Anglo-Norman horse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Anglo-Norman horse

An Anglo-Norman horse
Country of origin France
Status extinct

Horse (Equus ferus caballus)

The Anglo-Norman horse was a warmblood horse breed from the old province of Normandy in northern France. It was developed from local Norman mares crossed with Thoroughbred horses and other breeds. The Anglo-Norman in turn contributed to the development of many breeds throughout Europe. In 1958, the Anglo-Norman was combined with other French types to create the Selle Francais or French saddle horse.

Contents

Breed characteristics [edit]

An author writing in 1966 stated that the Anglo-Norman generally stood 15.1 to 16.3 hands (61 to 67 inches, 155 to 170 cm), although sometimes taller. The facial profile was convex, the neck long, and the shoulders and hindquarters powerful, although the former had a tendency to be straight. However, one author criticized them as "...[consisting] of two inharmonious and badly united pieces, one being Norman; the other, English."[1] He suggested that better results would occur if breeders focused on better-quality broodmares. Despite this criticism, Anglo-Normans were known for their jumping abilities, with many successful horses, including Lutteur B, a gold medal winner in Tokyo at the 1964 Summer Olympics.[1]

History [edit]

An Anglo-Norman mare, 1904 book illustration of a painting by Thomas von Nathusius

From early in the 19th century, local Norman mares were crossed with imported English Thoroughbreds, Norfolk Roadsters and half-breds, which themselves had Norfolk Roadster and Mecklenburg blood.[2] Three principal lines developed: a light draught horse, which became the Norman Cob of today; a fast harness-horse which was the origin of the present-day French trotter; and a general riding horse suitable for military use, the Anglo-Norman.[3] In 1958 the Anglo-Norman was fused with other regional warmblood saddle-horses such as the Demi-sang du Centre and the Vendéen in order to create the national warmblood stud-book, the Selle Francais or French saddle horse.[4]

Influence on other breeds [edit]

The Anglo-Norman was used to create several other breeds of horses throughout Europe and Asia. These included the Greek Andravida, which was created by crossing native Greek mares with Anglo-Norman stallions,[5] and the Swiss Freiberger, a blend of Anglo-Norman lines with Thoroughbreds and native horses from the Jura Mountains.[6] The Hungarian Nonius breed stems from an Anglo-Norman stallion named Nonius Senior,[7] and Anglo-Norman blood was also used to add refinement to the German Oldenburg,[8] through the stallions Condor (born 1950) and Furioso II, a Selle Francais.[9] The Anglo-Norman was used to create the Polish Sokolsky horse[10] and the Chinese Heihe breed.[11]

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ a b Hayes, p. 378
  2. ^ Gallier, Alfred (1900). Le cheval Anglo-Normand: avec photogravures intercalées dans le texte (in French). Paris: Baillière. p. 155. 
  3. ^ Edwards, Elwyn Hartley (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Horse. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 130. ISBN 0-7513-0115-9. 
  4. ^ "Le Selle Français" (in French). Les Haras Nationaux. December 2010. Retrieved 2013-02-21. 
  5. ^ Hendricks, p. 170
  6. ^ Hendricks, p. 190
  7. ^ Hendricks, p. 312
  8. ^ Hendricks, pp. 323-324
  9. ^ Swinney, Nicola Jane and Langrish, Bob (2006). Horse Breeds of the World. Globe Pequot. p. 70. ISBN 1592289908. 
  10. ^ Hayes, p. 403
  11. ^ Hendricks, pp. 214-215

References [edit]

  • Hayes, Capt. M. Horace, FRCVS (1969, Reprinted 1976). Points of the Horse (7th Revised ed.). New York, NY: Arco Publishing Company, Inc. ASIN B000UEYZHA. 
  • Hendricks, Bonnie (2007). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-8061-3884-8. 

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anglo-Norman_horse&oldid=555723782"