Horse

Horse Breed Glossary - C

CANADIAN HORSE

Originating from Canada, the Canadian horse is widely misunderstood and unknown. The breed began with horses to Canada from France by King Louis XIV. In the latter part of the 1600's, these horses were believed to be ancestors of the Barb, Andalusian, and Arab breeds. Even modern day Canadian horses still display these strong traits.

Because these horses are seriously misunderstood, the popularity of the breed has not ever seen its peak. In fact, today, there are only around 2500 Canadian horses, which leads the ALC (American Livestock Conservancy) to list the breeds as critical.

In most cases, the Canadian horse is used as a utility horse. Its limited requirements of food, its willingness to succeed, and its strength, makes this a valuable horse as a carriage horse, as well as a plowing horse. Adult Canadian horses, typically weigh somewhere between 1,000 and 1,400 pounds, standing at 14 to 16 h.h.

Colors range from chestnut, to bay or dark brown, but are more commonly colored black. With their mains and tails being very long, wavy, and thick, their arched necks, and their finely chiseled heads, it is easy to spot their Andalusian and Barb ancestry.

What makes the Canadian horse such a pleasure to own and breed is that they want to please their owners, they are extremely smart, sensible, kind, and very social creatures.

CARTHUSIAN HORSE

The Carthusian, also referred to as Carthujano or Carthusian-Andalusian, originates from Spain. As one of the oldest and most prestigious breeds of Spanish Horses, it is thought to be the purest branch of Andalusian existing today. There are many different distinct characteristics of the Carthusian that people often look for when considering this breed of horse. For example, in some cases, the Carthusian will have horn like features or tail warts.

Both of these characteristics are thought to display their direct line of heritage. The Carthusian is typically of a grey color, though black or chestnut coloring is not out of the question. They carry convex profiles on their lighter heads, with very lively, large eyes, smaller ears, and a broad forehead. They have a deep, broad checks, sloped shoulders, a broad and short back, arched and appropriately proportioned neck, and a sloped croup.

CASPIAN HORSE

The Caspian, an ancestor to breeds of light horses and oriental horses, is a rare, but extremely beautiful horse. In 1965, the Caspian was extremely close to becoming extinct. Still a very rare breed of horse, it has been linked to horse breeds that existed 1,000 years ago, such as the prehistoric Persian horse.

Breeding for this horse is somewhat difficult, thanks to the ovulation cycle of mares. Though breeding efforts still continue and the breed is no longer on the brink of extinction, it is still a very rare breed of horse. The Caspian's are typically found in areas of the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.

The Caspian is often used for show and for harness. It has great driving powers, as well as excellent abilities in jumping. The Caspian has many distinct characteristics, such as large eyes on a fine, short head. They also have low, large nostrils, and a small muzzle. The Caspian is a short horse, but well proportioned, with coloring that range from the common chestnut, grey, and bay, to the occasional black colored Caspian.

CAYUSE INDIAN PONY

The Cayuse Indian Pony is the direct symbol of the Old West. Known as the wild horse, the Cayuse Indian Pony is best known for it's symbolism of survival, stamina, and freedom. This breed of horse began in the 1800's and though many breeds of horses were originated during this time, such as wild Spanish Barb, or the Wild Mustang, the Cayuse Indian Pony is distinct.

The Cayuse Indian Pony is stocky and quite small, it stands at around fourteen hands, but still quite powerful. It has a larger than usual cannon bone, high withers, and a pastern with a distinct slope. This makes the Cayuse a popular riding horse for the young or old, because it makes for an easy seat and a pleasant ride.

Most of the Cayuse Indian Pony breed is found within the state of California, in the United States. At this time, the breed is on the verge of extinction with only a handful of Cayuse Indian Ponies existing.

About the Author
Phillipe Wiskell is a writer for HorseClicks.com, popular classifieds of horses for sale,