Category Horse Breeds

A look at the characteristics of different breeds of horses.

Horse Breeds

What Horses Do the Amish Use?

Picture of Amish farmers working their horses.

Amish horses are not a specific breed. They are working horses used for transportation, farm work, and reliability. Common examples include Standardbreds and American Saddlebreds for buggy work, along with Belgians, Percherons, and mules for heavier farm jobs. I’ve spent…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

Police Horses: What Mounted Units Do and Why They’re Still Used

Mounted police units have operated in American cities for over 250 years, and despite every advance in motorized law enforcement, they are still deployed in major cities from New York to New Orleans. The reason is practical: horses can do…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

What Horses Did Mongols Ride During Genghis Khan’s Reign?

Picture of a Mongolian horse in Mongolia

The Mongols were nomadic people who conquered much of Asia and parts of Europe in the 13th under the leadership of Ghengis Khan. A large part of their success can be attributed to the horses they rode. But what kind…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

What Makes a Horse “Grade”—and Should It Matter to You?

If you’ve been looking through horse ads, you’ve probably seen “grade gelding” or “grade mare” and wondered whether it’s a warning sign. My grandson asked me the same thing when I was talking about a couple of grade horses we’d…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

The Barb Horse: What I Learned Riding North Africa’s Hardy Breed

On a recent trip to Morocco, I rode a Barb horse in the Atlas Mountains. I’d known about the breed for years, mainly because of the debate over whether the Godolphin Arabian, one of the Thoroughbred’s foundation sires, was actually…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

What Horses Did Cowboys Ride in the Old West?

Picture of a horse, the kind cowboys ride.

Cowboys in the old west rode whatever the land, the rancher, or the region provided. On a Texas cattle ranch that meant compact, fast, cattle-smart working stock. In the Pacific Northwest it might mean an Appaloosa bred by the Nez…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

How Many Horse Breeds Are There in the World?

Picture of a Paso Fino, a famous gaited horse.

Do you know how many horse breeds there are in the world? I know there are many different types of horses in our community, including Fjords, Belgians, and of course, Quarter horses, and each one has its own unique look…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

Why Gaited Horses Feel Different: Gaits, Breeds, and What to Know

Watch a rider come down the trail on certain horses, and something looks different. The horse is moving out at a good clip, but the rider is sitting still, with no posting and no bouncing. If you’ve heard a horse…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

Arabian Horses: What Are They Used For?

I was surprised to learn that there is a horse facility near us specializing in Arabian cutting horses. I’m familiar with the sport but typically see quarter horses competing at these events, so finding out Arabians also compete in cutting…

Miles Henry

Horse Breeds

Meet the Boulonnais: France’s Rare White Marble Draft Horse

Most draft horses are built to look powerful. The Boulonnais does that while carrying a surprising amount of refinement—a clean head, a shapely neck, and usually a gray coat that can make a big working horse look almost polished. Native…

Miles Henry