The warm-blooded horse is the most common type of horse. They’re neither as small and lightly-muscled as hot-blooded horses, nor are they as tall and heavily-muscled as cold-blooded horses. Most breeds of warm-blooded horses originated in Europe, though there are also Asian and American warm-blooded horses. Many of the most popular breeds of horses are warm-bloods.
The term warm-blooded horse does not describe a breed, but rather a classification. There are many breeds that are classified as warm-bloods, many of which are popularly used as competition horses for dressage and jumping. Since the average warm-blooded horse is nearly as tall as its cold-blooded cousins, they are usually big enough to satisfy most modern riders’ needs. However, they have the lightly-muscled build of a hot-blooded horse, which means that they have more energy and stamina than cold-blooded horses do.
Many warm-blood horses are carefully bred through warm-blood registries. Though each registry has its own focus, almost all of the major warm-blood registries focus on breeding horses that excel in dressage and jumping. Most warm-blood registries breed through an open studbook method, which means only one of the parents has to be a warm-blood, though a few breeds, like Percherons and Morgans, are usually bred through a closed studbook, which requires both parents to be purebred.
The best-known warm-blooded horse is probably the Quarter Horse. Though sometimes classified as a stock horse rather than a true warm-blood, Quarter horses originated in Virginia and have been around for more than three hundred years. They are among the most popular breeds among riders today, as their athletic build makes them a perfect all-around horse.
Another type of warm-blooded horse that has become quite famous is the Lipizzaner. The breed — a cross between Spanish, Barb, and Arabian horses — was developed in Austria centuries ago and has become famous because of the Spanish Riding School, an elite riding school in Vienna. Although the Lipizzaner horses seen in shows are usually gray or white, they are actually born black — their hair lightens gradually throughout their lives.
Many wild horse breeds are also classified as warm-bloods. One well-known example is the Mustang, a wild horse found in the southwestern United States. These horses are actually descended from domesticated horses — the horses brought to America by the Spanish nearly five hundred years ago. The Camargue is a wild breed of warm-blooded horse living in a region on the coast of France. Their white or gray coloring has caused them to become known as the “wild white horses of the sea.”
Other types of warm-blooded horses include Palominos and Pintos, breeds best known for their coloring. Palominos have striking gold coats, with very pale or white manes and tails, while Pintos have coats with two different colors, such as brown and white or black and white. The term Pinto is often confused with the breed known as Paint; although Paint horses are often also Pintos, having pinto coloring does not make a horse a Paint.