3 Types of Horses You Should Know, Plus 5 Different Kinds

Last updated: April 3, 2024

By: Miles HenryFact Checked

On a cool morning, my grandson and I watched our horses play when we noticed his cousins’ Belgian approach the group of smaller Thoroughbreds and calmly looked around. Seeing these horses together prompted us to discuss the different types of horses.

The primary types of horses you should know are draft horses, warmbloods, and hot-blooded horses. But there are many more types than just those three; horses can be categorized by hair, use, or color, while others may have a specific way of traveling.

Many know popular horse breeds such as Clydesdales, Quarter horses, Arabians, and Thoroughbreds. But there is an ever-changing variety of horses, with over 300 breeds worldwide in different shapes, sizes, colors, and temperaments.

The Three Primary Types of Horses

Horses are incredible animals. There is a horse for each purpose, from riding to racing and everything in between. Let’s take a look at the three main types of horses:

• Draft or heavy horses are used for large jobs like plowing fields.
• Warmbloods were explicitly developed as sporty mounts.
• Hot-blooded horses bred primarily for speed, such as Thoroughbred racehorses.

Draft horses

Draft horses are a type of heavy horse that originated in Europe and have been used there for centuries. They were first introduced to North America by European settlers, where they continued working on farms. Modern draft horses are used on farms, in parades, for pleasure riding, and in pulling competitions.

They come in many different sizes but are still classified as one group because of their similar build and common purpose. Draft horses share common traits such as stocky bodies with wide hips, short backs, powerful hindquarters, and large hooves that help them move smoothly over uneven terrains such as snow or rocky ground.

They also tend to be powerful animals capable of moving massive loads, so they’re often used for haulage work like pulling carts and plows through fields. The word “draught” is an old English term that means to draw or pull something heavy with great effort.

Large draft breeds, like the Clydesdale, Belgian, and Shire, are giants. They usually weigh around 2000 pounds and stand about 19 hands tall (about six feet). The males weigh over 2100 pounds, while females weigh closer to 1600 pounds.

However, there are small draft breeds, such as Haflingers and The Black Forest horses. These are just two of the many smaller horse breeds that fall under the draft category. They weigh only 900 pounds but can still pull massive loads!

Because of their body type, ‘size’ is irrelevant when classifying draft horses, as their use determines their classification more than anything else.

Warmbloods

“Warmblood” refers to a particular type of horse that often features large, heavy bones and a muscular physique. The idea behind the development of warmblood horses was to create a new breed that could be used for more than just carriage work or racing.

Today’s warmblood has multiple uses, including pleasure riding, eventing, dressage competitions, and showjumping.

A brief history of the warmblood horse

The first writings about “warmblood” horses in Europe date back to 1857. The idea behind their development was to create a horse between heavy draft and light racing type and one that would produce offspring with good physical attributes.

In other words, these were animals bred to be solid all-around horses rather than pigeonholed for either draft work or riding! European breeders selectively bred Arabians and other light horses with heavy breeds, such as the Shire horse, with this goal in mind. These mixed breeds eventually became known collectively as “warmbloods.”

Why are they called ‘warmblood’ horses?

The name “warmblood” comes from these animals being derived from cross-breeding cold and hot-blooded horses. Breeders wanted to keep the strong bones, calmness, and accepting temperament of the cold-blooded horses while adding the refinement, alertness, and speed of the hot-blooded breeds.

What are ‘warmblood’ horses used for?

Warm-blooded horses come in many shapes and sizes with different temperaments, so there’s not one single use that suits all of them; you could say that they’re good at most things!

Warmbloods have been especially popular when we talk about riding specifically because they offer an excellent balance between agility and power, which is perfect for every discipline from dressage to jumping! Because of their strength and balance, they dominate many equestrian sports.

Some of the more popular warmblood breeds are the Hanoverian, Oldenburg, Irish Sport Horse, and the Holsteiner. These warmbloods are frequently the top horses in dressage and showjumping competitions. If gentle handling is necessary, look no further than a warmblood whose intelligence makes them manageable even by novice riders!

Hot-blooded horses

A hot-blooded horse is an animal with a high level of energy and excitement. They are known for their speed, agility, and power. A hot-blooded horse can be dangerous if handled incorrectly or has too much energy.

Hot-blooded horses often have thin coats, thin legs, and pretty heads. They originate from the Arabian Desert and North Africa. Nomadic tribespeople highly regarded these horses., A close relationship between man and horse developed, which is one reason why many consider them some of the most intelligent breeds in existence.

Why this group of horses is called hot-blooded is an interesting topic that has two primary theories. The first theory comes from the climate in which hot-blooded horses originate, the hot desert regions; the second suggests that it may have been due to their “hot-blooded” temperaments when they were initially bred for battle purposes.

Arabians, Akhal Teke, and Thoroughbreds are examples of hot-blooded horse breeds. Hot-blooded are known for their speed and stamina, which make them excellent racehorses. These traits also work well in eventing competitions. Still, because hot-blooded horses are flexible and intelligent animals, they can participate in almost all equine disciplines, from horseball and polo to dressage and showjumping.

Five other types of horses

When it comes to horses, there are many different categories by which one can group them. For instance, people group them by their appearance, country of origin, color, or how they travel.

Feathered Horse breeds

The long hair on the lower legs of horses is called feathers. The origin of the term “feather” is not fully understood, but it could be from how the hair looks similar to the fine hairs on the legs of some chicken breeds.

Some people claim there are only two types of breeds in the horse world: those with feathers and those without. It’s believed some horses developed long hair on their lower legs, “feathers,” to shield their delicate skin from moisture and thorny plants that might irritate.

When it comes to horse breeds with furry feet, the list is seemingly endless. However, they are most prevalent in large draft breeds.

Some of the popular feathered breeds include Gypsy Vanner horses with their long prized feathers; Clydesdales, which have large hooves covered by thick feathers; or Shires, who are thought to be the original horse with feathers; and of course, the majestic Friesian horse breed.

Gaited horses

Gaited horse breeds are a niche group of horses bred for their smooth-gaited abilities, which is more comfortable for riders than the jarring motion of trotting or galloping on other breeds.

Ever wondered why some horses have this unique ability to walk differently than others? The horse’s gaits are genetically determined and can be passed down multiple generations.

When you’re out on the trail, spotting a gaited horse is easy. They walk with an incredible cadence, and their strides are perfectly in sync. The DMRT3 gene is responsible for this beautiful ambling gait that many people love; luckily, breeders carefully select parents based on these natural abilities to produce more horses like them!

The DMRT3 gene mutation can be found in many horses worldwide, meaning that various horse breeds may have a few gaited horses, and some horses that don’t have the DMRT3 gene can be trained to travel in a gaited pattern.

But there are only about 30 such types of natural gaiters out there. Some of the more popular gaited breeds are the Paso Fino horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, and the American Saddlebred horses.

Racehorse breeds

Racing horses are an interesting breed of animals. They come from many different backgrounds and have unique characteristics that make them all their own. Some breeds, such as the Thoroughbreds, are used primarily for racing, while others, like the Quarter Horses or Arabians, can be used in various equine activities.

There are many different types of races, from sprints to endurance races, and particular breeds are used in each.
Recently, there has been an increased debate among people who love horses about which types of horse breeds are better at running: Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse.

While this is not always the case (different types and lengths of races can require specific breeds), in recent years, it seems to have settled into what could be called “the general consensus,” with many professional breeders saying that Thoroughbreds make for faster runners.

Besides Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. Other breeds used are Appaloosas, Arabians, American Paint Horses, Standardbreds (or trotters), and Akhal Tekes.

The best short-distance racehorse is the Quarter horse. The best endurance breed is Arabian horses, and they do better than other breeds because of their stamina. The Standardbred is considered the finest trotting horse worldwide, and has high breeding standards.

Perhaps the most popular breed for racing, Thoroughbreds have been selectively bred over centuries for running a mile, or more so, it’s no surprise that this “breed” dominates horse races at distances up to 3 miles long!

Color breeds

Color breeds are registered primarily based on the horses’ coat color; regardless of their pedigree, the horse’s actual breed and type don’t matter when determining its eligibility. Popular color breeds include pintos, buckskins, and palominos.

Pinto

Pintos are horses with a predominantly white coat color with large patches of another color. They can also be black, brown, chestnut, bay, or gray.

It’s hard to say precisely when pinto horses became popular, but markings in ancient art throughout the Middle East depict them.

Buckskin

Buckskin horses have a tan coat with dark points, resembling a deer’s color pattern. They are found in many breeds and come in all shapes and sizes.

The buckskin’s popularity has made it an iconic symbol for American Quarter Horses. Still, it can also be seen on Andalusian, mustang, Morgan Peruvian Paso, etc., and many other horse breeds.

Palomino

Palomino horses are among the most beautiful creatures in nature, with their signature gold coat, white mane, and tail. The genes that create palominos can be passed down by both parents or just one of them; however, a horse can get the different dilution colors without either parent being a palomino.

The Palomino color is created by a cream gene working on a base chestnut coat. The shade of the gold coat color can vary from bright golden to dark, but they always have gold hair and white manes and tails.

Horse breeds by region of origin

Horses are often referred to by their ancestor’s country of origin; the most popular are the Spanish breeds, Northern European breeds, and Middle Eastern lineages.

Spanish horse breeds

Spanish horse breeds have been exported worldwide, and many are now favorites of both beginners and more experienced riders. These horses are known for their strength and endurance, which is why they make great riding companions!

These Spanish breeds have influenced many popular North American horse breeds, from Quarter Horses to Appaloosas and Paints. Today’s most common ones are Andalusians, Spanish Colonial Horses, and Paso Finos.

Northern European horse breeds

Northern Europe is a region that has been known for its horse populations. The Scandinavian peninsula was the home of many different breeds, including the Friesians and Fjord Horse. These horses were bred in their native regions and are still popular today.

Other breeds, such as the Icelandic Horse and Norwegian Dales Pony, originated from this region and migrated to Iceland and Britain. The Danish Warmblood and the Hanoverian are two breeds that originated from this region.

The horse population in Northern Europe is diverse, with some native to their home countries. In contrast, others were bred after migrating there or imported for breeding purposes.

Middle Eastern horse breeds

Middle Eastern horse breeds have existed for centuries. Their history and ancestry are rich in culture and tradition, and they are renowned for their endurance, agility, and speed.

Many horse breeds originate from the Middle East. The Arabian horse is one of these, and it is known for its gracefulness and dish-face profile. Another popular breed in this region is the golden-sheened Akhal-Teke. These horses have a reputation for being affectionate, intelligent, and fast!

Scientists recently uncovered concrete proof of what has only been suspected for so many decades: most modern-day horses descended from two breeds of Middle Eastern horses: Arabian horses from the Arabian Peninsula and Turkoman horses from the Eurasian Steppe.

Many horse historians knew these breeds influenced modern horse bloodlines, but few expected their expansive influence. Middle East horse breeds are typically hot-blooded, thin-skinned, and have sparse coats. They are versatile but excel in racing, polo, and endurance riding.

FAQs

Here is a YouTube video about the different types of horses.