North Swedish Horse

Originating from Sweden, the North Swedish Horse is a heavy draft and farm workhorse. It is of the same origin as the Dole horse of Norway, which descended from the ancient Scandinavian native horse.

The North Swedish Horse is a medium sized coldblood. Mare usually reaches the height of 15 hands while the stallions are about 15.2 hands. The qualities that the North Swedish Horse possesses are energy, durability, stamina, and respectable longevity. All colors are represented in the breed.

This breed consists of two types: the draft horse and the trotter. These two types were combined to produce a light horse that had a fast trot for racing purposes and a heavy horse that could compete with the Belgian breed.

The North Swedish Horse has a clean, sound bone. It is known for endurance. For the amount of work this horse can do it requires a small amount of feed. It has an incredible longevity and diseases are very rare in this breed. For breeding, good action is stressed as well as, correct well-balanced action, energy, power, length of stride, and springiness in the gait.

Association

.

Links

NORTH SWEDISH WORKHORSE

Appearance
This horse is often brown or black, dun and rarely bay. They have bushy manes and tails and the stallions measure between 150 to 160 cm to the withers. The North Swedish Workhorse is patient, intelligent, enduring and has a lively but steady temperament, as well as being good over open terrain. They have good agility and strength in relation to their size.

History
The North Swedish Workhorse derives from the old Swedish country horse, slightly crossed with the "Norwegian Döle horse" and is an ancient agricultural breed. The old Swedish country horse was usually smaller, but through selective breeding stronger horses were bred. The North Swedish Workhorse and the North Swedish Trotting horse were once the same breed but were sub divided in 1964 into two separate breeds, as it was difficult to unite the characteristics required for both Working horses and trotting hoses. The most important bloodlines are the studs Valde 643 and Benus 652. The establishing of the stud breeding station Wången in 1902 was an important development in the struggle to establish the breed.

Prevalence
The breed is spread throughout the country. There are approx. 8000 horses in Sweden, of which 675 are breeding mares.

Application and Production
This breed is possibly the world's most prevalent horse used in forestry work. It is also used in agriculture, for riding, general haulage and is also an exceptional draught horse and "road horse".

The name makes one think of a wise, calm and safe horse, not to mention one of strength and beauty. This is the king of the forest (apologies to the Elk), which has played a fundamental role in the Swedish timber industry throughout the centuries.

Originally this Swedish country horse was more of a locally based breed. In Jämtland County, for example, it was known as the "Jämthorse" and in Västergötland County it was known as the "Västergötlandhorse", but it was largely the same breed.

The breed was under threat in the mid-19th century, when there was a mass migration of people in to the towns and cities. In addition, the Ardenner horse was imported and this was larger and heavier and was regarded as being more suitable to meet the demands of that time. However, some wise men in Dalarna County realised the value of the horses and with the help of the Norwegian Döle studs they began working towards the preservation of the breed.

The Döle horses were of the same type as our country breed horses, but lived on the other side of the border. As a result of this breeding work, the horse was called the North Swedish Workhorse.
Wången, a stud farm in Jämtland County was founded in 1903 and exists today as a training centre for the trotting sport.
The North Swedish Workhorse is becoming more important in the Swedish timber industry today. As a result of our environmental thinking we have realised the importance of the horse in forestry work, where the horse is environmentally friendly in all aspects. It doesn't have any negative effects on the land and there is no need to clear forest to make large forest roads. In addition, the horse costs a mere fraction of what all machines do.

In 1966 all the North Swedish horses were divided up into two groups: The North Swedish Workhorse and the cold blooded trotting horse, as the breeding requirements differed so much.
The main applications of the horse are in the timber industry and agriculture, as a draught horse and as a family horse.

The North Swedish Workhorse Association (FNH) was founded in 1924. A North Swedish Workhorse should measure 150 to 160 cm to the withers. In order to be a cold blood it must be a relatively light horse. The characteristics of the horse include a long and thick fringe and tail. It is a calm and good-natured horse, both patient and willing to work, and also energetic and active. All colours are allowed with the exception of piebald and tiger striped.