Swiss Warmblood

The Swiss Warmblood ( CH Warmblood ), also ( modern ) called hermit, is a warm-blooded horse breed that originated after the Second World War. The most important is crossed Swiss breed is the Hermit ( Cavallo della Madonna). The Hermit is indistinguishable from the Swiss Warmblood today.

• 3.1 Notes and references

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

Exterior

The Swiss Warmblood is a large, quiet, well built horse of about 1.68 m in size, which is suitable for all lines of cavalry. The selection and performance test procedures are strict. The stallions are carefully selected and must pass with 3 ½ years and 5 years, a performance test. The tests include show jumping, dressage, cross-country course and driving. The exterior is important, and the horses are selected only if the parents are performance tested. Mares are performance tested at the age of three years and can only be entered if the parents are registered half-bloods.

Breeding history

Although the Swiss Army had a long time about cavalry, the Switzerland based in the past mainly on the import of horses. However, horses were exported in the 19th century, to France, Germany and even England. Nevertheless, the horse breeding in Switzerland can be traced back to the 10th century to the Benedictine Monastery of Einsiedeln. The stables of the monastery is considered the oldest working stud farm in Europe. Today, the focus of the Swiss horse breeding on the National Stud in Avenches and the breeding of the modern hermit is.

The continued existence of Europe's oldest horse breeding and Switzerland, the Cavalli Madonna is currently under threat.

Hermit

The origins of the hermit date from the 10th and 11th centuries, the breed is justified on the basis of indigenous Schwyer. To 934 came provost Eberhard von Strasbourg with an entourage in the dark forest, in its place now home to the village and the monastery of Einsiedeln are. The first hand-written proof of a large number of horses is a document of King Henry IV from February 1064 dar. 1655 the first stud book was opened. After some hybridisation with Spanish, Italian, Turkish and Fries stallions, Father Isidor Moser in 1784 a second, extensive index together.

The largest incision experienced the breed after the conquest of Switzerland by Napoleon. The generals of his army gave the most beautiful horses from the royal stables each other, so that after the withdrawal of the French breeding had to be quasi -recorded. In the 19th century the breed was improved by Anglo-Norman mares and the 1865 imported Yorkshire Coach Horse stallion Bracken. Later they went on to a mixture of Holstein / Norman intersection.

Swiss Warmblood

After the Second World War increased the interest in riding and sport horse in Switzerland. Around 1960, the breed of Swiss Warmblood was born, which is grown on the National Stud in Avenches. The stud symbol, the Swiss cross, also serves as a fire sign. Towards the end of the 1960s, Swedish and Irish mares were imported to Avenches. The stallions used were also different, among other things, there were Anglo-Normans, Holsteiner and Sweden, as well as some native stallions.

One of the most important bloodlines include those of the Anglo-Normans Ivoire ( b. 1957 ). Que d' Espoir (* 1960) and Orimate du Mesnil (* 1958). Also the Swedish Warmbloods Aladin (* 1964) was very influential, as are the two Holsteiner Astral (* 1957) and Chevalier ( born 1956 ).

Since the National Stud in Avenches is very tolerant in the selection of stallions and how the modern hermit Thoroughbreds, Hanoverians, Swedish Warmbloods, Selle Français, as well as occasionally also establishes Trakehner, the number of imports going back now.

Swell

• Jane Kidd: horses. Karl Müller Verlag, Erlangen, 1993, ISBN 3-86070-327-7
• Origins of the horses races of Europe
• Swiss Warmblood