History and facts
An exciting and captivating story, exceptional radiance, a distinctive feature - a half or double seven-toed moose horns - all this connects all the horses of the Trakehner breed, also affectionately called "Thracians". Today these elegant and ready for great achievements pedigree horses draw attention to themselves in all disciplines. In training and cross-country riding (cross country) they got the power. You must have heard older riders and horse breeders dream of the Thracian Paradise, the famous horse farm in East Prussia (enclave in present-day Russia), which was destroyed by World War II (1939 to 1945).
The history of Trakhener horses began in 1732 when King Friedrick William I founded the main horse farm in Trakhen, which with its seven huge pastures provided ideal conditions for the creation of extremely durable and hard-working military riding horses. He also came up with the idea of a cross between healthy farm horses from the area (East Prussian local race Schweik) and pure-blood pedigree horses to produce a medium-sized, elegant riding horse.
Since then, all Trakhen-born horses have received a half a seven-toed moose horns on their back. In the former Thracian hunt, young riding horses had to prove their courage and endurance.
In 1944, when the Russian army was at the gates of Trakhen, there was only one way to save the horses - an escape to the West. A long column with the best mares, stallions, and horses sets off in the middle of the icy East Prussian winter.
Many of the horses die of With few horses left after the war, breeding continued in Germany, Russia and Poland. Unlike other pure-blood breeds, after 1732 the breed of Trakehner horses was kept extremely pure. Only those originating from the main horse farm in Trakhen or East Prussian private stables can be entered as horses of the Trakhen breed. Meanwhile, in Germany there are (data from 2004 ) 3861 mares (101 of them pure-blood and 27 Arabian), as well as 209 stallions (89% of the Trakehner breed, 7 % pure-blood and 4% Arabian). In 2004, 1,305 foals were born.
The Thracian breeding region for horses is divided into 10 breeding areas, most breeding in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg. The Trakhener Union was founded in 1947 in Hamburg as the successor organization to the East Prussian Horse Breeding Companies in 1888, then in Koenigsberg / East Prussia. During breeding, the breed improved in a very insignificant part with Arabian horses (2.4%) and English pure-blood horses (4%).
The purebred breed provides the East Prussian cross between riding and harnessed horses with a great deal of temperament. Because horse breeders value the excellent and human-oriented character, temperament is positive when ready to load. One Trakhen will pass through everything for his rider. Thracian horses continue their history of training and versatility from pre-war times (such as the 1936 Olympics). The Thrakhener's stallions have been successfully used and are being used to improve breeds in almost all German breeding horses. Interestingly, mares and stallions are given names with the first letter of the mother's name to denote the mare's tribe. Well-known Thrakhener's heirs are the pure-blood Perfectionist XX with his sons Tempelhutter (the guardian of the temple), Yagdheld (hunting heroes) and Irlerer, as well as Dampfros and his son Pythagoras.
The International Trakhener Equestrian Market is held annually in October in Neumünster.
"The breed is extremely intelligent, graceful and athletic. We would not replace it with any other."
Izovi Family
- Race: Trakhener’s breed
- Height: 1,60 m to 1,75 m
- Origin: Former East Prussia; today it is bred in Germany, Poland, Russia and the USA, as well as in Denmark, France, New Zealand, Lithuania, England, Switzerland and Croatia.
- Colors: All basic colors but in the Poland line are also colorful.
- Head: expressive, fine, thoroughbred head with large, lively, friendly eyes.
- Body: Well set, medium length, light structured neck. A comfortable position of the saddle is obtained by well-placed withers and large, straight shoulders, flexible back, long slightly sloping back, muscular and well-built limbs with clearly marked joints, bones and veins, generally a very elegant horse.
- Movement: temperamental, supple and energetic due to the great freedom of the shoulders, good back work and active rear.
- Special features: durable, ready for load, human-oriented.
- Possibilities for application: Versatile riding and harnessed horse for sports and leisure.