The Wielkopolski is a breed of
horse that was originated in Central and Western
Poland in 1964, and is occasionally known as Mazursko-Poznanski.
Its name derives from ''
Wielkopolska'' ("Great Poland"), a region in west central Poland centred on
Poznań.
History
The Wielkopolski was developed by crossing two now extinct Polish breeds, the Pozan and the Mazury, so it is also referred to as the Mazursko-Poznanski. The Pozan or Poznan horse was developed in Poland. This breed was extremely rare, and was bred at the studs at Posadowo, Racot, and Gogolewo. The Pozan was a mixture of
Arabian
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate. ...
,
Thoroughbred,
Trakehner, and
Hanoverian
The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe:
* British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901
* things relating to;
** Electorate of Hanover
** Kingdom of Hanover
** Province o ...
bloodlines. It was a middleweight farm horse, very versatile, used for riding and agricultural work. The Mazury, also known as the Masuren was developed in Poland as a riding horse. It mainly stemmed from the Trakehner breed and when crossed with the Pozan went on to develop the Wielkopolski breed.
The Mazury was bred at the stud at Liski in the
Masuria region. A 1963 Polish postage stamp illustrated a Mazury.
These two breeds formed a base, to which Thoroughbred, Arabian, and
Anglo-Arabian blood was further added.
Breed Characteristics
Although not a well-known breed worldwide, it is used as a
sport horse because of its temperament, comfortable
gaits, and hardiness. Their athleticism allows for use in
show jumping
Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrianism, equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, Show hunter, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including th ...
and
eventing. They are also suitable for
dressage
Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined b ...
.
The breed is bred along two lines. One is lighter, for competitive riding. The other is heavier, and used in
harness
A harness is a looped restraint or support. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types:
* Bondage harness
* Child harness
* Climbing harness
* Dog harness
* Pet harness
* Five-point harness
* Horse harness
* Parrot harness
* ...
and as a riding horse.
The Wielkopolski has a fine, small head with a straight profile and lively eyes. This is set into a strong, long neck. The horse has sloping shoulders and a deep and wide chest. It is muscular, compact, and deep in the body, with powerful hindquarters. Their legs are well muscled with long cannons and good, clearly defined joints and tendons. They can be any solid color, and usually stand between
There is also another Polish warmblood breed, the Małopolski, bred in the region of ''
Małopolska'' ("Little Poland") in the south of the country (around
Kraków). These horses are smaller and slightly less suited to showjumping than the Wielkopolski.
References
External links
Photos of the Wielkopolski Horse
{{Equine, state=collapsed
Horse breeds
Horse breeds originating in Poland