Originated in Germany.
Height = 15.3 – 16.2 hh
Great confirmation making it an ideal dressage and jumping horse.
They have even temperaments, more so than Thoroughbreds.
Most notorious European Warmblood.
Breed history
In 1735, George II, the King of England and Elector of Hanover, founded the State Stud at Celle. He purchased stallions suitable for all-purpose work in agriculture and in harness, as well as for breeding cavalry mounts. The local mares were refined with Holsteiner, Thoroughbred and Cleveland Bay, Neapolitan, Andalusian, Prussian, and Mecklenburg stock. By the end of the 18th century, the Hanoverian had become a high-class coach horse.
In 1844, a law was passed that only allowed stallions that were passed by a commission to be used for breeding purposes. In 1867, breeders started a society aimed at producing a coach and military horse, with the first stud book being published in 1888. The Hanoverian became one of the most popular breeds in Europe for coach and army work. This print from 1898 depicts a sturdy, versatile Hanoverian.
When the demand for Hanoverians declined following World War I, the aim for breeding became a horse that could be used for farm work, but still had the blood and gaits to be used as a riding and carriage horse. After World War II, there was a growing demand for sport horses, as well as general riding horses, and the breeding yet again was adapted. Thoroughbreds were used to refine the breed; occasionally an Anglo-Arabian or Trakehner stallion was used. The key to the success of the Hanoverian has been the rigorous selection of breeding stock, a large breed population, and the breeders’ willingness to adapt to changes in demand.
Today, the Hanoverian breeders’ association offers many incentives to breed the best, including the famous auctions at Verden, and extensive grading opportunities for stallions, mares and young horses. In addition, few breeds have such well-kept records, allowing the breeders to trace bloodlines over many generations, improving their chances to find the best stallion-mare match. The current aim of the breeders today is to create a noble, versatile warmblood with light, elastic, and ground-covering gaits. Whenever necessary, outside blood is brought in to improve the horse. The strict selection ensures that Hanoverians are athletic and good jumpers, for show jumping and eventing, and have the gaits for dressage.
The Hanoverian brand is applied to the left hindquarter on foals accepted into the foal register. The last 2 digits of the horse’s life number usually appear under the brand.
Breed Characteristics
The horses are elegant, strong, and robust. They are bred to be willing and trainable, and have a strong back, powerful body, athletic movement, and strong limbs. Chestnut, bay, brown, black, and gray are found the most often. Regulations prohibit horses with too much white, and buckskin, palomino and cremello horses from being registered. The horses can be 15.3-17.2 hands high, but most are in the range of 16-16.2 hands.
[edit] Hanoverians in sport
The World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) uses results from International Federation for Equestrian Sports-recognized (FEI) competitions to rank individual horses and breed registries within each Olympic discipline: dressage, show jumping, and eventing. The WBFSH publishes these rankings each year. The FEI is also the International Olympic Committee-recognized international governing body for equestrian sport.
In North America, the hunt seat style of riding features the show hunter, a highly-competitive discipline. While infrastructure does not allow the accuracy and completeness of WBFSH/FEI standings, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) also publishes yearly rankings of the top hunter horses, and the top sires of hunter horses.
This information is provided by Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoverian_(horse)
