• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I Heart Horses
  • Care
  • News
  • Fun
  • Heartwarming
  • Videos
  • Rescue
  • Horse Fun
  • Tips For Riders
  • Fun Facts
  • Stories
  • Contact Us
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Care
  • News
  • Fun
  • Heartwarming
  • Videos
  • Rescue
  • Horse Fun
  • Tips For Riders
  • Fun Facts
  • Stories
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Care
    • News
    • Fun
    • Heartwarming
    • Videos
    • Rescue
    • Horse Fun
    • Tips For Riders
    • Fun Facts
    • Stories
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Fun Facts

    Equine 411: The Horse Types Defined

    Modified: May 1, 2020 by Modi Ramos · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

    Horses are truly magnificent creatures. They come in all shapes and sizes, and each has a purpose or a job to do. Fun fact for you: Did you know that there are over 350 breeds of horses and ponies all over the world? It would be impossible to remember them all. However, each of these 350+ breeds fits into a type of category. Do you know what the horse types are? We're here to break them down for you so that you can add to your growing index of horse knowledge—in case you didn't already know them!

    what types of horses are there

    A Quarter Horse

    The Horse Types are as Follows....

    Warmbloods, Coldbloods, and Hotbloods

    These terminologies are used in relation to the horse's temperament and the task in which they perform. 

    With warmbloods, this descriptive is used to classify a medium-sized horse, and this relates to the temperament of the horse. The Cleveland Bay, Quarter Horse, and Hanoverian are a few examples of this horse type. Warmbloods are a middleweight horse which was bred by crossing a hot blood light horse and a cold blood draft horse.

    what are the types of horses

    Hanoverian Horse

    Warmbloods excel at equestrian Olympic sports, dressage, and jumping. This particular blend of temperaments allows for the athleticism of the hot blooded Arabian or Thoroughbred while matched with the calm demeanor of a working horse which is "cold-blooded."

    Your hotbloods are descendants of the Arabian horses. These horses are incredibly fast and are bred specifically for speed and agility. They have thin skin, long, lean legs and elegant frames.

    types of horses

    Arabian Horse

    Warmbloods are just as their name implies. They are a middleweight horse created by the cross between a coldblood draft horse and a hotblood light horse. Generations of this refined breeding has resulted in the best of both worlds.

    Today, these are the types of horses you will see in show arenas all over the world. Due to the warmbloods constant interaction with people, they've grown to become some of the most intelligent of all horses.

    types of horses

    Friesian Horse, originally bred as a draft horse

    Your coldbloods are big, strong, and born to work. Your draft horses will fall into this classification of horse. Breeders expertly designed these horses to do work on farms, etc. These massive equines pull plow, carriages and plows. And they do so with ease.

    Some of the most famous American coldbloods are the Budweiser Clydesdales. On average, draft horses weigh over 1600 lbs, are 16 hands tall or more, and have the ability to pull double their weight for short distances. These large horses are known by many for their calm disposition and level-headed attitude.

    horse types

    Pinto Horse

    Light Horses 

    A light horse is the complete opposite of a draft horse. Their important purpose is to use their endurance, speed, and agility. These horses can be found from ranches to racetracks. They excel at being ridden as they were bred for this exact purpose.

    A light horse can vary in several factors, including build, coat color, weight, and height. Some examples of light horses include: Paints, Morgans, American Quarter Horses, and Pintos. The light horses of today can be traced back through their Thoroughbred and Arabian ancestors. They can also perform light work, such as pulling buggies. The temperament of the light horse can also vary based on the breed of horse in which they are.

    Portrait of a appaloosa horse foal in the wild

    Appaloosa Horse

    Gaited Horses

    Given the adjective to describe this classification, it should come as no surprise that these horses are mostly known for their gait. When it comes to gaited horses, they offer a smooth ride which can be labeled as a walk, trot, or gallop. The Tennessee Walking Horse is likely the most famous and easily recognizable horse of this type. This type of horse offers the rider a smooth ride and can be ideal for those wanting to avoid bouncing around too much. They typically follow a four step pattern and are a great riding choice for those with joint issues. A gaited horse is an excellent choice for those who enjoy trail riding.

    types of horses

    Icelandic Horses

    MajesticRider.com tells more about these favorites of the equine world:

    A gaited horse moves each leg independently, so there is always one foot on the ground, since they are transferring weight to different legs but never suspending themselves in the air, as is done with a trot, there is less energy used by the horse.  This use of less energy gives the horse more stamina and enables him to travel long distances without as much energy that would be required by a trotting horse.

    A few other gaited horse breeds include the Icelandic horse, the American Saddlebred, the Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, and the Appaloosa.

    types of horses

    Shetland Ponies

    Ponies

    A pony is any mature horse which comes in under 14.2 hands. The miniature horse and the Icelandic horse are the only two exemptions to this ruling. Despite their smaller size, these horses are incredibly versatile and excel at many tasks. Ponies have been used for centuries for riding, packing, jumping, and even plowing.

    Some of the most popular ponies include the Welsh Mountain Pony, Shetland Pony, and the Highland Pony.

    horse types

    Welsh Mountain Pony

    Horse Courses by Elaine Heney

    • Listening to the Horse - The Documentary by Elaine Heney & Grey Pony Films
    • Shoulder In & Out Training for better balance, bend & topline development with your horse
    • Over 110+ Polework Exercises & Challenges to Download
    • Dancing at Liberty & Creating Connection with Your Horse (11 lessons) - Grey Pony Films
     

    Fun history fact for you: On the pony express, the word "pony" was used because these horses selected were under 14 hands—but not actual ponies. There were typically Morgans, Thoroughbreds, Pintos, and Mustangs that were used depending on the area of the trail.

    Did you learn anything new and exciting about horse types? Share this article with other equine enthusiasts so they can learn something new, too.

    horse types

    Belgian Draft Horses

     

    More Fun Facts

    • 17 Inspirational TikTok Horse Accounts To Lift Your Spirits
    • 27 Mistakes Books and Movies Make About Horses
    • Horse with show ribbon
      5 Unique Ways to Display Horse Show Ribbons in Your Home
    • How Far Can A Horse Travel In A Day?

    Sharing is caring!

    15.7K shares
    • Share15.6K
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dale berry

      April 01, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      Thank you very enjoyable and uninformative article

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Search

    Recent Posts

    • 17 Gorgeous Equestrian Outfit Ideas for Women
    • 15 Fantastic Pictures of Horse's Jumping to Make You Smile
    • Pros and Cons of Braiding Your Horse's Mane or Tail
    • 10 Things to Do with Your Horse That Aren't Riding
    • 30 Stunning Pictures of White Horses You Must See

    Categories

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    iHeartHorses.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 · iHeartHorses Inc.

    15.7K shares
    • 15.6K

    Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy