The breeding region of this horse was westward of the river Elbe and his home were the marshes of Holstein coastline in the districts of Steinburg, Pinneberg, northern and southern Ditmarsh. This part of the country is especially favorable for breeding horses and cattle. In the breeding stations were used exclusively stallions of the Holsteiner breed, however in the southern part of Geest were also used the Hanoverian stallions, but even here was the tendency to convert to the Holsteiner type of the marsh horse.
Holsteiner horse was bred out of domestic Old-Holsteiner mares, which in the 19th century contained mainly blood of the western horse. For the refinement of these mares, the Germans imported from England halfblooded and fullblooded stallions, especially of the Yorkshire carriage type. Form this line of mares the most proven stallions were Burlington Turk 81 and Brilliant 448. Especially Brilliant 448 brought to his descendants the elegant high gait, which still remains by the Holsteiner today. One of the most proven stallions from the Brilliant line was Achill 582, who despite breeding later in age provided the Holsteiner breed with the best stallion line. Achill alone came from a narrow inbreeding of two siblings to which is attributed the great ability of distinct “self-reproduction”. Another plentiful line of the Holsteiner is the Ethelbert whose line points to a thoroughbred St. Fagus, imported in 1871. Also the East Prussian stallion Adjutant founded after himself a line of strong “bony” carriage horses. The exterior of the Holsteiner shows a refined but heavier carriage horse with high gait, build in such size and caliber, as is the heavier type of the Hannoveraner. The brand submitted into the Holsteiner registry is a knight riding a horse and holding a sword. The brand is placed on the left thigh.
Submit your review | |