Revolution in horse breeding
The
Gelderlander only heir of the centuries old
European multi-purpose horse breeds Revolution In the
past century in the Netherlands two radical revolutions have taken place in
the warmblood horse breeding. In both cases the Gelderlander horse has not
joined in it and has remained versatile. A revolution in breeding by which
the breeding aim is modified radically, leads to quality loss in other
points. For example the radical transformation of the multi-purpose horse to a
heavy warmblood draught horse was at cost of the riding horse qualities and
the drastic change of the multi-purpose horse in a light riding horse resp.
harness horse has negative consequences on the level-headed and reliable
character. Multi-purpose horse
Until the
end of the First World War the warmblood horse breeding in North West Europe
had a comparable breeding goal from Sweden to France already centuries. In
all countries a light multi-purpose warmblood horse was bred on the
agricultural farms. The vast majority of the bred horses was sold however for
persons transportation, the transportation of goods and for the army (cavalry
and artillery). It was thus a multi-purpose warmblood horse of which the
smaller weight was caused by the use outside the agriculture. Between the
different breeding areas an exchange of blood lines took place regularly. Of
this nobody made a problem: studbooks didn’t exist, the breeding aim was
everywhere the same and the heavy work in the agriculture by all breeding
mares was an excellent selection. Yet the regional differences were larger
than between the European riding horse studbooks now, and so the Gelderlander
was well-known in whole Europe for its good character and elegant appearance. Groninger horses
After the
end of the First World War in 1918 a large reduction of the armies took
place. At the same time there was an
expansion of the persons and cargo transportation by train and car. Therefore
the demand for multi-purpose horses finished and there was a strong rise of
the coldblood draught horse in the agriculture. As a
reaction on that in Oldenburg a revolution in breeding took place, by which
the multi-purpose warmblood horse in short time was changed in a very heavy
warmblood draught horse. The example of Oldenburg was followed in The
Netherlands, Denmark and in parts of Easterly Germany and Poland. The heavy
warmblood horse in the Netherlands is named Groninger horse. Gelderlander horse Self-confident breeders in Gelderland came
against this in action. They wanted maintain the multi-purpose horse. They
separated self in 1925 in an independent Gelderlander Horse Studbook (GPS).
The Groninger stallions remained recognized for the Gelderlander breed, but
the opposite was not the case. In 1939 there came a joint studbook for the
Dutch warmblood horse with in it two separate registers for the heavier and
lighter type: the Studbook Groninger type (Sgrt) and the Studbook
Gelderlander type (Sgldt).
In the
North of The Netherlands three provincial studbooks for the Groninger horse
were operative, that merged in 1943 in the NWP. After the
Second World War the tractor in the agriculture took over the heavy work of
the horse. At the same time there was a large rise of the riding sport as
recreation. Therefore the heavy
warmblood horses had to become lighter. For the Groninger breed for this were
imported some mares of the multi-purpose remained Holsteiner horse, from
which by a Groninger sire the famous stallion Sinaeda is born. Later on
Gelderlander stallions were approved for the Groninger breed. Also many
Gelderlander mares had been bred more heavily during the war years. Therefore
±1950 the multi-purpose stallions L'Invasion (France) and Normann (Holstein)
were imported to make the Gelderlander horse more fit for the riding sport in
the weekend.
The capability
for the work in the agriculture during the rest of the week remained however
in front. In this
same context ±1960 again a few multi-purpose stallions, as Amor (Holstein)
and Eclatant (Hanover) are imported in the Netherlands to strengthen the Gelderlander
breed. Sportregister / KWPN Since
1960 much Dutch horse breeders and riders - in imitation of the foreign
studbooks - wanted change radically the multi-purpose Gelderlander horse in a
specialized riding horse so fast possible. Large numbers of stallions with
whole other blood then the European multi-purpose warmblood horses have been
used for that. The Gelderlander breeders refused acceptance of these
bloodlines in their breed, for these had been bred for a whole other breeding
aim. Moreover the horses with the new bloodlines were no longer subjected to
the heavy selection in the agriculture. Therefore for such stallions and
their offspring was established an apart Sportregister and only a horse with
minimally 75% Gelderlander blood could be registered in the original
studbook. Because
one expected that the as riding horse bred horses with other blood would be
better sport horses than the multi-purpose agriculture horses, the
Sportregister increased enormously. With the help of Hackney-blood at the
same time specialized show horses were bred for the harness
horse classes in the
show ring. In the past already Hackney-blood was promoted strongly by
important persons outside the agriculture, who were supporters of a light horse
for the buggy. The farmers however didn’t like Hackney-blood in their horses
and so in the Gelderlander breed nothing of it was remained. At the
founding of KWPN in 1970 was decided for a division in riding horses and
harness horses and remained furthermore the multi-purpose horses allowed yet.
Within a few years however new multi-purpose stallions were not approved at
all and the old proved stallions were disapproved "because of
superfluity". Basic horse /
Gelderlander horse
Self-confident
breeders in Gelderland came in action against this. They wanted to maintain
the versatile multi-purpose horse. At the same time from the Dutch Rare
Breeds Survival Foundation was founded an independent studbook for the
Groninger horse, of which the KWPN had disapproved already the last remained
stallion. The Gelderlander breeders obtained in 1980 again an own breeding direction within the KWPN, but this no longer might be named "Gelderlander
horse" but "basic horse". The name "Gelderlander
horse" could depend on many sympathy yet, especially on the side of the
old breeders, and "basic horse" means that this is not the real
breeding goal. A number of years later on by an adaptation of the rules the
name "Gelderlander horse" is rehabilitated. Then already many sympathizers
of the versatile horse had been changed on the breeding of riding horses or
harness horses. Rare breed
De
Gelderlander is a rare breed; each year only a few are born. Moreover
Gelderlanders have little chance to arrive in the top sport. In the
Netherlands, the competitions in the basic sports are searched for talented
horses intensively by merchants, because they can find there too little.
These merchants and the Dutch top riders – through the versatility of the
Gelderlander and its aptitude for the recreation – are not interested in
Gelderlanders for the top sport. Therefore the Gelderlander horses in the top
sport are either before as unknown talent sold abroad and purchased by
unprejudiced riders, who do not know what is a Gelderlander, or they are in
the Netherlands purchased by a beginning rider with the talent and the
perseverance to rise together with a young horse to the top sport.
Yet - in
proportion to the number of foals that annually is born - the share
Gelderlander blood in the top sport is striking large. Annually
much more harness horses with Hackney-blood are born than Gelderlanders. In
spite of that no harness horse with Hackney-blood excelled ever in the
(international) dressage or jumping sport. In the
driving sport the Gelderlanders provided exceedingly striking performances
always. The best-known horse all over the world in the driving sport is
Paledo of IJsbrand Chardon. There are now harness horses (with besides many
Gelderlander-blood also Hackney-blood) that achieve well in the international
driving sport. These are not Gelderlanders, but less succeeded harness horses
with economic movements instead of much knee-action. Hackney-influence in the
character is compensated on the this level in the sport by the professional
quality of the drivers and the intensive training. Gelderlander Horse AssociationThe main
characteristic of the Gelderlander is the good character and the aptitude for
use by not-professional riders and drivers in the recreation. In the Dutch agriculture always has been
selected very strongly on docility, work willingness and health. A few years ago by the board of KWPN the
breeding aim for the Gelderlander has been changed radically by finishing
completely the requirement of minimally 75% Gelderlander blood. Moreover
horses with - formerly unwanted – riding horse blood are high placed on the
inspections and the breeders of such horses are praised for their blood
widening, while the old original Gelderlander stallions are labeled as
old-fashioned instead of promoted. The
breeders of Gelderlander horses have indicated by various occasions (for
example an inquiry of the Dutch Rare Breeds Survival Foundation) not to agree
with this. However in vain. For this
reason end 2005 the Gelderlander Horse Association is founded, that aims to
maintain the versatile horses, with minimally 75% original blood as that was
- until recently - the breeding aim of KWPN too.
Biodiversiteit Breeding
is selecting for a breeding goal. Very strict selection on one point goes at
the cost of other points. On some
affairs, one can select already at the birth - for instance the black color
of Frisian horses - and then is on such point faster result to obtain. Fore almost all selection criteria - and
certainly for a combination of that - it is much more difficult. An example of this are the qualities of
the Gelderlander gelding Tepic la Silla.
He could not participate in the Olympic Games in 2004 because of a tendon injury.
From this he has recovered entirely in spite of its age and as a 17 years old
horse this Gelderlander has returned in 2005 - with the fourth international
rider - in the absolute world top of showjumping. Thus a horse with a) a good
health, b) a large work willingness, c) much performance capacity and d) a
good character. His sire Akteur has competed in international showjumping
till his 18 years, has remained 27 years healthy and is also the sire of
Creool and damsire of for example Aktion, Judgement and Luidam; all these are
KWPN-stallions with a brilliant record of service in the international
dressage or showjumping. If selection was simple Tepic la Silla would not
have been gelded and Akteur would never have been disapproved by KWPN because
of his classic type. Breeding is thus an affair of long term and with a
balanced selection on all points. For
in breeding too, the weakest link decides the power of the (DNA-)chain. Conservation of biodiversity - so that we
in case of mistakes in breeding or in case of changed circumstances can
revert to what previous generations have attained – is always of interest,
but certainly in relation to a revolution in horse breeding. The
already centuries famous Gelderlander horse with its good character and
elegant appearance – as this for generations is bred and selected for
multi-purpose use – is now an unique gene source, with unsuspected
(international) sport qualities. Anton van
Lijssel |
