with them, but the German union considers only those horses who have passed the Körung and received a breeding license from them. Such horses are branded with the sign of union - the double horns of an elk. The brand is placed on the left thigh of the animal.
Photo of the Trakehner horse "with horns".
This is how the brand looks in close-up.
Having restored the livestock, Germany again became the legislator in the breeding of the Trakehner breed. Trakehner horses can be added to almost all half-bred sporting breeds in Europe.
The main livestock is concentrated today in 3 countries: Germany, Russia and Poland. The modern application of the Trakehner breed is the same as that of other half-bred sports breeds: dressage, show jumping, triathlon. Trakenes are bought by both novice riders and top-level athletes. The trakehne will not refuse to ride through the fields of its owner.
Exterior
In modern sports horse breeding, it is often possible to distinguish one breed from another only by the breeding certificate. Or a stigma. The Traken is no exception in this respect, and its basic exterior characteristics are similar to other sports breeds.
The growth of modern trakeins is from 160 cm. Earlier, the average values were indicated as 162-165 cm, but today they cannot be guided by.
The head is dry, with a wide ganache and thin snoring. The profile is usually straight, may be arabized. Long, elegant neck, well defined withers. Strong, straight back. Medium length body. The rib cage is wide, with rounded ribs.Long oblique shoulder blade, oblique shoulder. Long, well muscled croup. Dry strong legs of medium length. The tail set high.
Suit
After Ash, many people associate the Trakehner horse with a black suit, but in fact, Trakehns have all the main colors: red, chestnut, gray. Roan may come across. Since the breed has a piebald gene, today you can find piebald traken. Previously, they were culled from breeding.
Since the Cremello gene is absent in the breed, a purebred Trakehne cannot be Salted, Bulan or Isabella.
Nothing definite can be said about the nature of the Trakehner horse breed. Among these horses there are honest, responsive individuals and those who are looking for any excuse to evade work. There are copies of "pass by and quickly" and there are "welcome, dear guests."
A striking example of the evil character of the Trakehner horse is the same Ashes, to which one still had to be able to find an approach.
Testimonials
Conclusion
The Germans are so proud of the Trakehner breed that Schleich produces figurines of the Trakehner horses. Piebald and poorly recognizable "in the face". But it says on the labels. Although collectors of such figurines would be better off looking for a manufacturer with recognizable breeds. When it comes to sports, trakehns are often used in show jumping at the highest level. In general, everyone can find an animal to their liking, from “just ride in my free time” to “I want to jump Grand Prix”. True, the price for different categories will also differ.
