Nonius horse

The vernier (Hungarian Nóniusz ) is the oldest Hungarian Warmblood horse breed that is not due to the local Hungarian Landrace. It was founded in 1816 by the Anglo - Normans in the Hungarian Nonius Stallion Stud Mezöhegyes.

Background information on the evaluation and breeding horses can be found at: exterior, interior and horse breeding.

Exterior

The exterior of the vernier is reminiscent of a typical coach horse. The vernier has a large Roman nose, a long muscular neck, a wide, low-set chest and a little reared lower abdomen. The withers are pronounced and goes into a long, broad back with sloping croup. The legs are strong and are characterized by large joints. The vernier measuring 155 to 165 cm stick. Represented in the coat colors are predominantly brown and black horse with a slight reddish tint. Foxes are rare. White markings also occur rarely and in very small extent.

Interior

The vernier is characterized by its toughness and durability. Despite its vibrancy of the vernier has an even temperament and is very good-natured and willing to learn. He is the earliest fully grown at six years, it reached a high age, and is very fertile. The vernier is very versatile, as a driving force in agriculture, as a carriage horse and beyond as a riding horse.

Breeding history

The breed is named after the founding father, the Anglo - Normans black stallion named Nonius, who was born in 1810 in France. He is said to have been bred and raised in the Calvados stallion depot Bec Hellouin in Eure. Both his father and his mother Orion to have had an English thoroughbreds to the Father. About his birthplace and his lineage, however, there are different information, it is assured that he led a high proportion of English thoroughbreds. The Austrian army captured Nonius 1815 after Napoleon's defeat of the French stud Rosières- aux- Salines, and brought him to Vienna. From there he was brought Mezöhegyes in 1816, founded by Emperor Joseph II in 1784 National Stud, where he was employed until his death in 1832 at stud.

The stallion whose attractiveness was reduced by a heavy rams head with deep-set small eyes, was paired with Hungarian and Turkish, Spanish, Arabic and Lipizzaner mares, from which 15 stallions emerged. Among them vernier IV of the Spanish mare Gascon, go over it all the extant representatives of the breed back. Inbred and prepotence the vernier despite the diversity of mares a uniform race originated. To prevent inbreeding depression was from 1860 English thoroughbred introduced into the breeding, which also disappeared the smaller error in the exterior of the ancestor and the breed was lighter overall.

1861 has begun to distinguish two types of the breed: The heavy and larger type found as a driving force in agriculture use. The slight smaller type was used as carriage and riding horse. The lighter guy comes today as a sports horse for use. At Nissen you read, however, that it is the division of the race in two strokes, as alleged in all places to be a misconception that only the mare herd in Mezöhegyes on the size and also not broken down by the descent had been.

As early as 1885, the Nonius breed was operated not only in Mezöhegyes, but also in Hortobágy. Since 1948, here also a significant Nonius breed developed. This creates two types emerged: in Mezöhegyes a larger mostly black guy in Hortobágy a smaller mostly brown type. Today in Mezohegyes 40 and in Hortobágy are 60 mares. The total population about 450 mares and 80 stallions of the breed Nonius in Hungary. In Romania and Serbia - Montenegro, there are Hungarian -born vernier stocks with small numbers.

The first international award went to the race vernier in the form of the gold medal at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900, entitled The ideal horse. After the Second World War there was a need in a sport horse. By crossing the Nonius breed with western European sport horses, particularly Holsteiners, the Hungarian sport horse breed was founded.