- Wielkopolski - |
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 The Wielkopolski was developed in the Central and Western regions of Poland during the end of the 19th century, so it is till a relatively young breed. They were developed primarily through crossing between two Polish warmblood breed which are, sadly, now extinct. These were the Pozan and Masuren, the former being bred at studs at Posadowo, Racot, and Gogolewo, and the latter being bred at Liski in the Masury region. Both the Pozan and the Masuren were very notable breeds in their own right. The Pozan, which was a mix of Arabian, Thoroughbred, Trakehner, and Hanoverian blood, was a versatile middleweight farm worker, useful for riding and agricultural chores. The Masuren was a quality riding horse, being chiefly Trakehner in origin. Once these two breeds had been crossed, and a base was formed, there were more infusions of Thoroughbred, Arabian, and Anglo-Arab blood, until the breed had some established fixed characteristics. The Wielkopolski is a very talented and versatile horse and is quite possibly one of the best warmblood breeds, although it is the least publicized of them all. They exhibit excellent temperaments, are strong and hardy, and are also noted for their comfortable, long, free paces. They are naturally athletic and fast, which is due in part to the Thoroughbred blood in their background. They also make first-class jumping and eventing horses; the Wielkopolski has proved its abilities in the higher echelons of the dressage world and has a naturally balanced and poised way of moving. They are highly versatile and are generally bred along two lines. One is lighter for competitive riding horses, and the other is slightly heavier, which makes an excellent harness horse as well as a good middleweight riding horse. The Wielkopolski is an attractive, quality horse with presence and style. They have fine heads with a straight profile and intelligent eyes. Both the Arabian and Thoroughbred influences are sometimes apparent in the head, which is well set on a long, elegant neck. Te shoulders are sloping an muscular, and the chest is deep and wide. They are compact and deep through the body, with very muscular 'power horse' hindquarters. They are often inclined to be long in the leg, with good joints and well defined tendons. They can be any solid color and tend to stand between 16 and 16.2 hh.
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