Pferderassen

Horse Breeds: Abtenauer: smallest heavy breed of the German-speaking area, robust, hardy carthorse bred in Abtenau (high valley southeast of Salzburg). A particularly characteristic Noriker breed since ancient times; mainly blacks, some chestnuts; particularly striking are the "Mohrenköpfe" (dapple-grey horses with black heads); never produces spotted piebalds, as do the Pinzgauer; height at withers 148-154 cm. In 1994 there were about 70 breeding mares. - Noriker: heavy breed, name derived from the Roman province of Noricum; the Noriker is said to be descended from the Roman legion horses and has been pure-bred in Austria for more than 400 years. As early as 1688, Archbishop J. E. Graf Thun of Salzburg gave instructions that mares may only be covered by stallions of the court (= registered stud-horses) and that the State may only purchase foals descended from these stallions. This is why the Noriker is still a pure breed, although it has been referred to as Southern-German heavy horse (süddeutsches Kaltblut) together with the Oberländer (from Bavaria) and the Pinzgauer since World War II. The breeding area of the Noriker was originally located around the Großglockner Mountain; used as carthorses. Middle heavyweight, about 160 cm at shoulder, robust heavy head, short sturdy neck, wide breast and wide back, medium-sized legs. Mostly bay horses or chestnuts, but also dapple-grey horses and spotted piebalds; very few are Mohrenköpfe. In 1994 there were about 2,700 mares registered in the general stud-book, with a total of 9,000 animals. - Süddeutsches Kaltblut: heavy horse bred in southern Germany and Austria: bred in Austria as Noriker, in Bavaria as "Oberländer" (light breed) and Pinzgauer (heavy breed). - Haflinger Horse, Lipizzaner Horses.