Budyonny is a Russian breed of horse that was developed in the 1920s by Marshal Semyon Budyonny.
Today, Budyonny horses are used for both recreational and competitive purposes.
Keep reading to learn more about these versatile horses!
Budyonny Horse Breed Info
Here are some of the key things you need to know about the Budyonny horse:
| Height (size) | 15.1 – 16.3 hands high |
| Colors | About 80% of Budyonny horses are chestnut, and many of them have a golden or metallic sheen, which they get from their Don (and hence, Akhal-Teke) roots. Occasionally, brown, bay, grey, and black are also seen. |
| Country of Origin | Russia |
| Common Uses | Show jumping, endurance, dressage, carriage driving, eventing steeplechase reces |
Budyonny Horse Facts & Information (Breed Profile)
The Budyonny is a breed of horse from Russia.
They were developed for use as a military horse following the Russian Revolution and are currently used as an all-purpose competition horse and for driving.
The Budyonny is named after Marshall Semyon Budyonny, a famous Bolshevik cavalry commander, and a well-known horse breeder who was responsible for developing the breed in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in the early 1920s.
Because Russia’s stock of cavalry horses had been severely depleted as a result of World War I and the Russian Revolution, Marshall Budyonny set out to create the ideal military riding horse.
In order to create an incredibly hardy, fast and agile horse, he crossed the Don and Chernomor local breeds with Thoroughbred lines.
The Don had already demonstrated its worth as a cavalry mount, and the fact that it was native to the steppe of northern Russian brought guaranteed hardiness to Budyonny’s new breed.
The Chernomor influenced the breed in a similar way as the Don, while the Thoroughbred improved its leanness, size, and speed.
The best offspring of these horses were interbred to create the foundation stock of 657 mares, which were originally referred to as “Anglo-Dons.”.
The breed was developed in the early 1920s in Russia’s Rostov region with the goal of replacing cavalry horses lost during and after World War I.
The new horses were used in Russian cavalry units during and after World War II.
In 1949, the Budyonny became an official breed. In the beginning, there were three distinct types, but they were subsequently merged into one.
Around this period, a well-known experiment was carried out to demonstrate the breed’s toughness.
In the 1950s, a number of mares and stallions native to their region were released onto an island in the middle of a lake and were left to fend for themselves.
Their descendants are still living on the island today, in self-regulating herds that don’t need any human interference of any kind.
Currently, the Budyonny can mostly be found in the countries that were a part of the Soviet Union, particularly in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating breed, keep reading!
Alternative Names
“Budenny”
“Budennovsky”
Temperament/Personality
Trainable, loyal, intelligent, good-tempered, spirited
Physical Characteristics
They have well-defined muscling and free-flowing movements that give them a fantastic presence.
They have long, strong legs with good bones and well-formed hooves.
The back is long and straight, and the chest is deep and wide. The shoulders and croup are sloping.
The prominent withers and a long neck lead to a proportionate head with a straight profile and a strong jaw.
They are also exceptionally hardy and easy to care for, making them suitable for a huge range of environments.
They possess great speed, agility and endurance, and make incredibly capable sport horses.
Colors
About 80% of Budyonny horses are chestnut, and many of them have a golden or metallic sheen, which they get from their Don (and hence, Akhal-Teke) roots.
Occasionally, brown, bay, gray, and black are also seen.
Height (size)
15.1 – 16.3 hands high
Stallions
n/a
Mares
n/a
Weight
About 1,190 lb (540 kg)
Blood Type
Warm
Common Uses
Show jumping, endurance, dressage, carriage driving, eventing steeplechase reces
Health
Hardy and healthy, but occasional conformation problems include cannon bones in the forelegs that are offset, and hind legs that are too straight
Popular Traits
n/a
Feeding/Diet
n/a
Country of Origin
Russia
Ancestors
Don, Chernomor, Thoroughbred