Austrian Warmblood

Austrian Warmblood : The origin country of the Austrian Warmblood is Austria in an area that is known for creating fine horseflesh. The main Association of the breed has a long history and is made up of many country dressages and show jumping horses.

To be registered in the Association of Warmblood Breeding in Austria AWO Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Warmblutzucht in Osterreich, a horse has to meet rigorous inspections. The breed has been considered to be one of the most talented of all worldwide Warmblood breeds. They descended from several Austrian cavalry horses brought from all around the world Nonius, Furioso and Arabian, which later in the 19th century were crossed with Thoroughbred and more Arabian blood in order to refine the breed.

The history of the breed begins from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a period in the 18th century when these two countries had great horse breeding programs. They intended to produce horses with different skills for the citizens, nobility and the military. The stud farms were located in modern-day Hungary, at Mezohegyes and Bablona.

In Mezohegyes was produced the Nonius horse breed that had similar characteristics with the western Heavy Warmbloods and was mainly founded for the needs of the citizens and the military as farm horses and for pulling artillery wagons. Later in the 1840s, Thoroughbred stallions were crossed with Nonius mares in order to refine the breed and produce great cavalry mounts and carriage horses.

A part-Arabian gray stallion Shagya was brought in Babilonia in 1836 and was crossed with native mares to achieve cavalry goals. Thus he was the major founding sire of the Shagya Arabian breed.