Trakenen horse breed: history and description

The homeland of these beauties is East Prussia. The Trakenen horse breed got its name due to the locality of the same name Trakenen, which translates as “forest by the swamp”. The history of this horse, at first glance, is not so rich in the centuries-old traditions that such well-known breeds as Kabardian, English or Arabic possess. But this does not prevent the Trakenen horses from being famous all over the world for their exceptional sporting qualities and beauty.

Breed history

The breed's year of birth is considered to be the 1732th. Actually, this is the year of the opening of the stud farm by direct decree of the Prussian King Frederick William II. From there, the Trakenen horse breed leads its history (photo). The official recognition of the breed occurred later, in 1786. And before that, there was an active selection work. To improve the qualities of the traken (or traken), the best samples of Arabian and English stallions were purchased. And these works have borne fruit. At the end of the 18th century, horses of a new selection became regular participants in prestigious races, in the 19th century exclusively the Trakenian breed of horses was supplied to the Prussian royal court, and already at the beginning of the 20th century, trakens were proclaimed one of the best riding species in Europe.

Dramatic periods

During the Second World War, the breed was on the verge of extinction. During the bombing in the area of ​​Koenigsberg and Trakenen, hundreds of horses were killed, of the breeding stallions managed to save only four individuals. At the end of the war, the Trakenen Conveyor passed to the Soviet Union in the form of a trophy. Further breeding of the breed took place under the supervision of the All-Union Institute of Horse Breeding, under the personal supervision of Marshal Budyonny. And at the time of Khrushchev, the Trakenensky breed of horses was on the verge of death for the second time: horse breeding was considered inappropriate, and pedigree horses literally went under the knife. It took decades to revive the breed. Today it is again on the list of the most prestigious sports and riding breeds in the world. Two types are known - “Russian” and “German” - the descendants of horses, which were saved in the USSR and Germany in the post-war decades.

Breed characteristics

The Trakenen breed of horses belongs to the half-breed riding sport. This is a large animal, up to 165-180 cm at the withers, strong and muscular.

The suit is often bay, red, sometimes gray, very rarely gray in apples. A long neck, a light wide head, a strong back, elongated croup, while compact. This horse has rhythmic movements, a wide stride and a lynx. The legs in relation to the body are not very long, but very strong and jumping. It is this quality - jumping ability - that brought the horse to the front ranks of sports horses, which have no equal in overcoming obstacles. At the same time, they show high results in dressage, and in show jumping, and in triathlon. It is enough to recall the 1980 Olympic champion, a stallion of the Trakenens breed with the nickname Pepel, who became famous throughout the world under the saddle of the famous Elena Petushkova. The excellent exterior, driving and sporting qualities of the horse contribute to the fact that the Trakenen breed of horses is used to improve many other breeds. Sale of purebred trakens is possible in many regions of Russia. It is advisable to buy them only from breeding studs with a good reputation.

Trakenen took root on Russian soil and became one of the recognized favorites in classic equestrian sports. In addition, this horse is a friend, a partner horse, which is confirmed by real fans of this Prussian breed.