Horse Breeds A–Z

Horse Breeds A–Z — 30 breeds, with pictures

A picture-led guide to the world's horse and pony breeds — from the Arabian and Thoroughbred to draft giants, sport warmbloods and India's own Marwari, Manipuri and Zanskari. How to tell each one apart, what it's bred for and how it copes with the climate. Filter by type, use or origin, or just start typing.

30horse breeds, A–Z
30with pictures
📖 Horse Breeds, With Pictures — tap through the Web Story →
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Showing all 30 horse breeds

Akhal-Teke horse with a metallic golden sheen to its coat Akhal-Teke Equus ferus caballus The 'golden horse' of Turkmenistan — a slender desert breed with a famous metallic sheen and great endurance. American Paint Horse with a tobiano coat pattern American Paint Horse Equus ferus caballus A stock horse with bold pinto markings — the muscle and mind of a Quarter Horse in a coat of white patches. Red roan American Quarter Horse standing American Quarter Horse Equus ferus caballus America's most popular breed — a calm, muscular all-rounder and the fastest horse over a quarter-mile sprint. Grey Andalusian horse with a thick mane Andalusian Horse Equus ferus caballus The noble horse of Spain — a strong, elegant grey with a thick mane, built for high-school dressage. Spotted Appaloosa horse with a blanket coat pattern Appaloosa Equus ferus caballus The spotted horse of the Nez Perce — leopard and blanket coats, mottled skin and striped hooves. Grey Arabian horse standing, showing its dished face and high tail Arabian Horse Equus ferus caballus The oldest riding breed and the great endurance horse — a dished face, high-set tail and famous stamina. Bay Clydesdale draft horse with white feathered legs Clydesdale Equus ferus caballus Scotland's feather-legged draft giant — the famous bay horse with white 'socks' and big, dinner-plate feet. Grey Connemara pony mare standing Connemara Pony Equus ferus caballus Ireland's athletic native pony — hardy, kind and a famous jumper that can carry a grown adult. Dutch Warmblood sport horse standing Dutch Warmblood Equus ferus caballus The Netherlands' top-ranked sport horse (KWPN) — a modern athlete built for dressage and show jumping. Black Friesian horse with long flowing mane, side view Friesian Horse Equus ferus caballus The jet-black 'baroque' horse of the Netherlands — long flowing mane, feathered legs and a high, showy stride. Piebald Gypsy Vanner cob with heavy leg feathering Gypsy Vanner Equus ferus caballus The Romani cob of Britain and Ireland — a small, strong piebald with a full mane and heavy leg feather. Chestnut Haflinger horse with a flaxen mane and tail Haflinger Equus ferus caballus The golden chestnut mountain horse of the Tyrol — small, strong and endlessly good-natured. Hanoverian warmblood sport horse standing Hanoverian Equus ferus caballus Germany's premier sport horse — an athletic warmblood dominating Olympic dressage and show jumping. Icelandic horse with a thick double coat Icelandic Horse Equus ferus caballus Iceland's hardy five-gaited horse — small, thick-coated and the only breed on its island for a thousand years. White Lipizzaner stallion of the classical dressage schools Lipizzaner Equus ferus caballus The white stallions of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna — baroque horses of classical 'airs above the ground'. Manipuri pony, the breed of the original game of polo Manipuri Pony Equus ferus caballus The pony that gave the world polo — a small, hardy breed from Manipur in India's northeast. Marwari horse showing its distinctive inward-curving ears Marwari Equus ferus caballus India's own war horse of Rajasthan — unmistakable for its inward-curving ears that can touch at the tips. Mongolian horse on the steppe Mongolian Horse Equus ferus caballus The steppe horse of the Mongols — a short, tough, half-wild breed of legendary stamina. Chestnut Morgan horse standing Morgan Horse Equus ferus caballus America's first breed — a compact, versatile horse tracing to a single remarkable stallion. Feral Mustang gelding standing on open range Mustang Equus ferus caballus The free-roaming horse of the American West — tough, sure-footed and descended from Spanish colonial stock. Dun Norwegian Fjord horse with an upright, trimmed mane Norwegian Fjord Equus ferus caballus Norway's ancient dun pony-horse — a sturdy draft type with a striped mane cut to stand upright. Grey Percheron draft horse standing Percheron Equus ferus caballus France's elegant draft horse — a grey or black heavy horse with Arabian blood and surprising agility. Przewalski's horse, the last truly wild horse, on the steppe Przewalski's Horse Equus ferus przewalskii The last truly wild horse — a stocky, dun steppe horse that was never domesticated and once went extinct in the wild. Small, stocky Shetland pony standing Shetland Pony Equus ferus caballus The tough little pony of the Scottish isles — tiny, immensely strong and thickly coated against the cold. Shire draft horse, one of the tallest horse breeds Shire Equus ferus caballus The tallest horse breed — England's black-or-bay draft colossus, bred to pull where engines could not reach. Standardbred harness-racing horse standing Standardbred Equus ferus caballus The harness racer — a calm, level-headed trotter and pacer bred to race in front of a sulky. Tennessee Walking Horse standing in profile Tennessee Walking Horse Equus ferus caballus The smooth-gaited Southern show horse — famous for a gliding four-beat 'running walk' you can sit all day. Bay Thoroughbred racehorse standing in profile Thoroughbred Equus ferus caballus The racehorse — a lean, long-legged athlete bred for flat-out speed over distance. Welsh pony standing in a paddock Welsh Pony Equus ferus caballus Wales's hardy, pretty mountain pony — a brilliant children's and sport pony with Arabian-like refinement. Zanskari pony in the high mountains of Ladakh Zanskari Equus ferus caballus A cold-hardy mountain pony of Ladakh — sure-footed at high altitude, where it carries loads and people.
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How this guide is put together

Each entry is written from real, checkable facts — how to recognise the horse breed, where it lives, what it eats and how it sounds — in plain language, not padded out. Photos are used only where we have one under an open licence, credited on the horse breed's own page. We add to it in careful batches rather than dumping a thin list.

Dog Breeds A–Z →Popular and Indian native dog breeds, with pictures.Animals A–Z →Well-known wild animals and India's own wildlife.Animals for sale →Horses and other animals listed by owners near you.