The Trakehner Horse

The Trakehner Horse is the oldest warmblood breed in the world, with a history spanning over 400 years. The official name, "The East Prussian Warmblood Horse of Trakehner Origin" hints to the roots of this magnificent breed: the region of East Prussia once belonging to Germany, but lost during World War II to Russia.

The origin of the breed is a small horse - bred locally in East Prussia - known as the "Schwaike". The Schwaike was known for its versatility and endurance. When this breed was crossed with imported English thoroughbred and Arabian stallions, the resulting horse was named after the main stud it came from: Trakehnen.

Talking about mares, there's one significant feature immediately striking the eye when looking in a Trakehner pedigree. The initial letter of a dam's name is responsible for her offspring's name. It's a rule of thumb that most people know from the thoroughbreds. Following this rule famous damlines can be traced back to the foundation mares such as Kassette, Donna or Saaleck.