Silesian Warmblood

The Silesian Warmblood is a Polish breed of warmblood horse. It originates in the historic region of Silesia in south-western Poland and is the heaviest of the Polish warmblood breeds. It has been influenced mainly by the Oldenburger, and to some extent also by the East Friesian, the Hanoverian and the Thoroughbred.

History

The Silesian Warmblood originates in the historic region of Silesia, which lies mostly in the south-west of modern Poland. It is the heaviest of the Polish warmblood breeds, and also one of the largest of all European warmbloods. It derives from cross-breeding – particularly in the years after the Second World War – of the mares of the region with stallions of the Oldenburger of north-western Germany, with some input also from East Friesian, Hanoverian and Thoroughbred stallions.
Records of this type of horse have been kept since the late nineteenth century; the stud-book dates from 1961. In 1993 there were approximately of the horses, but numbers declined sharply. In 2023 the total number for the old type of the breed was reported at head, with brood-mares and 318 stallions at stud. For the new type, the total number was given in 2022 as, with brood-mares and 270 active stallions. The conservation status of both types was "at risk".

Characteristics

Two types are recognised within the breed, an old and a new; the old type is more heavily built, the new type somewhat lighter and taller. At 3 years old, stallions of the old type stand some at the withers, mares about less; the girth is, and the cannon-bone circumference some. The new or racing type is taller and lighter, stallions standing at the withers and mares about less; the girth measures and the cannon-bone ; weights average about for stallions and some for mares.

Use

It is a large horse with considerable pulling power. It may be used for riding, as a coach horse, or in cross-breeding to conserve coach horse breeds or strains.