Trakehner

Russian Trakehners are superb competition horses.
They are less demanding than their European cousins

he Russian Trakehner is slightly different from its European cousin. It is rangier and lighter and its legs are generally cleaner, especially cannons and fetlocks. It is an excellent mover. The Russian Trakehner is used to herd keeping, and hence is more economical to keep. Although not as enduring as endemic Russian breeds the Russian Trakehner compares favorably with his cousins from Europe.

Average measurements of Russian Trakehners (cm)

	Stallions	Mares
Height	167.4	163.6
Body length	170	168
Chest girth	195	192
Bone below the knee	21.4	20.8

Performance of Russian Trakehners

The Trakehner is very popular in Russia as a competition horse: whereas in the world Trakehners rank the 10th as dressage and showjumping horses, in Russia Trakehners come second. Some Russian Trakehners have been extremely successful in sports. The famous Pepel was many times European and World champion, Topky and Espadron were placed at Olympics, and Prince (Khokei-Pavana) is now one of the best competition horses in Europe. Other outstanding Russian Trakehner performers were Kover, Epigraf, Epokha, Ghercha, Aeron, Tantal, Paket, Fat, Farkhad, Fokus, and many others.
     The field for the Gran Pardubice steeplechase in Czechoslovakia is largely Trakehner.

Temperament

Because of the influence of Thoroughbred blood, the Trakehner is a highly courageous horse. In Russia Trakehners are carefully bred for performance, trainability, and manageability

Origins

The Trakehner originated in what used to be East Prussia and is now a part of Russia. In the early 13th century, the province was colonized by the Order of Teutonic Knights. They established the Trakehnen studs using the indigenous Schweiken as a base. These ponies were plain and often common, but they were also tough and hardly. Schweiken Ponies descend from the Konik Pony — a direct derivative of the primitive Tarpan. They inherit the Tarpan’s extraordinary natural vigor and powers of endurance.
     In 1732, Friedtich Wilhelm I of Prussia founded the Royal Trakehner Stud Administration. This stud was the main source of stallions for all Prussia and the area quickly established a reputation for elegant coach horses. Within 50 years, the emphasis shifted to producing army chargers and remounts of a quality unsurpassed in Europe. Thereafter, increasing use was made of English Thoroughbred and Arab blood, which balanced deficiencies of temperament and constitution.
     By 1913, most Trakehner stallions were Thoroughbred. The greatest influence was Perfectionist, son of Persimmon, who won the English Derby and the St Leger in 1896. The best of his sons, Tempelhuter, provided a powerful line that is recognized as the foundation for the modern Trakehner.

Conformation

The Trakehner has an excellent conformation, which, overall, is like that of a Thoroughbred of substance. It is full of the quality that has earned the breed the title of "noble" — a word much used in describing what may be regarded as Europe’s finest warmblood. It also has an unmistakable character and expression, not always so evident in other warmbloods. It is a wonderfully balanced horse — athletic, agile and having great freedom of movement at all paces. Russian Trakehners are slightly rangier, they combine height with a light, powerful build and an overall elegance of conformation.
     The refined head of the Trakehner exemplifies the background of English Thoroughbred and Arab blood. There is width between the expressive eyes. The alert, mobile ears are always held well. There is ample length to the elegant neck. The withers are long. The ideal Trakehner has good, well-shaped shoulders. The back is strong and often straight. The loins are muscular. The croup is broad and powerful. Good, strong limbs and joints are a feature of the Trakehner. It stands close to the ground on shortish legs and cannons and has ample bone. The hoofs are often harder than with other warmbloods.

Trakehners in Russia

Trakehners were first brought to Russia in 1925 from East Prussia. Most of them were used as remounts for the Russian cavalry. When bred, the mares appeared to be unsuitable for herd keeping and most of them miscarried.
     A second group of Trakehners came to Russia in 1945. They were all concentrated at the Kirov stud on the Don river. Although the bulk of the breed is still at that stud, many good individuals are now produced elsewhere, specifically at private studs. The largest of them is Oros-L near Kaluga, 200 km away from Moscow.

In 1974 the first volume of the Russian Trakehner Stud book was issued by the Russian Institute of Horse Breeding. Six volumes appeared ever since. The Russian Trakehner Stud Book is related to the German Trakehner Stud Book.

In Russia there is a Trakehner association based at the Russian Institute of Horse Breeding. Its chairwoman is Dr. Dorofeeva.

Russian Trakehners are raced on the flat and over hurdles. The following are some of their records:

Oros-L

Oros-L is a fairly new private stud set up by founders of Troika. Its purpose is to breed superb competition horses, mostly Trakehners, for home and international markets. Although fairly young, the stud has made a reputation as a center of excellence. The Russian Trakehner Association awarded the stud the status of the North-Western center of Trakehner breeding in Russia.

Oros has an Arabian stud in Kuban, with its the dry climate and calcium-rich steppe soil. It is an ideal place to breed horses. Nevertheless, it was decided to locate the Trakehner stud in North-West Russia, 200 km away from Moscow, in order to produce horses that could fare perfectly in the rigors of northern climates. One reason was that most of Russian equestrian activities are in Central and Northern Russia, notably Moscow and St. Petersburg.
     A wealth of experience of breeding Trakehners in Russia since 1925 was analyzed, and in consultation with the Institute of Horse Breeding a breeding and schooling procedure was worked out to get a reliable Russian Trakehner that would be tougher than the Kirov Trakehner. Being a private farm, the stud could afford better keeping conditions and vet control.
     The stud is being supervised by Dr. Dorofeeva and Dr. Petushkova, Olympic gold medalist in dressage, Vice-President of the Russian Equestrian Federation, and a great admirer of Russian Trakehners.
     The early crops have suggested that the philosophy paid off. Comparison with Trakehners reared at the Oros stud in Kuban and in the south in general shows that although some Oros-L Trakehners may grow at first a bit slower than Oros Trakehners from Kuban, by their 3d year they level off and even surpass the horses from the south. At the same time they are generally tougher and less susceptible to frost and diseases.
     Another advantage of Oros-L is its easier reach from Moscow.

The stud’s foundation stock has been hand-picked for performance, conformation, and soundness. Among the sires are Glad and Astemur, superb Thoroughbred eventing horses of international renown.

Young horses are being schooled with extreme caution, in the best traditions of Russian horsemanship that preached patience and perseverance with horses. The trainers try not to exert excessive pressure on young horses in order to protect their nervous system, and to produce individuals with courage, mild disposition, and excellent jumping performance.
     Older horses have recently begun to be given on lease to top Russian showjumpers for further training in competitions of various caliber. References coming from the riders are excellent.

Trakehners from Oros-L

Sales

OrosL – can offer for sale 15–20 Russian Trakehners, stallions and mares, of 3 years of age and older, 164-169 cm, sound, with good conformation, initially schooled, ideal for sports.