The Curious Compendium 2023 Tour Finale: Herding breeds!

Thank you!

Another mixed breed photo- Chincoteague, Bashkir, and Morgan horses.
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Chincoteague horses are thought to be descended from Spanish shipwreck(s) on Eastern US coasts. They share a lot of similarities to the American Mustang because of this- small bodied, very muscular and stocky build, and thick winter coats of any color. One striking difference from their island life is that because they eat the sea salty cord grass of islands like Assateague, they have to drink more freshwater to expell the extra salt.

American Curly horses have mysterious origins; they were first found roaming the American West and their unique curly coated hide was selectively bred for ever since. Three curly coated horses were found in Nevada in 1898 im the Peter Hanson Mountain Range. It is believed to be the only hypoallergenic horse, and ever hair on the body is curled in some way (the hide, mane and tail, even inside the ears and the eyelashes!).

The Morgan horse is a small bodied animal with enormous potential! They all come from one stud, named Figure, who was owned by Justin Morgan in early American history. This small colt was renowned for his endurance, strength, speed, and all around work hardiness. These traits, as luck would have it, were strong in carrying onto any of his offpsring and any of theirs down the line. This small horse is no stranger to other disciplines also, they make excellent riding mounts, dressage, carriage horses , you name it and they can turn a hand- or hoof- to it!

And now, a large number of breeds in one shot!
Rocky Mountain Horse, Camarillo, Sorraia, Yakutian, Westphalian, Orlov Trotter, American Saddlebred, Zorse:
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The Rocky Mountain Horse is certainly a flashy breed. There are two types of this breed; the foundation type and the modern type. Despite its name, it actually was developed in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky, but the foundation stallion originally came from the Rockies and his name was, well... the "Rocky Mountain Horse". He arrived in Kentucky around 1890 and his chocolate coat paired with his flaxen mane and a seemingly natural gaited trait he was crossed to local mares and the rest is history. His actual original breed was never ascertained, but given his movement style it was likely one of the pacer type breeds known along the East coast. Just like these gaited breeds, the RMH is a pleasure to ride and certainly a "looker". This unique coat color comes from a silver dapple gene expressed through a deep chocolate flaxen color. This is by far the most popular, but the breed can be any color!

The Camarillo is a breed that is newer on the scene- within the 20th century. The breed originated with a white mustang stud named Sultan and was owned by Adolfo Camarillo. Being crossed with Morgan horse mares and trying to maintain the white color, a new breed was born. The breed nearly went extinct when Mr. Camarillo and his daughter who initially took over the project, passed. By the year 1991 only 11 of these horses were left! Luckily the need for protection was recognized and private breeders were able to revive the breed. Truly a white horse, not a gray horse that pales with age (you can tell by the skin color- a "gray" horse has dark skin around the eyes and nose, a truly "white" horse has pink skin) colts of this breed stay pearly white as they age. This is even more incredibly given that many genes that code for white coloration often lead to a low survival rate as it pairs with a variety of congenital problems. They can be used for nearly any purpose such as work and general riding, but they are very popular as parade horses.

The Sorraia is one of the rarest breeds in the world, with only 200 worldwide! They get their name from 2 prominent rivers in the Iberian Peninsula, the Sor and Raia. A zoologist rediscovered the breed on one of his hunting trips to the area and their very primitive look reminded him of zebras or wild asses. He caught 7 mares and 4 stallions and the breed developed from there. Their primitive markings include striping on their legs and withers (shoulder around the end of the mane and beginning of their back) as well as their sooty gray coloration- in this breed the pattern is called "hair stroke". While being easily trained and domesticated, they are often described as more aloof with their owners than other horses and feel more comfortable in herds of their own.

The Yakutian is a hardy Siberian breed used not only for riding but also for meat and milk and clothing. The breed became what it is today during the 13th-15th centuries and have 3 main types- the Northern is the purest of them and most zebra looking, the Larger Souther type has been crossed with many other Siberian breeds, and the smaller Southern type is considered "less valuable" and is much shorter in stature. These animals can survive in -70 C weather, have wide feet used to travel in and push around snow, lose and gain 20% of their weight with the change of the seasons, and have a variety of metabolic changes to deal with the weather. Mares can produce 1200-1700 kg of milk in 6 months!

Westphalian horses come from this region in Germany. This warmblood horse was often used for cavalry historically and now are common for show jumping and dressage. They date back to Roman times and the wild horses that lived in the marshlands of Westphalia, but organized breeding began in 1836 for the military and nobles. They are tallest of warm-blooded horses and have an excellent work ethic and fondness for having a job.

The Orlov Trotter comes to us from Russia and named after its trotting ability and competing in trotting races. They are usually gray in color but can be a number of colors including bay, black, and chestnut.  The breed was created by Count Alexei Orlov and originated from crossing an Arabian stallion with local mares. Over time the breed became a carriage and racing horse.

The American Saddlebred began in the 1700s when American Colonists brought thoroughbreds from England and crossed them to the now extinct Narragansett Pacer. Another highly gaited horse, it was comfortable to ride for long distances. Once called "Kentucky Saddlers" they were often preferred by military officers of note such as General Grant, Lee, Jackson, and Sherman during the Civil War. They are considered the oldest organized American breed! They are described as having intelligent, curious, and energetic personalities. Because of this they are adaptable to a number of disciplines including farm work (cutting, roping, pulling, etc.) and show performances (eventing, jumping, dressage, etc.). They have some unique gaits being a gaited breed, such as the "stepping pace" and "rack". This is one breed with a registry for half breeds! (the Half American Saddlebred Registry of America).

And lastly, the zorse! These are the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare while a zebroid is often used to distinguish a stallion horse and a zebra mare. Generally this is something that is thought to happen in captivity, but it has been recorded in the wild too. The offspring are just like mules and are sterile. There is record of dwarfism being present in many of these animals; the result of 2 animals in the same genus but each has a different number of chromosomes (something similar but opposite happens in ligers- the offpsring of male lions and female tigers- who experience gigantism while dwarfism occurs in Tigons- the reverse breeding situation). Physically, each offpsring can look very different, but they are often considered even more useful for farmwork than a mule given their resistance to diseases and pests. And of course, just as there are several species of zebra and breeds of horse, not all zorses are created equal! There are even zonkeys as well; in captivity and in the wild.

Also, we are now halfway through my equines!

Of course I would have preferred it with more fur, but the more time goes by, the more I like the Yakutian. As for Papo's Zorse, I know it's the only model of its kind but it's not really Papo of the year.

Thank you both!

@Kiki, I agree, the Papo zorse is far from uh... well done.

So many wonderful (and mostly rather underrepresented) breeds!
I really like both Chincoteages. Safari's one is so tiny in comparison to CollectA's mare.
The Sorraia and Yakutian are currently sort of "one of a kinds" and while those are maybe not that well known breeds, the Westphalian certainly is! At least in the competition world. I just think that it's a shame that we have so little renditions of them. Same goes to the KWPN even though there are none in these two groups.
Are those Safaris next to the Safari Saddlebred meant to be also Saddlebreds? Well, they definitely improved then

Clydesdales!
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This large breed comes to us from Scotland! They stand at about 16-18 hh and often have such large hooves that they don't fit into plowed rows, making them a better fit for other kinds of work; such as logging, hauling items like coal, etc. Today they are popular show horses and parade animals given their lovely brown color and white feathered feet. They can be other colors such as black or even roan, and sometimes have white markings on their body other than their face and legs. One unique trait about this breed is that they can often develop twin foals to term; this is a very uncommon thing in other breeds.

This is one breed that I do have a little experience with albeit not your typical one. My grandfather grew up in the early 1920s and 30s where horsepower was how farms were still run in rural Utah. Even in his old age when he had several trucks and tractors, he stubbornly kept 2 clydesdale mares on the farm in a pasture to "remember the good ol' days" and his bond with the horses that made his life possible for so many years. These two mares in particular essentially became feral from not being worked any longer, and they enjoyed long summer days in the pasture until they each eventually passed on.

Great collection!!!I have only ever seen Clydesdales at shows and they always look superb!

Beautiful! The 3 on the top right look so unique!

Amazing horse collection!

Thank you for all the descriptions of the horse breeds. Lots of interesting information! Sorry for not commenting earlier. I thought I should read the descriptions carefully when I had some time, but then I got further and further behind. Finally read everything today.

The most surprising information for me was that no horses are allowed to be imported into Iceland. If you'd like to ride a race horse or heavy horse, then have to move to another country!

Thank you everyone!

@Taylor, parades are where I have seen them the most too. Gorgeous animals!

@Jolie, those are old Safaris. While I never saw my grandfather's horses in parades (thats whag the tack or dressing they have on is for) I feel a small compulsion to buy this figure when I see it because it reminds me of him. Those are 3 different variations; however, the horses he had that I remember are more like the mare on the same row to the farrr left.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], thank you! I really appreciate that you have taken the time to read it all and learned something from what I posted. That was its purpose; there is sometimes some antagonism towarss the plethora of horse releases as some collector's don't understand the fascination. But I have tried to present these in a way to perhaps explain some of that... glad that you enjoyed the material- I learned a ton!

@Katy Leven, yes those are very old Safaris too!

Ok, now we get into a couple of "color breeds". First up is the American Paint Horse:
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This (IMO) is difficult to wrap my head around in a way to explain it properly, I hope it comes out so it can be understood.
Pinto is a term used to describe a horse with a base color and white patches/spots in a distinctive pattern. A Paint is a breed of horse that presents a base coloration (black, bay, etc.) and carries a gene that causes white patches/spots. A Paint horse can be a Pinto pattern, but not all Pintos are Paint horses  (this is is seen in a variety of breeds- some of them presented already).

The American Paint is a breed descended from the Mustang and developed from animals that had this unique look. The breed was generally referred to as Pintos, Skewbald, Piebald, or Paint horses until the 1960s when the The American Paint Horse Association was created to properly organize and define the breed. Today it is a stock type horse; generally smaller in stature, heavily muscled, with good farm work capabilities, and its unique look. ALL Paint horses descend from 3 breeds that carry this gene for their coloration; it must have American Mustang, American Quarter Horse, or American Thoroughbred ancestry in order to be registered. They come in an enormous variety of color combinations and pattern types; I won't detail them here but the genetics behind each is even more incredibly fascinating AND mind boggling! They have a very rich history with Native Americans; particularly a lattern type called the "medicine hat" (a pattern where the head is most white but has a colored patch over the ears and the top portion of the head). It was believed to be an animal of special powers that could protect or otherwise prevent its rider from injury or death.

Great gathering of one of my favourite horses!
I remember watching many Western films as a kid and always loved the mustangs and the Native American horses.
Growing up in Ireland,I lived on the edge of the city and there were many coloured horses,manly cobs and Gypsy Vanner horses and they were kept mainly Romany people and were ignored by the other horsey folk due to their colouring!Thankfully that has all changed now and these horses are appreciated for their colouring.
I have a very good book on the American Paint horse and its history.

That's really neat Taylor, if possible, could you share the title/author and/or a photo of the book? I'd love to find a copy sometime. I too loved Westerns growing up, but really it was for the horses!

These next 2 are not proper breeds, but often are mistaken as such by casual fans. I chose to present them on their own for this reason, as they are very distinctive. The Buckskin and the Palomino:
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The buckskin is a coat color that presents as a diluted bay coat coloration. So named as it reflects the color of a tanned deer hide; it can range from an orange-ish tan, to a very pale yellow (almost white) with dark points. The gene is present in several breeds such as American Quarter horses, but it is not possible in several also such as friesians, belgians, shires, arabians etc. without outcrossing them. The color often gets mistaken as dun and can be caused by a dun gene (these are genetically distinct conditions though), as well as cream or dilution genetics. This color is often very popular amongst Western disciplines and horse owners for its flashy appearance. This also can inflate sale prices for certain genetic lines, but there are also registries designated for this color alone. Some names for the various shades include standard, sooty, buttermilk, silver and dapple.

Palomino is another coat color that presents as a golden bodied base with paler/white points. This can range from a deep ochre to nearly white. The color is often featured in breeds such the American Quarter Horse, but can be found in a number of breeds including draft and mini horses. These horses can also registered just like any true breed can be. Their skin us usually dark or gray, unless it continues a white marking then it have some pink skin coloration. These are generally categorized into 4 basic color types; chocolate or ashy palomino, pearl, light, and golden. These coats are created by a dilution gene for bay or chestnut just like the buckskin.  These are again quite popular in Western tradition and discipline, but have been known to be preferred by royalty and the like for centuries.

Please Paige, what is that beautiful horse ?
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That is a Schleich Pinto Stallion [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I didn't think much of Schleich horses and now I've changed my mind on two occasions.

So many nice models!

I love Clydesdales. The one from CollectA is a real powerhouse! But I also like Schleich's families, except for the recent mare. I probably don't really like her braiding but otherwise she looks fine as well.

The Paints are also awesome. You have my favourite colour variation of Schleich's Pinto stallion from 2007. I really hope to get my hands on him at some point.
From which brand are those big horses in the top left corner actually? They look a little bit like Bruder to me but I can't remember that they had paints... I love the liver chestnut overo one!

Bucksins and Palominos are awesome. I love Buttermilk buckskins but Sooty Buckskins and Palominos are also beautiful.
I think that I've never seen the cutting horse in the top left corner before. He looks awesome! What brand made him?

To the genetics...
I think I have to tuck in a little bit. Maybe you have just some tippoes in there (or I didn't understand that correctly).
Both Buckskin and Palomino are caused by the same dilute - the cream gene. This gene dilutes effectively red hair, it can dilute black hair as well but the effect is not that visible as on red hair.
Chestnut horses have only red hair while bay horses have a black mane, tail, ear tips and legs (the so called "points").
If a horse with a bay base coat has one cream copy, it will be a Buckskin (the red hair on the body gets diluted, the black points, mane and tail stay).
If a horse with a chestnut base coat has one cream copy, it will be a Palomino. It's red mane and tail become white through the dilution.

So if Buckskins aren't allowed in a breed's registry Palominos shouldn't be either. I'm relatively sure that purebred Arabians aren't allowed to carry the cream gene from what I know. Maybe you've meant Andalusians?

I really like Safari's Mustang mare even though I prefer her probably in her Buckskin coat. And their little Palomino foal is very adorable too.

Lovely collection again!I'm showing my age by remembering Palominos from my childhood in the form of Ed the talking horse and Roy Rogers and Trigger!Buckskins and duns are also amongst my favourite horse colours.
Paige-the book is called The American Paint horse by Glynn W Haynes.

I have gotten very behind again, but I love seeing all your horses. I am unfamiliar with so many horse models outside of Breyer, it is fun to see the breed representations by other companies. I didn't know anyone had made a bashkir at all!

I love the little blue paints. They fit right in.

@Kiki, They did have a few for the last years that were pretty good (not favorites, I still love their pre 2010 generation, but good nonetheless).

@KatyLeven, Those big paints are quite similar to Bruder in style but they are Big Country Toys if I am remembering right. And same for the cutting horse- he comes in a barrel racing set but I got him second hand. 

And yes! You saved me in a other mistake! Arabians (and most purebred horses for that matter) can't carry the dilution genes so palomino isn't a registerable color. I fixed that in my writing. Thank you for the fact check!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.], I too love the blue paints.   Something about them is very artistic but I can't place my finger on what artist theu remind me of! Glad to present some Breyer alternatives for you to see.

Gypsy Vanners!
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The breed was developed by the Gypsies of the UK to create a new smaller colored draft type horse; they used shires, clydesdales, and native British ponies to do so. The word "vanner" was used to describe a horse that pulled wagons in a caravan- combining the words created the original name for this breed. They can also be called the Romani Cob or the Tinker horse.The breed can be a variety of colors but are most well known for being skewbald and piebald (black/brown and white). The horse is often described as a "people sized" drafter- they are usually 14-15 hh but have a heavy physique further exaggerated by their long flowing manes and heavily feathered feet. They have a sweet personality and a easily trained mentality- but because they are such quick learners they also learn bad habits fast.

No problem and thank you for the answers!

I love Tinkers! They are nearly the only type of drafts that can be found around us. Tinkers are probably the ones that are connected with my childhood the most. Schleich's Tinker mare from 2004 and Schleich's repainted Tinker stallion from 2015 are definitely my favourites from these just as the 2015 foal.
I'm sort of surprised that you don't have a single Papo Tinker. It seems to be Papo's most favourite breed, they have just released so many of them.