Orlov trotter portrait
The Orlov Trotter was developed by Orlov at Khrenov stud beginning sometime between 1775 and 1784. The first date is that of the establishment of the Khrenov stud while the latter is that of the birth of Bars I, the progenitor of the modern pedigree Orlov. Arabian horses were crossed with the Dutch, Danish and Mecklenburg harness breeds. The Orlov evolved under the natural conditions of Voroezh region, characteristic of central Russia, and used natural pastures in the flood plain of the Bityug river. The combination of stable and pastures produced a breed with good action and adaptability to various management conditions. It thus became possible to spread the breed beyond the limits of Voronezh region to different climatic zones of the country, from Poltava to Perm regions, from Pskov to Kurgan regions and from Kirgizia to Altai territory. The Orlov is also taken to the mountain regions east of Lake Baikal as the principal improver of the native breeds. The Orlov is widely used as a draught horse, as a utility horse for light and medium-heavy agricultural jobs, as a pleasure and competition horse and as the principal improver of small native horses throughout the former Soviet Union. When the breed was being established and Bars I (a stallion of mixed Danish, Dutch and Arab origin) was in use at Khrenov stud, there were 77 mares of various origins there (10 Arabs, 2 Persians, 3 Caucasians, 1 Don, 32 English Thoroughbreds, 5 Mecklenburg and 1 Spanish). Bars' granddaughters, however played the decisive role in the establishment of the breed. The number of purebred Orlov Trotters changed depending on market conditions as well as social and economic factors. Significant damage to the breed was caused by uncontrolled crossing with the American Trotter during 1885-1913, as well as by the First World War and the Civil War, following which the breed had to be re-established. The first volume of the Orlov studbook in 1927 recorded 939 stallions and 1120 mares, while
Size: 3387px × 5080px
Photo credit: © Mikhail Kondrashov "fotomik" / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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