Looking for an interesting and unique horse breed?
Consider the Byelorussian Harness Horse!
This hearty breed is well-suited for cold climates and has a gentle temperament.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Byelorussian Harness Horse.
Byelorussian Harness Horse Breed Info
Here are some of the key things you need to know about the Byelorussian Harness horse:
| Height (size) | 14.7 – 15.5 hands high |
| Colors | Bay, light bay, dun, and chestnut, but also black |
| Country of Origin | Belarus |
| Common Uses | Riding, carriage pulling, light agriculture work, meat and milk production |
Byelorussian Harness Horse Facts & Information (Breed Profile)
The Byelorussian Harness Horse is a breed that has been developed over a long period of time through breeding practices that have led to the creation of a breed that is most suitable for farm and agricultural use.
It was ideally suited for working in places that were heavily forested and had sandy soil and marshy terrain.
Breeding began in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, mostly in the western half of what is now Belarus.
The goal was to develop an agricultural draft horse that could work in sand, swamps, or woodlands, depending on local conditions.
The Ardennes, Brabant, and the Dole from Norway (The Dole was the strongest contributor) were crossed with native forest horses to create a breed that would fill the local demand for a harness horse.
There were 616 mares and 135 stallions in the stud-book at the end of the 1980s when the breeding program was nearing completion and two volumes were issued.
Today, these animals are still bred in Pobeda and Zarechye, and there are two distinct breeds within the breed – large and medium.
In 2000 the breed was officially recognised in Belarus.
If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating breed, keep reading!
Alternative Names
“White Russian Carriage Horse”
“Belorusskaya”
Temperament/Personality
Excellent temperament, adaptable, docile
Physical Characteristics
It is a medium-sized horse with the characteristic conformation of a harness horse.
The head is not very big and has a broad forehead.
The neck and withers are well-muscled.
The back is long and flat, and the loin is wide.
The croup is rounded, and the chest deep and wide. Legs are strong and clean, with small fetlocks.
Main and tail are thick.
Colors
Bay, light bay, dun, and chestnut, but also black
Height (size)
14.7 – 15.5 hands high
Stallions
Average 15.0 hh
Mares
Average 14.7 hh
Weight
Stallions: 1,300 – 1,550 (600 – 700 kg)
Mares: 1,080 – 1,330 (490 – 600 kg)
Blood Type
Cold
Common Uses
Riding, carriage pulling, light agriculture work, meat and milk production
Health
n/a
Popular Traits
n/a
Feeding/Diet
n/a
Country of Origin
Belarus
Ancestors
Norwegian Dølehest, Ardennes, Brabant