Features and description of the Don horse
The Don horse is an old, domestic breed that was bred in the 18th century, on the territory of the Rostov region, by the Don Cossacks. It belongs to the harness horse breeds . She has a lot of merit. They accompanied the Russian troops and participated in all wars. Their predecessors were steppe horses.
In the 19th century, the state of Russia ordered to bring oriental horses, it was they who gave the Don horses a beautiful bright reddish tint. To improve this breed, Arab and other purebred horses were used. During the civil war, many horses died and a minimal number remained from a large number of horses.
Only in 1920 did people begin to actively restore this breed and in 1935 it almost completely recovered. However, at present the Don horses are considered to be a very rare breed and are facing extinction. A little more and they will be listed in the Red Book.
Don breed horses accustomed to herd life. She looks very beautiful and not capricious. Don horse boasts its height (165 cm). According to the description of the Don horse , it is very similar to cavalry horses.
Don horses have a stretched and muscular body. The head is large, their eyes are beautiful, their neck is strong, their breasts are wide, their legs are strong and muscular. The color of the Don horses is mainly red (any shade of red) or brown, there may be white spots on the head and legs.
The character of the Don horses is very balanced and calm. They behave with children on the positive side, and are great for riding lessons. Such a horse is able to travel a long distance, in just one day a horse can travel up to 300 km. of the way.
For her master she does not create any special problems. Animals of this breed have very strong immunity, and they almost never get sick. In the photo of the Don horse, you can replace how graceful and elegant it is. Her bright coloring can attract and outshine the most famous riders.
Don horses are well adapted to climatic conditions. They can calmly endure cold and heat. Therefore, they can be kept outside in any weather, without an additional structure.
The Don horse is suitable for novice riders, for teaching children to ride, jumping, and just for amateurs. In the Rostov Region and the Krasnodar Territory, they serve perfectly in the Mounted Police and participate in the Cossack speeches. With good and proper care, Don horses can live up to 20 years.
Types of Don Horses
For a hundred years of breeding Don horse formed several subspecies of Don horses . East Karabakh type — The back is in a straight position, the loin is rather strong, the head and neck are slightly elongated. At the withers they reach 160 cm, and the woolen color is bun.
Horses of Persian descent — Persia and Turkey are home countries. They have a slightly long head with a narrow muzzle and large nostrils. Beautiful and wide chest. The withers reach 163 cm. Their coat is short and golden in color.
Eastern — massive horses — They are distinguished by their beauty from other relatives. The withers reach 170 cm, the chest girth is 200 cm. The legs are long. Color red, brown with different shades.
Horse type — They are considered the highest. Usually they flaunt at exhibitions. Their color is red with different shades. The horses of the Don Stud Farm are particularly popular in their historic homeland, they can be called «natives» of the region.
Care and maintenance of the Don horses
For each horse you need special attention and care. Proper care is a guarantee of animal health. For thoroughbred horses require three daily care. To properly care for a horse, you need to purchase: a brush with hard and soft bristles, a hook for hooking, a towel for wiping and an electric clipper. Each item can be purchased individually or as a set.
The wool of any horse , including the Don, needs daily care. Combing is best plastic comb. Every morning, you need to wipe the horse’s eyes and nostrils with a damp sponge. Before the horse ride, you should definitely take a full brush over the whole body. Many owners before the walk legs are wrapped with elastic bandages, this protects the horse from stretching.
It is necessary to begin to scratch on one side of the muzzle and smoothly move to the shoulders and back. The same must be done, on the other hand. Behind the horse needs special attention.
You should always check for the presence of wounds and abrasions in an animal. It is best to rid the legs of excess wool and comb them in a timely manner. After walking, it is recommended to immediately wash the feet with water to get rid of dirt.
It is mandatory for the hooves to be cleaned with a special hook (especially after a walk), experts call this “hooking”. With a slight movement of the hand to take the leg and bend at the knee.
Clean the hoof from dirt, check for wounds and gently place it on the ground. Washing horses is not difficult. The most important thing is to make the animals love this procedure. Water should be warm. You can use a special shampoo for horses.
It is necessary to clean the stall from time to time. To do this, bring the horses into the street and remove all straw and dung with forks, sweep the area and carefully check all the corners. It is possible to use water when cleaning and sparing cleaning products. Let the stall dry out and put a clean straw in it. Then pour fresh water and feed. At this cleaning is over.
Don horse feeding
Proper nutrition ensures a healthy, beautiful horse . In the diet of an ungulate animal, the main thing is grass. It is in the grass that it can get all the useful elements for the body, but anyway, other than grass, you need to give other food.
Horses love hay. On the day they are able to eat it up to 15 kg. In no case should animals be fed with dirty or moldy hay. It is useful for them to give oats and sweet corn. Concentrated mixtures can also be included in the daily diet ration.
They are engaged in cooking at the factory. As part of the mixture may be grain and bran. Fresh, mowed grass is suitable for feeding. The main thing is that its humidity should not exceed 20%.
Salt must be present in the diet of horses . There is a different salt and its varieties can be distinguished by color. In white salt, table salt is present, brown salt contains minerals, and red salt contains iodine.
It is necessary to know how much water to give. It depends on the weight of the animal. If the horse lives on the street, then you should install special drinkers. In the stall there is a special, stationary bowl for horses.
In winter, the horse must in order to get enough drinking water. Attention! You should not give ice water to horses and it is strongly not recommended to water the animal immediately after walking or physical exertion. It is best to wait about an hour.
Price Don horse
You can buy a Don horse in the Rostov region, in special horse clubs or at a horse farm. Price Don horse ranges from 300 thousand to 600 thousand rubles. Price depends on the exterior. At the moment, the breeding of Don horses engaged in Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Owner’s review of the Don horse
“My name is Irina SA I am a villager and adore horses since childhood. In my youth, I was engaged in an equestrian club and I always had a dream to have my own horse . I thought about this topic for a long time and didn’t know which breed I should stop at; I reviewed many options. I saw a Don horse on one site , I really liked it. ”
“I bought myself a young stallion in Moscow for 350 thousand rubles. I am very pleased with my new purchase. He does not show any aggression. I have a little daughter and she also loved him very much. Now I am starting to teach her to ride a horse. ”
