Trotter horse. Orlovsky trotter - a horse that outruns the wind

Russian trotter - a horse bred specifically for participation in sports competitions. These horses are agile and hardy. They are easy to train and also good for beginners who want to learn how to handle horses and ride. Many stud farms are engaged in breeding Russian trotters. For example, the Terek stud farm. It is important to ensure that purebred individuals are born, which will not only please the owners with a good disposition, but will also become winners in competitions.

Russian trotter - a horse bred specifically for participation in sports competitions

Where did the Russian trotter come from? It all started with American horses, which were brought to Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Representatives of foreign breeds then enjoyed great popularity. They were frisky and often won at the races. So that domestic horses were not inferior to them in speed and endurance, American horses were crossed with Oryol ones. As a result, the Russian trotting breed was born.

Knowing how popular American horses are, horse breeders often sold mestizos to Russia instead of purebred animals. The descendants of these horses could not boast of achievements in sports competitions, for the sake of participating in which they were taken out. For this reason, the selection of horses began to be carried out with greater care. Several stud farms were created, which were engaged in selection. Including bred Russian trotters and the Terek stud farm.

Knowing how popular American horses are, horse breeders often sold mestizos to Russia instead of purebred animals.

new breed enjoyed great popularity. These horses were taken abroad, where they participated in competitions and received awards at exhibitions. The Russian trotter instantly overshadowed the American horses. He was faster and more agile, although he was a little inferior to the American descendant in outward grace. Today, Russian trotters successfully participate in competitions, as, for example, the Terek breed of horses, bred in Russia in the same years.

Gallery: horse breed Russian trotter (25 photos)

Orlovsky trotter (video)

Appearance and character

What these horses look like and whether they are easy to educate is of interest to people who are not familiar with the breed. First of all, it is worth saying that all trotting breeds of horses have a harmonious physique and long, strong legs. Russian trotters are no exception. They have a retracted abdomen, strong muscles and joints, and hard hooves that can withstand swipe. What color are these horses? Most often there are bay and red horses, less often - black, brown and gray. Height at the withers - no higher than 165 cm.

It is worth noting a small defect in Russian trotting horses. The fact is that they have clubfoot hind legs, and the front legs are slightly twisted. It does not affect running speed in any way.

The horse of this breed has a calm disposition. Russian trotters are easy to train. The animal becomes an adult by 4 years. Foals begin to train at the age of 1 year. During this period, they need to get used to the equipment and harness riding. Young horses are taught commands so that they will be obedient in the future. Most often, these trainings take place in the winter.

Then the grown horses learn the right move. They trot, develop clear movements. The trainer must treat the horse gently, she will feel his kindness and will dutifully do everything that is required of her. This calm and peaceful horse appreciates a good attitude.

When the animal turns 2 years old, they begin to train it at the hippodrome. Each Russian riding horse breed requires an individual approach. It is necessary to carefully prepare the horses for future competitions. The load is increased gradually so that the animal can work out every movement. These horses jump high due to the structure of their hind legs, so they overcome obstacles well.

Is the Russian trotter horse breed suitable for beginners? Yes, such horses will get along well with those who want to learn how to ride. A well-bred adult horse will not harm the rider if he treats it kindly.

Russian trotter (video)

To buy a horse of this breed, you can come, for example, to the Terek stud farm. The price depends on the age and health of the animal. On average, an adult purebred individual will have to pay at least 100 thousand rubles. If the Russian trotting horse has already succeeded in sports, its price will be much higher - up to 200 thousand rubles.

First of all, it is important to properly equip the stall. It must be clean and spacious. In winter, it is necessary to insulate it. A contrast shower after walks is useful for a Russian trotter. During this procedure, you need to pay special attention to the legs. The horse needs constant access to water, especially on hot summer days. It is necessary to monitor the quality of the liquid so that the animal does not get sick. The food needs to be balanced. In the warm season, the horse should receive fresh grass. Various sweets are useful as rewards. If the trotter does an excellent job with the tasks and obeys the owner, you can pamper him with a piece of sugar or a carrot. Sweet beets will do too. Having received such an award, the horse will carry out commands with even greater zeal.

Orlovsky trotter- not so much a hippodrome horse as a riding horse, for transport. This is exactly what Count Orlov conceived to create it at the most critical hour for our country. Let's remember a little history. It was 1762, June, a certain Peter III ruled on the throne of the Russian Empire. But the day of change came, June 28, when the guards were supposed to swear allegiance to Empress Catherine II. On the same day, the Empress, accompanied by Count Orlov, was to leave Peterhof for Petersburg.

The count ordered the best palace horses to be placed in the carriage, and they set off. The travel distance was about 30 kilometers. But it was necessary to hurry, and halfway through the foreign horses were exhausted and could no longer carry the wagon. Orlov went to the nearest village, gathered all the local workhorses, and thus delivered Ekaterina to St. Petersburg. It was then that Orlov had the idea and desire to create a real Russian transport horse.

At the same time, it is important to note that the horse in the image of Orlov had to combine many necessary qualities. She must be beautiful and elegant for the crew and the carriage, fast and hardy, adapted to the harsh Russian climate, unpretentious in feeding. Work on the creation of such a horse began in 1776, and 30 years later, Count Orlov saw his creation for the first time - the majestic and proud Orlov.

Smetanka and his descendants

Count Alexei Orlov-Chesmensky was an ardent lover of horses. He traveled a lot around the world, learned breeds, was interested in horse breeding. Therefore, when in 1775 he retired, he immediately took up his favorite business. On his Ostrov estate near Moscow, he bred horses since the 60s, but he began his life's work on the estate in Voronezh region. The land, together with the serfs, was presented to him by the Empress in 1762.

The founder of the Oryol trotter is a beautiful gray named Smetanka. Count Orlov bought it for a lot of money in 1774 from the Turkish Sultan. At the same time, the best mares from local studs and 12 more trophy stallions were also delivered to the count's estate. Began a long painstaking selection work. No matter how sad it sounds, but Smetanka lived only a year in Russia and left one of the most valuable producers - the stallion Polkan.

In 1784, Polkan's son, Bars, appeared at the Orlov stud farm. Today he is considered the ancestor of the breed, as he brought, in addition to a strong skeleton and a beautiful exterior, a clear rhythmic lynx. This trait was made possible by crossing Arabian stallions with Friesian mares. A few years later, Orlov's Khrenovsky plant no longer had a single horse that was not a descendant of Bars. This horse, experts say, was also ridden by Count Orlov himself.

After the death of Count Orlov, the Khrenovsky factory, as well as all his horses, were inherited by his daughter. Since the count was engaged in breeding work together with his groom Shishkin, he became the manager of the plant. He continued the business of breeding and creating trotters. All horses were tested for agility, underwent special selection and training.

Appearance

The first thing that catches your eye when you see the Orlovsky trotter is the unusually beautiful posture of the horse, the swan neck and strong legs. Today, this breed belongs to the category of large horses, since the height at the withers reaches an average of 165-170 centimeters. But despite their growth and strength, these horses are harmoniously built, have a small head, a dry body, a muscular back, and a high neck. They always have a proud posture, elegant high movements, grace in behavior.

Today, three breed types can be distinguished: massive, dry and intermediate trotters. They differ not only in external data, but also in the scope of use. For example, a species with a larger head and strong legs is used as a transport horse. But dry lungs on high legs horses are used in trotting.

Among the Orlovites, the most popular suit is gray with different shades. It can be dappled gray, dark gray or reddish gray. Less common are bay and.

Orlovsky horse today

Today, this breed of horse still remains popular, although it is not so often used for trotting. They were gradually replaced on the treadmills by more frisky Russian, American and French trotters. However, the Oryol trotter remains indispensable for transport purposes. Today we can see this elegant horse in Russian troikas, in carriages, as improvers of local breeds, under saddle and in harness.

If you look at the number of horses of this breed in our country, then it is far from being in the best condition. According to the latest data, about 700 purebred mares and just over fifty stallions were registered. Almost all of them make up the line of the Square, Peony, Pilot and Catch. Khrenovskaya, as well as Moscow, Perm, Altai and Chesme studs, still remain the leading stud farm for breeding Orlov horses.

Great and famous

Oryol horses are famous all over the world. So, for example, the Bedouin stallion is the ancestor of the French trotter. But about a horse named Krepysh today they make up legends. The stallion is called the "horse of the century", as he brought fame to the breed throughout the world. At that time, except for Robust, no one could compare with the fast-running American trotters.

Interesting! Despite the agility of other trotters, the Orlovets is still considered the quietest along the way. No other horse can match this quality. They seem to float above the track. They say that "If you put a glass of water on the croup of a horse, then water will not spill while running."

Also a famous Oryol stallion is Peony. At one time he achieved the results of Krepysh and also firmly established himself in the history of Russian horse breeding. Today, his line is the leading one in the breed, because in addition to sports, Pion was also an excellent producer. Peony's grandson, the trotter Cowboy, set an absolute record at a distance of 1600 meters in 1991.

Memory and honor

Today, you can learn about the history and what the stallions of the Oryol trotting breed are in the Oryol Breed Museum. He is in Moscow.

Photo gallery

Video "Museum of the Oryol trotter and the Russian troika"

Oryol trotting breed of horses has interesting story. It arose under the leadership of Count Orlov in the Voronezh province in the period from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century. This horse is graceful, beautiful and fast, which makes it unique in its kind.

Story

In 1775, Count Orlov ended his professional career and devoted himself to breeding horses. He traveled extensively in search of stallions and mares. Orlov has long dreamed of creating a breed that would meet the highest requirements: it was hardy, strong, fast, graceful and beautiful.

Under the patronage of Empress Catherine II, Orlov bought the best stallions and mares in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt and Turkey. According to documents that have survived to this day, in 1776 the count bought a luxurious Arabian horse from the Sultan from Turkey for a lot of money. His name was Smetanka, because his coat was dyed light gray, almost white.

The horse was sent to Russia. He was a magnificent stallion, demonstrating the grace of movement, agility and endurance, but his trot was not clear and steady. The age of Smetanka turned out to be short, a year later he died, but he already managed to leave behind offspring - 4 stallions and 1 mare.

One of the sons of Smetanka became the founder of the Oryol breed of horses. His name was Polkan. He crossed with a dun-colored mare from Denmark, after which a foal was born, whose exterior characteristics suited Orlov. They named him Bars.

Later, the count also used mares from Holland, which were distinguished by endurance and strength, as well as good trotting performance. From one of them, after crossing with Polkan, a dappled gray foal appeared. He was named Bars I. It was he who became the ancestor of the Oryol trotter breed. The horse was beautiful in appearance, possessed tall showed stamina and strength. The baby inherited a clear stable lynx from his mother.

Description

The Oryol horse is unique. It has several advantages:

high travel speed;
the ability to move smoothly and gracefully;
differs in the harmonious addition of the body;
possesses tenacity, endurance and strength.

Exterior and suits

Orlovsky trotter is different long back, since he has 1 more rib than other breeds, there are 19 of them, not 18. The horse is quite tall and has a harmonious physique. Horse characteristics:

height - 1.65-1.7 m;
weight - 500 kg;
the length of the body along the oblique line is 1.6 m;
the chest is powerful, its girth is 1.8 m;
the neck is long, curved, reminiscent of a swan;
the head is compact with a slightly protruding frontal part and a neat muzzle;
ears are small;
limbs dry, medium length with large hooves;
the croup is compact.

The Orlovsky trotter is characterized by gray suit in various variations. Less common are individuals of a black, dun or roan color, which is not considered a disadvantage. Horses inherited such colors from Dutch mares.

Character

By nature, the Oryol trotter is a good-natured and docile animal, showing devotion to the owner. In return, he expects respect from the person. Some obstinacy is inherent in horses, but it can be caused by mistreatment of the animal. Horses respond to cruelty with unwillingness to obey. Representatives of this breed are hardworking and smart.

Famous Oryol stallions

Representatives of the breed line, descended from the Polkan horse, are known throughout the world for their agility. They repeatedly outstripped other horses and won victories. At the beginning of the 20th century, the horse Krepysh often became the record holder on the hippodromes. He has competed in 1600 mile races over 80 times and won 55 times.

Later Krepysh came a worthy replacement. In the post-war period, a horse named Square became famous. He was distinguished by a very beautiful exterior, but his main advantage was perseverance. The stallion never gave up, although he lost to his rivals in speed, but he came first, showing endurance.

Other Oryol record holders who left their mark on history:

Peony;
Tidal bore;
Lerik;
Cowboy;
Shotgun;
Cake;
Banquet.

Nutrition

Oryol horses are energetic animals. In addition to hay and grass, their diet includes vitamin and mineral supplements, grains and vegetables. The share of concentrated feed in the horse's menu is 25%. The fruits of cereals are a source of protein, which is necessary for active animals to maintain good shape.

Attention! It is especially important to correctly compose the diet of foals. It includes fish fat, salt, vitamins. Lack of minerals and trace elements can lead to malformations and diseases.

Oryol horse care

Trotting horses need good care. Special attention focus on animal hygiene. After training, the coat must be cleaned with a special brush. The procedure begins on the left side of the neck, gradually moving down the torso. The mane is washed with horse shampoo. Comb it daily with a comb. Sweat is wiped off with a dry, clean cloth. Horses are bathed once a week, watered with a hose, using a soft brush made of natural fibers.

It is important to keep your hooves healthy. Timely diagnosis will protect the horse from foot diseases. After each workout, the limbs are inspected and cleaned, and then lubricated with lamb fat with the addition of turpentine. Trotters need free range. Fresh air It has a beneficial effect on metabolism, and movement helps to maintain a good shape.

Attention! Because of excessive loads The Oryol trotter may suffer from radial nerve palsies and tendon sprains or ruptures.

The stall is kept clean by regularly changing the bedding. To reduce the load on the legs of animals, a rubber coating is placed on the floor. The presence of cracks and potholes in the floor covering is unacceptable: they can cause injuries to the hooves.

Usage

Count Orlov created a trotter for use in a light team. The horses lived up to his expectations not only due to the ability to quickly and easily carry the carriage. The Oryol horses turned out to be very beautiful, so the nobility paid attention to them. It used to be considered fashionable to have such a horse. Oryol trotters were used by wealthy people for walking and hunting.

Today, these horses participate in the races. This is an athletic breed that has not lost its excellent qualities over time - energy, speed and endurance. In addition to participating in competitions, trotters are used for dressage and show jumping, as well as in equestrian tourism.

Oryol trotting horses are highly valued in Russia and in the world. Its representatives regularly take prizes, glorifying their country. The task of the Russian people is to preserve this breed, because it is part of our history.

There are 4 breeds of pure trotting horses in the world, distinguished by speed and agility when trotting.

One of them, the youngest - the Russian trotter - will be discussed in this article.

Russian trotters are the result of crossing American and Oryol trotter horses. Their breeding began at the dawn of the 20th century and was carried out in order to increase the agility of the Oryol horses. The breed was finally approved in 1949. As a result, the Russian trotter received the necessary agility from the American ancestors, and from the Oryol - a strong physique and well-developed muscles.

Did you know? The largest horse in the world with a height of 2.2 m and a weight of 1.52 tons is considered to be a representative of the Shire breed named Sampson. The smallest horse is the American miniature. On the pages of the Guinness Book of Records got a representative of this breed named Little Pumpkin with a height of 35.5 cm and a weight of 9 kg.

Description of the breed

The Russian trotting breed includes valuable breeding and sports light-draft horses. They are used to improve draft breeds and in equestrian sports. This breed has several subspecies, the most popular of which are the overseas miracle, guild horse, Terek horse, awe.

Exterior, weight, height

As a rule, representatives of Russian trotters have a correct and harmonious physique. However, various variations are possible.

Typically, these horses have the following characteristics:

weight- 450 kg (at 3 months of age);
height at the withers- 154–165 cm;
body length- 160 cm - for mares, 162 - cm for stallions;
head- narrow, with a straight profile, well built, with a wide forehead;
ears- small, elongated, mobile;
eyes- dark color, expressive;
neck- dry, medium length, strong, even, proportional;
back- long, oblique;
breast- well developed, convex, with a girth of about 184 cm;
limbs- medium, dry, muscular. The forelegs are slightly turned inward, with rounded hooves, the hindquarters are angular.

Suits

The most common suit is bay. There are also trotters with a dark bay, crow, red, brown, gray color.

Did you know? The smartest horse in the world is a gelding named Lucas. He could smile, count to 20, distinguish between numbers and shapes, say "yes" and "no" with head nods, fetch objects like a dog.

Temper and habits

Russian trotters have a calm disposition and endurance. They have courage and energy. They are obedient and accommodating. For this, they are appreciated by lovers of horse riding, organizers of rehabilitation programs and hippotherapy sessions.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of this breed are:

Versatility - the ability to use in exhibitions, races, in hippotherapy, as a domestic horse, workhorse.
Possibility of use for selection of new breeds.
Beautiful exterior.
Calm character.
Endurance.
Good adaptation in almost all climatic zones.
Increased agility - Russian trotters hold the following records: 1600 m race - 1 min. 58.8 sec.; at 2400 m - 3 min. 03 sec.; at 3200 m - 4 min. 06.1 sec.
Unpretentiousness in care.

There are few drawbacks, but they are still present:

Concave structure of the forelimbs.
Insufficient development of the muscles of the forearm and lower leg.
Late maturation (albeit faster, compared to Oryol horses).

Scope of use

Russian trotters can take part in races from the age of 4, however, they acquire their maximum agility only by the age of 6. The main direction of use is as a racehorse.

Also, the Russian horse is used to perform physical labor, for work on farms. Representatives of this peaceful breed are perfect for learning to ride, horseback riding, hippotherapy - they help children and adults bring mental and physical abnormalities closer to normal.

They are involved in driving (competitions of horse teams). The most beautiful and frisky individuals are used to improve the qualities of other draft breeds.

Draft breeds also include such as tinker, trakens, Karachay, Friesian.

Conditions of detention and care

Like most horse breeds, the Russian horse itself is unassuming to care for. However, high-quality wool cleaning, a comfortable and clean stable, hoof control are important conditions for an animal.

An ideal home for a horse is a stable with a separate stall, an open area and an arena. Space is the main necessary condition for a horse to live, which needs to move freely. The dimensions of the stalls should be at least 3 × 4 m, and preferably 4 x 4, the height of the ceilings should be 3.5 x 4 m.
All rooms where horses are kept must be regularly ventilated. They should be protected from drafts, in winter - insulated. It is very important to install high-quality ventilation. As for the temperature in the stable, in winter it should be maintained at + 8 ... + 11 degrees, in summer it should be cool - up to + 23 ... + 25 degrees.

Standard animal care - keeping the coat, nostrils, ears, teeth, hooves clean. After a walk, cleaning of the wool is required, dirt, sweat, and harmful substances are removed from it. For this, special tools (shampoos, conditioners) and devices (brushes, scrapers) are used.

After an intensive run, the horse needs a contrast shower, which will help not only cleanse it of sweat, but also relieve fatigue from the body, restore vigor.

Important! Water procedures horses can only be produced in the warm season and in not too windy weather. Otherwise, bathing threatens the occurrence of catarrhal diseases in the animal.

Do not forget about monitoring the condition of the ears and nostrils. There should be regular visits to the veterinarian who can clean them and identify problems in a timely manner. Also, the owner of the horse must monitor the timely implementation of vaccination.
Hoof cleaning can and should be done by the owner. To do this, bend the limb and clean out the dirt with a special hook. At the same time, it is necessary to inspect the hooves for damage.

It is necessary to constantly monitor the health of the animal's teeth. To do this, you need to regularly - once a week - examine the molars. It is important to show the horse to a veterinarian once a year, who will professionally examine the oral cavity and file sharp teeth.

Diet and water

The horse's diet will vary depending on the season (at different times of the year, the animal will need different vitamins and minerals), age, gender, physical activity and other factors.

The correct functioning of the digestive tract of a horse will be possible when feeding it with hay, vegetables, grains. It is better to coordinate the menu and the amount of each ingredient with the veterinarian - they will depend, first of all, on the weight, age and sex of the horse.

hay (preferably legumes) - 1.5–2 kg per day per 100 kg of live weight;
legumes (oats, barley, corn, rye, wheat, millet, sorghum, mogar, chumizu, peas, vetch, lentils, beans) - 3–4 kg per 1 individual per day;
bran - up to 2.5 kg per 1 individual per day;
vegetables (carrots, apples, fodder beets, potatoes, turnips, rutabaga) - 2–4 kg per 100 kg of live weight per day.

Also, ready-made feed and premixes can be introduced into the feed.

Approximate daily menu adult horse might look like this:

oats - 8 kg;
corn, barley - 6 kg;
rye, wheat - 4 kg;
sorghum, millet - 4 kg;
vetch, lentils - 2 kg;
linseed cake, podolnechnikovye - 3.5 kg;
hemp cake - 2.5 kg;
cotton cake - 1.5 kg;
wheat bran - 4 kg;
malt sprouts - 1 kg;
dry beer grains - 3 kg;
bard dry - 2 kg;
dry pulp - 3 kg;
fodder molasses - 1.5 kg;
potatoes - 8 kg;
fodder beets - 12 kg;
carrots - 10 kg;
fresh bard - 12 l;
silage - 8 kg.

With the introduction of premixes, there may be such an option:

hay - 7 kg;
corn - 1–2 kg;
herbal flour - 1 kg;
molasses - 500 g;
premix - 100 g;
salt - 50–60 g.

Water the animal should be twice a day - in the morning and evening. If the horse is hot after training, wait at least an hour before giving him water. Water should be warm, in winter it needs to be heated to +14 ... +16 degrees. Up to 50 liters of liquid is required per day for one individual.

Important! It is forbidden to overfeed the horse with grain - this is fraught with a painful death. Digestive disorders can cause any non-vegetarian products.

Thus, the Russian trotter is a light-draft breed of horse, distinguished by its beautiful appearance, excellent racing characteristics and unpretentiousness in care.

Peaceful character, strong legs and fast run horses make it attractive for organizers of races, organizers of riding courses, and rehabilitation programs.

Among the mandatory measures for animal care are cleaning of wool, hooves, vaccination, feeding and watering, maintaining sanitary and hygienic standards in the stable.

The pride and glory of Russia and Russian horse breeders at all times considered Oryol trotters. These lightly drafted horses contain the genes responsible for the ability to move at a fast trot. The Orlovsky trotter was an example of a competent, purposeful and courageous breeding experience. Among the champions of various popular equestrian competitions, you can always see best horses this breed. These beautiful horses represented in Russia and abroad at various exhibitions, where they won prizes.

The Orlovsky trotter is famous for its qualities all over the world.

About the history of the appearance and breeding of horses

The appearance of the breed

The Orlovsky trotter first appeared on the territory of Russia in the 18th century. -XIX centuries at the Khrenovsky stud farm, which was the property of Count Alexei Orlov. Its representatives are distinguished by excellent heredity - the ability of horses to move at a frisky trot, thanks to which they brought fame to Russia all over the world. The Orlovsky trotter is a great achievement that causes pride and is considered a symbol of our horse breeding. The breed was created using complex crosses. Up to 15 breeds were crossed, the main place was occupied by Arabian and Mecklenburg horses.

Since 1775, after retiring, Orlov took up breeding, for which he had to travel through Asian and European countries, buying different breeds of horses, and already in 1776 an unusually majestic stallion of Arab blood, Smetanka, bought by the count for a lot of money, appeared in Russia.

The history of the Oryol breed dates back to the 18th century.

How Oryol trotters appeared

Together with Smetanka Orlov, other beautiful Arabian horses for which Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt were famous. Smetanka did not take root in Russia, dying a year later. But descendants remained from him: four stallions and one mare. The best stallion, obtained from Smetanka and a mare from Denmark, was Polkan. It turned out to contain the best parameters that the graph liked. The only drawback of Smetanka was the instability of the move.

Orlov had to buy horses in Holland, which had a stable course, and used them to cross the best Danish and Arabian stallions. In the year 84 of the 18th century, after crossing, foals with excellent characteristics were obtained. The Orlov trotter Bars 1 turned out to be the closest type to what Orlov had in mind. At the beginning of the 19th century, Orlov died, and I.V. began to manage the stud farm. Shishkin, who continued the count's favorite pastime. In the middle of the 19th century, the Oryol breed began to be bred in all regions of Russia.

The Orlovsky trotter turned out to be the founder of the trotting sport. And in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Oryol horses became the most popular.

And then, and now, these powerful, beautiful, hardy and lightly harnessed horses, capable of transporting loaded wagons at a steady trot, distinguished by their easy tolerance of hot and cold climates, are the best in the world.

Orlovsky trotter laid the foundation for the development of equestrian sport in Russia

decline in popularity

The decline in popularity of representatives of the Oryol breed began by the end of the 19th century. At that time, horses imported from America began to appear in Russia. They looked ugly, did not have a harmonious constitution, but they were distinguished by great agility. Breeders began to breed trotters everywhere, obtained from crossing the American and Oryol breeds.

Because of thoughtless crossbreeding, in which American stallions, sometimes of insufficient quality, were crossed with the best Orlov mares, irreparable harm was done to the Orlov horses. Then, after the advent of the century of cars, the draft horse was no longer needed by people. The Oryol trotter could have disappeared without a trace, but fortunately survived.

Oryol trotters today

The modern trotting horse is a harmoniously built draft horse with a noticeable influence of the blood of Arabian horses. Exterior types of animals that are grown at different stud farms can be:

Massive, which resemble heavy trucks.
Dry (light).
Intermediate.

Now in Russia there are no more than twelve stud farms, which contain only 800 breeding mares, which are thoroughbred trotting horses.

According to the breeding standard, a breed in which there are less than a thousand mares is assigned the status of "causing concern."

Oryol horses are now quite few in number.

The breed of Oryol trotters is distinguished by the following parameters

Horses can be light gray, gray, dappled gray, gray-red, dark gray, black, bay. Occasionally you can meet roan or red Oryol trotters. Horse buckskin or nightingale almost does not come across.
Height at the withers up to 170 cm.
They are harmonious and proportional draft horses with small dry heads; necks, curving like a swan, standing high; strong and muscular backs; strong limbs.
They are a versatile breed suitable for cross-country sports, it is used during agricultural work, harnessed, in the tourist area. They are excellent breeding material.
Their body is large and lean, thick tails and manes, pride in posture, graceful stature and gait.
Character - calm, balanced and energetic.
Movements are beautiful and graceful.
Excellent strength and endurance.

The Oryol horse is distinguished by beautiful and graceful movements.

Appearance characteristics

The Orlovsky trotter does not look like other horses:

Dimensions - large and tall.
The head is dry and wide, having a small size.
Eyes that are very expressive and radiant.
erect ears
The neck is high and has a charming swan shape.
The croup is broad and massive.
The back is straight and long, rather muscular.
Chest - wide, not deep.
Strong backbone.
The body composition is dryish and proportional.
Legs with large brushes (friezes).
Manes and tails, differing in density and long.

Tribal Oryol trotters, which are needed for breeding use, were trained. They had to pass more than one test.

The most thoroughbred stallions were considered those that during the tests turned out to be the most hardy and frisky. It was necessary to take into account the presence excellent forms and high performance. The greatest demand was for large, beautiful and frisky trotters.

Oryol horses are not only beautiful, but also very hardy.

Qualities that make representatives of the breed the most valuable

The Oryol breed of trotters is original and is valued because:

She is considered one of the oldest and the first cultivated breed of trotters bred in Russia.
Its gene pool is organic, because it is bred only here.
It has a unique and striking type that distinguishes the breed from other trotting horses.
The body of horses perfectly adapts to any climatic conditions, so trotters are used in any geographical area of Russia.