Editing Warmblood

{{Short description|Middle-weight horse types and breeds}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{For|the biological term classifying a type of animal|Warm-blooded}}
{{for|the song by Carly Rae Jepsen|Emotion (Carly Rae Jepsen album)}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2023}}
[[Image:WCLV07m.JPG|thumb|A [[Trakehner]] performing [[dressage]]]]

'''Warmbloods''' are a group of middle-weight [[Horse breeds|horse types and breeds]] primarily originating in Europe and registered with organizations that are characterized by [[Breed_registry#Open|open studbook]] policy, [[studbook selection]], and the aim of breeding for [[equestrian sport]]. 

== Terminology ==

The term ''warmblood'' was coined to represent a mixing of cold blooded and hot blooded breeds.{{r|belknap|p=523}}{{r|price|p=231}}
* ''Cold blooded'' is a generic term meaning a heavy boned even-tempered horse breed from Northern Europe such as a [[Shire horse|Shire]], [[Clydesdale horse|Clydesdale]] or other [[draft horse]] breed. "Cold" is from the climate of their origin, and does not mean a [[Ectotherm|cold-blooded]] animal.{{r|belknap|p=112}}{{r|price|p=47}}
* ''Hot blooded'' is a generic term meaning a high-spirited horse, generally of [[Arabian horse|Arabian]] or [[Thoroughbred]] bloodlines. "Hot" refers to its temperament and the hot regions of the Middle East and North Africa from which they originated.{{r|belknap|p=55}}{{r|price|p=108}}

Although the term ''warmblood'' is occasionally used to indicate a horse which is a [[F1 hybrid|first generation cross]] between one hot- and one cold-blooded horse, the contemporary meaning refers to horses that have been bred over multiple generations to produce horses that perform well in various [[List of equestrian sports|equestrian sports]]—predominantly [[show jumping]], [[dressage]], [[eventing]], and [[combined driving]].{{r|belknap|p=523}}

''Sport horse'' is a newer term for this type of horse. Older established breed registries retain the word "warmblood", and newer registries tend to use the word "sport horse" (also spelled "sporthorse").{{r|price|p=200}}

== Breeding policies ==

Open studbook policies are different from "true breed" studbooks—such as those for [[Thoroughbred]]s, [[Arabian horse|Arabians]], [[Percheron]]s, and [[Morgan horse|Morgan]]s—which have [[closed stud book]]s and require two [[purebred]] parents to register an offspring. Instead, most warmblood registries accept breeding stock from other similar populations to continuously improve their own, and do not consider their own horses to be a discrete "breed". The [[Trakehner]] is an exception, as although some other breeds are used within the breeding population, this horse is considered a true breed. The [[Hanoverian (horse)|Hanoverian]], [[Holsteiner (horse)|Holsteiner]], and [[Selle Français]] studbooks are also considered slightly less open than others. Most warmblood registries recognize breeding stock from any other registry that is a member of the [[World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses]] which is affiliated with the [[International Olympic Committee|Olympics-recognized]] [[International Federation for Equestrian Sports]].

A defining characteristic of a warmblood registry is [[studbook selection]], though even some purebred breeds in Europe use this practice. Studbook selection is the use of external evaluation to critique [[equine conformation|conformation]] and movement of potential breeding stock to cull unsuitable breeding horses and direct the evolution towards a particular goal. Today, studbook selection usually entails a performance proof in addition to external evaluation, particularly for [[stallion]]s. 

Standards of conformation and movement are not designed to perpetuate a particular ancestral type, but rather to meet a particular need.   This concept is illustrated by the history of the [[Oldenburg (horse)|Oldenburg horse]] through the past 150 years: in the late 19th century, the standard called for a heavy but elegant, high-stepping [[carriage]] horse, in the early 20th century for a heavier, stronger, economical farm and artillery horse, and since 1950 for a modern [[sport horse]]. 

The most critical characteristic of a warmblood registry is that its breeding goal (or "breeding aim") is to breed sport horses. Each registry has a slightly different focus, but most breed primarily for [[show jumping]] and [[dressage]]. Many include [[combined driving]] and [[eventing]] as well. The breeding aim is reflective of the needs of the market. In eras and regions which called for cavalry mounts, warmbloods were bred to fit that need; when and where horses for light to moderate agricultural work<!--as opposed to draft horses--> were needed, warmbloods have also filled those roles. The purposeful evolution of the standard breeding aim is another characteristic of the warmbloods.

Warmbloods have become popular since the end of [[World War II]] when mechanization made agricultural horses obsolete, and recreational riding became more widespread in the western world. The ancestral warmblood types are referred to as the [[heavy warmblood]]s and are preserved through special organizations. The heavy warmbloods have found their niche as family horses and in [[combined driving]].

== Warmblood registries ==

Most warmbloods were developed in continental Europe, especially [[Germany]]. It was once thought that the warmblood type, which originated in continental Europe, descended from wild, native proto-warmblood ancestors,<ref name=schuette>{{cite web |url=http://www.elkrunfarm.com/warmblood.html |title=What Is a Warmblood? |author=Dorene Schuette |access-date=2008-02-19}}</ref> called the [[History of horse domestication theories|Forest Horse]], though modern DNA studies of early horses have disproven this hypothesis.

The best-known German warmbloods are the [[Hanoverian horse|Hanoverian]], [[Holsteiner horse|Holsteiner]], [[Oldenburg horse|Oldenburg]] and the purebred [[Trakehner]]. Others include the [[Württemberger]], [[Rhinelander horse|Rhinelander]], [[Westphalian horse|Westphalian]], [[Zweibrücker]], [[Brandenburger]], [[Mecklenburger]], and [[Bavarian Warmblood]]. Several of these breeds are also represented by ancestral types such as the [[Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger]], Alt-Württemberger, and [[Heavy warmblood|Rottaler]].

Central European warmbloods include the French [[Selle Français]], [[Belgian Warmblood]], [[Dutch Warmblood]], [[Swiss Warmblood]], [[Austrian Warmblood]], and [[Czech Warmblood]]. Scandinavian countries also produce high-quality warmbloods such as the [[Danish Warmblood]] and [[Swedish Warmblood]].

Warmblood registries which are not based in continental Europe include those that regulate the breeding of [[American Warmblood]]s and [[Irish Sport Horse]]s.

== List of warmblood breeds and types==
{{Seealsocat|Warmbloods}}
Not all breeds within the warmblood category are named "warmblood" as such in their studbooks, many have names based upon the geographical region where they were first developed.  In some cases, where there is debate over whether a particular warmblood bloodline is a breed or a type, but the existence of either a studbook selection process in an open registry and/or a breed registry that is restricted or closed is utilized here.
<!--only include warmblood and sporthorse breeds that have an article in Wikipedia and are currently being bred; no extinct ones (or mark extinct ones with a † and add a key at the bottom of the list-->
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* [[American Warmblood]]
* [[Austrian Warmblood]]
* [[Bavarian Warmblood]]
* [[Belgian Sport Horse]]
* [[Belgian Warmblood]]
* [[Brandenburger]]
* [[Brazilian Sport Horse]]
* [[British Warmblood]]
* [[Canadian Sport Horse]]
* [[Czech Warmblood]]
* [[Danish Warmblood]]
* [[Dutch Warmblood]]
* [[Einsiedler]]
* [[Friesian Sporthorse]]
* [[German warmblood]]
* [[Hanoverian horse]]
* [[Holsteiner]]
* [[Hungarian Sport Horse]]
* [[Irish Sport Horse]]
* [[Luxembourg Warmblood]]
* [[Mecklenburger]]
* [[New Zealand warmblood]]
* [[Oldenburger]]
* [[Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger]]
* [[Polish sport horse]]
* [[Rhenish Warmblood]]
* [[Romanian Sport Horse]]
* [[Selle Français]]
* [[Silesian horse]]
* [[Swedish Warmblood]]
* [[Swiss Warmblood]]
* [[Trakehner]]
* [[Westphalian horse]]
* [[Württemberger]]
* [[Zangersheide]]
* [[Zweibrücker]]
}}

==See also==
*[[Sport horse]]
* [[Heavy warmblood]]
*[[List of horse breeds]]

==References==
{{reflist|refs=

<ref name="belknap">{{Cite book |last=Belknap |first=Maria |title=The Allen Equine Dictionary |edition=revised 2004 |publisher=J.A.Allen & Co Ltd |location=London |year=2004 |isbn=085131872X |ol=11598042M}}</ref>

<!--saved for next series of edits
<ref name="breedingobjectives">{{cite journal |title=An overview of breeding objectives for warmblood sport horses |date=2004 |last1=Koenen |first1=E.P.C |last2=Aldridge |first2=L.I |last3=Philipsson |first3=J. |journal=Livestock Production Science |volume=88 |issue=1–2 |pages=77–84 |doi=10.1016/j.livprodsci.2003.10.011}}</ref>
<ref name="inheriteddisorders">{{Cite journal |title=Inherited disorders and their management in some European warmblood sport horse breeds |first=Danica |last=Nikolić |year=2009 |url=https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/3890/ |journal=[[Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences]]}}</ref>
<ref name="pedigreeanalysis">{{Cite journal |title=Pedigree Analysis of Warmblood Horses Participating in Competitions for Young Horses |first1=Tomasz |last1=Próchniak |first2=Kornel |last2=Kasperek |first3=Sebastian |last3=Knaga |first4=Iwona |last4=Rozempolska-Rucin |first5=Justyna |last5=Batkowska |first6=Kamil |last6=Drabik |first7=Grzegorz |last7=Ziȩba |date=14 April 2021 |journal=[[Frontiers in Genetics]] |volume=12 |doi=10.3389/fgene.2021.658403 |doi-access=free |issn=1664-8021}}</ref>
-->

<ref name="price">{{Cite book |last1=Price |first1=Steven D. |last2=Shiers |first2=Jessie |title=The Lyons Press Horseman's Dictionary |publisher=Lyons Press |location=Guilford, CT |year=2007 |edition=Revised |isbn=9781599210360 |ol=8901304M}}</ref>

}}

==Further reading==
*{{Citation |title=The Encyclopedia of the Horse |first=E. H. |last=Edwards |year=1994 |location=London |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |isbn=1-56458-614-6 }}.

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Warmblood sport horses}}
*[http://www.imh.org/ International Museum of the Horse]
*[http://www.wbfsh.org/ World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses]

{{Horse topics}}

[[Category:Types of horse]]
[[Category:Horse breeds]]
[[Category:Warmbloods|*]]