The International Warmblood Horse: A World Wide Guide to Breeding and Bloodlines

Today almost every top show jumper or dressage rider can be seen mounted on a Warmblood, and over the last ten years Olympic and World titles in jumping, dressage and driving have all fallen to Warmbloods. Warmblood horses have been popular in Continental Europe for decades, but only recently have their talents as top competition horses been appreciated by the English-speaking nations - and there is still plenty of confusion as to what a Warmblood is and how the various bloodlines have developed. This second edition provides an up-to-date world-wide survey of Warmblood breeding and bloodlines. The book traces the history of these versatile performance horses, chronicling their development and rise to popularity. Different countries' breeding policies and methods of organisation are discussed, and the importance of specific bloodlines, such as the influential Hannoverian G- and A-lines, are highlighted. Trakehners, Hannoverians and Holsteins each have a chapter to themselves, thereafter various breeds are examined country by country, including information on the Warmbloods of other regions of Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Eastern Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Numerous photographs of important stallions and competition horses are included, along with pedigrees of key animals and individual brands. The International Warmblood Horse is a valuable source of reference for breeders, owners, riders and would-be buyers.