First domesticated approximately 8,000 years ago, horses have played a significant role in the history of civilisation and have been used for everything from war to agriculture.

While there are more than 350 known breeds of horse in the world, some of them have become rare or endangered over centuries. Join us as we explore the world’s rarest horse breeds.

Akhal-Teke Horse

Originating in Turkmenistan, the Akhal-Teke is considered by many to be the most beautiful horse in the world owing to their unusual colouring, which has earned them the nickname ‘Golden Horse’.

With a slender frame and an almost metallic coat, the Akhal-Teke is a threatened horse breed originally used by nomadic tribes and is older than the Arabian breed.

Suffolk Punch Horse

Developed in the 16^th century, the Suffolk Punch horse is an English breed of draft horses characterised by their chestnut shade.

Owing to their mild temperament and strong frame, the Suffolk Punch became popular for farm work, but now they are a critical horse breed with approximately only 900 left in the world.

Shire Horse

Named for the lands in which they originated, the Shire horse is one of the largest breeds of draft horse in the world and several Shires hold the record for the tallest horse.

Known for their strength and a great weight-bearing capacity, Shires became a less popular horse breed once farm work became mechanised and their numbers are estimated at approximately 2,000 worldwide which means that the number of best mobile online casino available to enjoy probably outweighs this breed!

Hackney Horse

Known for their speed and hardiness, the Hackney horse was a popular choice for harness racing in the 19^th century, but became less popular as the standards of horse racing changed over time and their numbers were further decreased during the World Wars.

The Hackney breed comes in horse and pony height ranges and is one of the few breeds which recognise both sizes.

Newfoundland Pony

Developed from a combination of English, Irish, and Scottish horse breeds, the Newfoundland pony is a sturdy and muscular pony which originated in Newfoundland.

Used as a draft horse much like the Shire, the Newfoundland became less popular following the mechanisation of farm work and their numbers are estimated at 200-250 worldwide.

Cleveland Bay Horse

Considered to be England’s oldest breed of horse, the Cleveland Bay is an athletic horse with a sensible and mild temperament.

Their numbers took a significant knock during the Second World War, but Queen Elizabeth II made huge strides in the preservation of the breed. Today there are approximately 600 Cleveland Bays left in the world.

The American Cream Horse

The only American breed of draft horse, the American Cream horse is characterised by their unique appearance – amber eyes, pink skin, and a cream-coloured coat.

Developed at the start of the 20^th century, the mechanisation of farm work meant that the breed became less desirable and their numbers are estimated at approximately 2,000 worldwide.

Foals are entirely dependent upon their mother’s milk for all nutritional needs up to the age of approximately 5 months old, but their curious natures generally equates to them starting to nibble on grass and feed before they reach weaning age. (more…)

Caring for a pregnant broodmare is not complicated, but it does require a bit more work and consideration than caring for any other horse.

Following our step-by-step guide should set your mind at ease if your broodmare has never foaled before, but if it any point you’re concerned about your broodmare or her unborn foal, be sure to contact your equine vet immediately.

1. Grazing and Exercise

Your pregnant mare should be housed in a large paddock for grazing and exercise, as this will become her home for the 8.5 months of pregnancy.

Your broodmare should also have constant access to water, shelter, and adequate fencing.

2. Ensuring Proper Growth of the Foal

If your broodmare is not given the appropriate amount of feed, nutrients, and water, the foal may be aborted owing to dehydration.

However, an overweight mare has a higher change of producing a foal with angular leg deformities, so be sure to give your mare light exercise throughout her pregnancy.

3. Vaccination Schedule of Pregnant Mares

Your pregnant broodmare will need to receive the pneumabort vaccination at 5, 7, and 9 months of pregnancy to prevent abortion from rhino. One month prior to the foal’s birth she should dewormed and receive the 5-way spring, rabies, and West Nile vaccinations. Depending on where you live, your broodmare may also require Potomac fever and botulism vaccinations.

4. Appropriate Nutrition

Her feed should consist of forage and foods rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins and a mare of approximately 15 hands should receive 7kg of high quality roughage per day.

It’s not necessary to keep a keen eye on your pregnant broodmare 24 hours a day, but she should be checked daily to ensure that the pregnancy is running smoothly. Don’t worry; you’ll still have time for slots NZ!

5. Feed Proportions

Horse are best described as ‘trickle-feeders’ and should have access to roughage at all times – feed only enough that your pregnant broodmare will eat and walk away.

Try to avoid feeding your pregnant broodmare in the morning and evenings without her having access to anything throughout the day.

If she doesn’t have easy access to pasture, feed her hay in a small-weave net to stretch the feeding time as much as possible.

6. Give Your Broodmare Attention

You should lunge your pregnant broodmare and groom her to ensure good blood flow and circulation. If your broodmare is used to plenty of affection and attention, she is less likely to be aggressive when her foal is born.

Top tip: handling her teats and her underbelly is a good idea as she will be less likely to prevent her foal from feeding if she is used to the sensation.

7. Birthing Preparations

In the last month of pregnancy, move your pregnant broodmare to a smaller yard where she still has freedom of movement, but is more protected.

Her feed should also be increased at this time, but it is not recommended that you add anything new as this could upset her system leading to colic.

8. The Last Stages of Pregnancy

• 2 weeks before birth: her belly will move from a hanging position to a position filling her flank area
• 1 week before birth: her udder may increase in size
• 4 days before birth: the foal will move into the birthing position
• 24-48 hours before birth: the broodmare’s teats will become waxy, the ‘caps’ may fall off and milk may trickle out

Top tip: you will most likely miss the birth of the foal as it usually takes place in the early hours of the morning between midnight and 5am.

There are a multitude of factors that should be considered when deciding to breed a mare. Some of these decisions may take careful consideration, such as which stallion you should use, while others will probably be quick and easy.

One such decision should be how to take nutritional care of your mare as she transitions from one trimester to another, but this doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Use the following 6 guidelines to keep your mare happy and healthy throughout her pregnancy and she is sure to deliver a nutritionally robust foal.

1. Body Condition Scoring

As the mare’s pregnancy advances she will inevitably gain weight, mostly in her abdomen, however key points of fat deposition should remain similar throughout the duration of her development. Ideally a pregnant mare should maintain a moderate to moderately fleshy body condition throughout pregnancy.

If your mare is displaying a body condition of 6 and above this will only add unnecessary weight to her limbs which could be difficult for some.

2. Provide Adequate Vitamins and Minerals

Your mare will require no special upgrade in calories during the first 7-8 months of her pregnancy, but she will require a sufficient intake of high-quality feed to maintain an adequate body condition.

As such, the primary feedstuff should be high-quality forage such as pasture or hay as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals can be delivered through a well-fortified textured or pelleted feed specially formulated for pregnant mares.

3. Don’t Overfeed

A common – albeit well-meaning – mistake amongst mare owners is overfeeding during the first 7-8 months of pregnancy. However this is entirely unnecessary and wasteful – rather use the money saved on best online slots Canada – as the foetus does not grow at an even rate during pregnancy and most growth occurs in the final 3 months of pregnancy.

As such, the mare’s nutritional and energy requirements do not increase greatly until then. The most important pregnancy management tips are keeping the mare in a moderate to moderately fleshy body condition and supplying adequate vitamin and mineral nutrition.

4. Rethink Energy Levels in Late Pregnancy

Your mare’s energy requirements increase during the last 3-4 months of pregnancy as the foetus grows and it’s important to provide her with high-quality forage on a free-choice basis to add calories to her diet.

Gauge the necessary feed levels through weekly body condition scoring and remember that as the weight of the foetus and fluids increases, the abdomen will drop and gravity will sometimes cause the flesh to pull tightly around the abdomen, allowing a hint of rib to show.

5. Provide Water and Salt, Avoid Fescue

Your mare – as with all horses – should have free-choice access to fresh water and a salt block or loose salt at all times. However, one type of hay or pasture to avoid at all costs is fescue as it is often infected with an endophyte that causes problems in pregnant mares such as prolonged gestation, a lack of milk, and a trying delivery.

As such, it’s important that all bedding is free of fescue as well.

6. Get an Equine Nutritionist

The basics of feeding a pregnant mare are straightforward, but a situation may arise that will require the help of a professional.

As such, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with equine nutritionist in your area should you need one.

So, you have decided you want to breed your mare. Before you start looking for a sire there are many costs to consider.

Some are more obvious than others, but some good planning and a little bit of research will ensure that you are prepared for the costs you may incur.

Getting your Mare to Conceive

Once you have decided to breed with your mare it is time to establish the pregnancy. There are numerous options available and each carry their own associated costs and risks.

If you do not own a stallion you want to breed with, you will need to decide whether you want your mare naturally covered by a stud, or if you are happy with artificial insemination.

If the sire of choice does not belong to you, you will have to pay stud fees. These fees can range from affordable for ‘the horse next door’ to exorbitant depending on the breeding of the sire, and may require you to win big playing the online blackjack for real money has to offer to afford them.

There will be the additional costs associated with getting the mare to the stallion, the travelling, stabling, feed and veterinary costs.

The costs associated with artificial insemination will include the cost of the semen, the veterinary cost of insemination and for every cycle that passes that the mare does not conceive, more money to redo the process.

Artificial insemination is not as reliable due to the viability of the semen after being cooled or frozen.

Once it has been confirmed that your mare is in foal, there will be costs for additional feed for extra nutritional support and veterinary expenses for vaccinations.  In general, pregnancy costs are quite low.

Keep in mind that although your mare can now be kept in much the same way as other horses there is the cost of food and boarding for her and eventually her foal to take into consideration.

Foaling and the Years that Follow

Most mares will safely foal without requiring any intervention. However, one must keep in mind the cost of losing the foal should difficulties arise, so you may want to consider having the vet on hand, or sending the mare away to foal.

There will be post-partum care requirement for both mare and foal, starting with a basic check for good health.

Over the next several years you will be paying for annual vaccinations and deworming. Check-ups including dental care and incidental medical expenses. Farrier costs, whether you shoe your horses or not as trimming will be required from time to time.

Training costs

In the first year of life you should have covered the basics with your foal like lifting the feet and getting used to being tied, but most of its skills will have been left to mom to teach. Now that your foal is old enough you will need to invest in training.

If you yourself are not an experienced horse trainer and you want your horse to be a happy, well-behaved animal it is best to hire a professional. The trainer will get your horse used to the saddle and having a rider on its back. Done properly this will set the stage for year 3 when together you and your horse will need to attend some training to learn and teach stopping, reining and lead changes.

There are many reason to choose to breed instead of purchasing a ready to ride horse. You may be breeding for a specific purpose or as a natural progression in your riding career. Whatever the reason the costs associated with breeding are many and all should be considered before taking this step.

The Most Popular Horse Breeds In The World

Horse breeding is almost as old as dog breeding, and it’s something that mankind has been mastering for thousands of years. The first cases of horse breeding can be dated back to past civilisations, especially in the east with the discovery of the Arabian, a breed that is still around today.

Once people had learned just how fast, agile, and strong the Arabian was, they began introducing its genes to other breeds in attempt to make them better.

In today’s era, horse breeding is one of the world’s favourite pastimes, and there are now dozens and dozens of breeds found all over the world.

From the tiny miniature pony to the massive work horse, horse breeding has become as popular as real money slots, and continues to feature in both show horses, racers, entertainers, and even as pets.

We will look at the five most popular breeds in the world and what makes them different to other well-known breeds.

1. The Arabian

The most famous horse breed of them all, the Arabian is considered by many to be the oldest horse breed in existence, first being found in the Middle East thousands of years ago.

It’s speed and endurance was quickly apparent to those that first discovered the breed, and it wasn’t long before the Arabian had made its way around the world.

Even today, the Arabian is a highly prized breed and remains as a dedicated racer among other disciplines.

2. Thoroughbred

Some of the most famous horses in history have been of Thoroughbred stock, and it is believed by many to be the most popular horse of today.

With Arabian ancestry, the Thoroughbred was designed to be a machine of speed and strength; a natural racer that would go on to dominate countless tracks throughout racing history.

There is a common misconception that a Thoroughbred is a horse that is pure stock, where it’s actually a breed of horse on its own.

3. Quarter Horse

The Quarter Horse was first bred in the United States, and has gone on to become one of the most popular breeds in the country. With its incredible bursts of speed over short distances, the breed was created for both competition racing and for the harsh trails that pioneers used to travel the country.

Today, the Quarter Horse is used mostly for racing, roping and cutting, and as recreational horses.

4. Paint Horse

A fairly unique breed thanks to its magnificent coat, the Paint is a combination of Pinto colour and western stock. Although many believe that the Paint is a breed of colour, they’re officially designated as a true breed thanks to their pure bloodlines and distinct characteristics.

5. Appaloosa

The Appaloosa was first bred by the Nez Perce tribe in the Pacific North West of America, and are well-known for their gorgeous spotted coats, often with a splash of white paint.

The breed is extremely hardy and strong, and they were used mainly as work and trail horses. Today, they are mostly used for pleasure riding and trails, and remain a popular choice for breeders.

The basics of caring for your horses

When beginning your new obsession of breeding horses, it helps to start with the basics and focusing on the fundamental requirements horses need in order to be healthy. If you focus on these in the beginning instead of trying to produce the top racing horse, you will have happy healthy horses that are better to breed.

So when you take a break from playing Aristocrat pokies online, implement some or our entire guide for caring for your horses.

These are the basics guidelines to follow:

Stabling:

The most basic but important need for horse breeding is ensuring they are housed correctly and safely, this also include stabling you hire form other landowners.

– Natural elements – your horse needs to be securely sheltered against not just cold rainy weather but harsh sun as well

– Run in shelter – if you are lucky enough to have your own land, consider building a run in shelter so the horses can decide when they want to be in the elements. Have a stable with a permanent stall for your horse is also a great option, but remember you will need to spend more time exercising them

– Check for hidden dangers – you should always ensure that the environment your horse moves around in is free from plants that could poison horses or from barbed wire or indentations that could damage their legs.

Food:

The nutrition horses need can come from simple grasses, but simple it is not really the word to describe a horse’s digestive system.

– Fresh Food– the food you supply your horse should be fresh, their digestion is sensitive and mouldy hay can cause serious issues

– Fresh water – a horse should have access to clean fresh water

– Extra nutrients – Supplements can be a great way to ensure your horse remains healthy, and sometimes are necessary to ensure your horse gets their full nutrient supply

– Know your poison – make sure that you or your stable hands know what is detrimental to your horse’s health and never gets fed to them

Fundamental hygiene:

Al lot of people think horse care is all about brushing a horse down, but in reality there is a lot more to monitor and do.

Teeth

As your horse teeth keep growing you need to make sure they get checked by a vet at least once a year. Letting your horses teeth get in bad shape can affect their overall health and lead to quite a few health issues.

Keep an eye out for bad breath, discomfort when using a bit or undigested hay, to make sure that your horses teeth stay in shape.

Hooves

A horse’s hooves also grow continuously, so make sure you trim them regularly especially if your horse spends a lot of time in the stable and gets no natural wear and tear.

When grooming your horse, take the time to check for any potential health issues, from their teeth to the hooves. Also check for ticks or any injuries to your horse that can be treated on the spot.

Horse Health:

Horses can get suddenly sick, so ensure you keep an eye on their health and make sure to get a trusted and experienced vet to care for them.

As a horse owner you should learn the basics of horse healthcare, like take their vital signs or knowing the symptoms of curtails common illnesses. Make sure to learn about Colic, as is often afflicts horse, and make sure you keep your horses vaccinations up to date.