Breed Profile: The Trakehner

Light and tall for a warmblood, the Trakehner horse was developed and refined through the major events of European history. Origins of the breed trace, not surprisingly, to the Trakehnen region of Europe, a part of what was once East Prussia, known to the modern age as Lithuania.

As with many horses, war was a strong determinant of breed characteristics; the decline of heavy armor in the age of gunpowder and longer-range battles led to a lighter weight, more athletic horse. King Frederick William I of Prussia bred his horses for beauty, stamina, and soundness, and the breeding program he began was further refined after his death in 1787, leading to the characteristics found in the Trakehners of today.

As war gave way to more constructive competition, the Trakehner excelled. Sweeping victories in Olympic equestrian events throughout the early 20th century cemented the Trakehner's place as a treasured athlete, but the return of war in the 1940s nearly wiped out the breed. Not until World War II ended were the horses that survived the flight from Eastern Europe once again gathered together to re-establish breeding lines and rejuvenate the breed. In the 1950s, the Trakehner was introduced into Canada, then the U.S. in 1963.

Generally 16-17 hands and chestnut, bay, brown, black or grey, the Trakehner is a smooth-gaited, athletic horse that proves a capable, intelligent and elegant mount for the sport enthusiast and the casual rider.

Sources: Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of America and The American Trakehner Association (www.americantrakehner.com). Public domain photo.