HORSE AND PONY BREEDS

18. The Hanoverian

Breed name: Hanoverian

Place of origin: Germany

Breed purpose: Competition

Size: 16-16.2hh

Colour: Mainly brown and chestnut, but the colour is unimportant. There are no registered palomino or buckskin Hanoverians.

Ancestors: German horses, Thoroughbreds, Trakehners

DID YOU KNOW?

There were Hanoverian horses in the winning dressage team (Germany) and the silver-medal winning team (USA) dressage team in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

History

Farmers in Hanover created the Hanoverian breed in the 16th century for war and agricultural uses. After World War II, these horses were used less for war and agriculture and more for recreational riding. George II., King of Great Britain and Ireland, founded the Hanoverian Stud Farm of Lower Saxony in Celle.

About

Hanoverians are Warmbloods, with a mixture of cold farm horses and hot Thoroughbreds. People describe the Hanoverian breed as having a good attitude, being eager to learn, willing, and having enormous athletic ability. Hanoverians are considered among the most successful horses in the Olympic Sports (Dressage, Showjumping, and Eventing).

DID YOU KNOW?

The Hanoverian Association in Verdan hosts an Auction every year. The most expensive horse to date was two point one million euros!

Appearance

Hanoverians are physically pleasing, with elegant heads, thick manes and tails, large eyes, and muscular necks. They are now purely bred for sport.