The

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports * Swiss Internation ...

Warmblood Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds primarily originating in Europe and registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook policy, studbook selection, and the aim of breeding for equestrian spor ...

, also called the Einsiedler, is a horse breed, founded in the 10th century on the local Schwyer stock. It was first bred at the

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

Monastery of

Einsiedeln Einsiedeln () is a municipality and district in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland known for its monastery, the Benedictine Einsiedeln Abbey, established in the 10th century. History Early history There was no permanent settlement in the area ...

. They are now raised at the Federal Stud at

Avenches Avenches () is a Swiss municipality in the canton of Vaud, located in the district of Broye-Vully. History The roots of Avenches go back to the Celts. A tribe of Helvetians had built a settlement on the hills of Bois de Châtel, south of the ...

Origins

This horse was founded in the 10th century, but then improved in the 19th century by

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 *Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature *Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...

mare A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than fo ...

s and a Yorkshire Coach Horse

stallion A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded ( castrated). Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" nec ...

named Bracken. The breed's most important bloodlines are from Anglo-Norman horses. The three most important of them were Ivoire, Que d'Espair, and Orinate de Messil. The

Swedish Warmblood The Swedish Warmblood or Swedish Half-bred is a Swedish breed of warmblood horse. It was originally bred as a cavalry horse at the Strömsholm and Flyinge studs. In the twentieth century it became a general-purpose riding and sport horse. ...

Aladin also had a strong influence on the Swiss Warmblood, along with two Holsteiners, Astral and Chevalier. After World War II Sweden disbanded its cavalry and all but 500 of its old Warmbloods (in Sweden called half-bloods) were slaughtered. Those 500 left were sold to the Swiss Government.

Breed characteristics

The Swiss Warmblood generally stands between 15.1 and 16.2 hands high, and their coat may be any color except pinto and appaloosa. The breed has a well-proportioned head with a straight or slightly convex profile. The chest is broad and deep and the shoulders sloping and long. They have prominent withers, a straight back, and a slightly sloping croup. The legs are strong, and have well-defined tendons and good joints.

Uses

Swiss Warmblood horses are often used for riding. They are suitable for all sorts of riding. Also, the Swiss Warmblood is an ideal

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

troop horse.

Breeding

To breed, these horses need to go through tests. The

s are tested at years old and then again at 5 years old. In testing they have to go through jumping courses,

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 by ...

, cross-country, and

driving Driving is the controlled operation and movement of a vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and bicycles. Permission to drive on public highways is granted based on a set of conditions being met and drivers are required to ...

. Stallions are only selected if their parents have proven performance ability. Swiss Warmblood

s are tested at 3 years of age. They cannot be registered unless their parents are registered as half-breeds.

References

{{Equine, state=collapsed Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Switzerland Warmbloods