The Oldenburg breed is one of the oldest warm-blooded horse breeds that arose in the 17th century in a small German county (Oldenburg province, East Frisia). Named in honor of its founder, Count Anton Gunter von Oldenburg (1603-1667), who was passionately fond of horse breeding. His horse breeder subsequently became the best in Germany. And no wonder. Many factors contributed to this: a mild marine climate, spacious pastures rich in greenery, and also close proximity to Holland, which has long been famous for its ancient traditions of horse breeding. The Oldenburg horse at the beginning of its evolutionary development looked like a harnessed one, with a high-ranking gait (for the convenience of a collar), with movable wrists and shoulders. Then over the years, the appearance of the horse changed. German horse breeders always quickly adapted to the ever-changing demands on horses. However, it was not so much a quick change of orientation that made the Oldenburg horses popular, but rather the high quality standards for horses. For example, throughout the 17th century, the Oldenburg horse acted as a baroque-style horse. Continue reading →