The Kinsky horse or Equus Kinsky Europe's original sport horse was bred until the middle of the 20th century in Bohemia, a part of the modern-day Czech Republic. At one time it was the most prominent breed in that part of the world. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ...

Physical Characteristics

Kinsky horses average 158 cm to 175 cm (15.2 - 17 hands) in height. They are considered to have stamina, athleticism and good character. Their coats can be various shades of gold [40%], bay, and the very rare black. All colors have an intensive gloss. A hand (or handbreadth) is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm, i. ...

Disposition and Use

Much importance is attached to the balanced, good-natured character of these horses. From birth, Kinsky horses are all very much inclined towards humans, friendly and curious.

The Kinsky horse is a versatile, multipurpose horse, suited to Dressage, Western style, Military and Police applications, Eventing, Steeplechasing, fox hunting and polo. It is also suited for Dressage or show jumping at the highest levels. Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... Eventing is an equestrian event which comprises dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. ... A steeplechase race The steeplechase is a form of horse racing (primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ireland) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many... A fox hunt Fox hunting is a form of hunting for foxes using a pack of scent hounds. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...

Origin and History

The development of the Kinsky horse is closely linked with the history of the Kinsky family and in particular Count Oktavian Kinsky. The family of the Count had for decades predominantly bred Thoroughbreds for horse racing or steeplechasing. The first known mention of the breed term "Kinsky horse" or the now-protected designation "Equus Kinsky" is from the year 1838, with the creation of modern sport horse stud book. Previously, the horses were known only as the special horses bred by Count Kinsky. The Kinsky family of the Counts and later Princes Kinsky (formerly Wchinsky or Tynsky) are one of the oldest and most illustrious dynasties originating from Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. ... Count Oktavian Kinsky was born in 1813, a member of the Kinsky dynasty. ... Thoroughbred race horses The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known as a race horse. ... Horse-racing is an equestrian sporting activity which has been practiced over the centuries; the chariot races of Roman times were an early example, as was the contest of the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... A sport horse is term used to describe a type of horse, although not a particular breed. ... A breed registry, also known as a stud book, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. ...

At the beginning of the Dark Ages circa 1200 it is said that a Bohemian Princess was out hunting when her entourage was attacked by wolves; most of the group scattered but one man called Kinsky (Tynsky) remained to protect his charge and slayed three of the wolves. In gratitude he was bestowed the title of Count and granted a coat of arms bearing three wolf teeth. Now in a higher aristocratic circle he amassed greater wealth and power. In 1516 Count Kinsky founded stud to produce the supreme horse, Bohemia's golden horse. His descendants kept a herd of Bohemian horses on their land and annually would select the best for calvalry. The horses with the best stamina, strength, boldness and amenable personality suitable for battle and loyal to their riders were preferred. Eventually these special horses were noticed as far superior to anything sourced elsewhere in Europe and orders were made to the Kinsky family to provide mounts exclusively for officers of the Emperor's army. In 1813 Countess Kinsky arrived in Vienna for the International Congress riding a golden Kinsky horse; this attracted huge attention and the golden Kinsky became sought after throughout Europe; in 1838 the original Kinsky stud book was replaced by a modern sport horse stud book (Equus Kinsky). Finer boned horses, the emerging thorughbreds of England, brought in from the late 18th century onwards enriched the herd, particularly under the direction of Count Oktavian Kinsky. He may have been somewhat eccentric, an account says Oktavian would drive his coach and horses straight up his castle's steps and into the hall. In 1874 Count Oktavian Kinsky introduced an exhausting steeplechase, the Paradubice where his own horses ran in competition with others and were frequently placed - and sometimes won.

Count Charles Kinsky rode the Kinsky mare Zoedone to win the Grand National at Aintree England in 1883 but the next year at the same race event his horse collapsed. The horse was not raced again and was retired to the Kinsky stud.

The occupation by the Soviet Union in the late 1940s resulted in an exodus of the Kinsky aristocracy and the dispersal of the Kinsky herd. However, some members of the Kinsky family together with a loyal staff desperately clung to a herd of Kinsky horses and eventually resurrected the breed. Until 1989 the Kinsky horse was lost from the world but after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 new contact with the west brought the breed greater recognition. The people of Bohemia and the Czech Republic consider the breed an emblem of their country and the horses are now protected legally from extinction.

Present and Future

By the end of the twentieth century, the Kinsky horse breed had been partly assimilated into the Czech warm blood. The Kinsky horse is no longer threatened today (2006), but with less than 1,000 Kinsky horses surviving world-wide it is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. // Czech warm blood (Český plnokrevník in Czech) is a kind of horse breed in the Czech Republic. ...

Bohemia and the Czech Republic has recognized that the race is worth saving as cultural property. The Kinsky Stud is once again expanding its breeding program in Bohemia and England. The long term future is now safe for Bohemia's golden horses with an ongoing enritchment program. The near future is exciting with the goal of a Kinsky horse once again running at The European Grand National - Pardubice to celebrate the 500th aniversary of the Kinsky sport horse.

See also: List of horse breeds, horse This page is a list of horse and pony breeds. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ...

External links

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Yahoo! Group 'Kinsky horse' message board and discussion forum for owners, breeders and others interested in this breed; links to current breeder and available stock [2]