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The Trakehner "The Horse the World Almost
Lost"
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Gunnar
Courtesy of Luxe Sporthorses |
The History of the Trakehner Horse is as important and
incredible as the Horse itself. It is a story of love and
dedication, of heroism and bravery which has given us a horse
that was almost lost forever.
Trakehnen is a region in Poland near the Lithuanian
border once known as East Prussia. In 1732 King Friedrich
Wilhelm I established the Royal Stud of Trakehnen. King
Friedrich considered himself a servant to his country and asked
for nothing less of his people. His Royal Stud covered 5000
hectares of land and consisted of 16 farmsteads, employing 3400
people. It held some 1200 horses, including 300 broodmares and
15 sires. The local breed was the Schweiken horse a hardy,
stocky and strong horse. The most valuable thoroughbreds, some
from the Royal stables of England and Arabians of the finest
breeding were purchased to improve the local breed. The goal of
this breeding program was to develop a better endurance horse
which would |
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prove to be a highly efficient riding
horse during wartime as well as a proficient work horse during
times of peace. The ultimate objective was to add size, spirit
and endurance to the native breed which was already a strong,
stable and noble horse. |
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Colt sired by Summertime
Trakehner
Gestut Hamelschenburg |
In 1787, the management of the Royal Stud was taken over by
Count Lindenau who instituted the strictest selection of horses
for the breeding program by removing 2/3 of the stallions and
1/3 of the broodmares from the program. At this time all horses
born in Trakehnen were branded with a single antler on the right
hind quarter as identification of their birthplace. The
government servants were expected to consider it an honour to
ride and work with these noble horses. And indeed they did.
Those who visited the Stud were amazed at the high standards and
Trakehnen set an example for many other studs. |
High Knight
Courtesy of Luxe
Sporthorses |
Tanzeln
Courtesy of
Cassel Rock Trakehners |
Tanzbrise
Courtesy of
Tannenwald Trakehners |
Tarythmic
Courtesy of
Tannenwald Trakehners |
In 1888 the East Prussian farmers were
granted their own stud book registration rights, their own
brand, the double antler indicating their origin of East Prussia
which was placed on the left hind quarter. Horses which did not
reach 154 cm in height or did not have at least 4 generations of
approved Trakehner stallions in their pedigree were branded with
the single antler with a crown above it. The famous Trakehner
stallion, Dampfross (1916) wore such a brand because his
grandmother had been purchased from a dealer without papers. Her
papers had been supposedly lost.
During World War I many breeds suffered terrible blows and the
Trakehner was no exception. The Trakehner breed population was
halved during World War I, but the heaviest blow came toward the
end of World War II. In October 1944 the Soviet Army began
closing in on the beautiful area around Trakehnen. Orders were
given to evacuate the horses from the Trakehnen Stud,
approximately 800 of the best horses were hastily evacuated by
rail and by foot but unfortunately because they did not go far
enough west were seized along with all their documentation by
the Russian occupation forces and shipped to Russia. However,
the private breeders were determined to save their breed and
what followed has gone down in history as “The Trek”. East
Prussian men were fighting in the war, leaving their women,
children and elderly at home to care for the farms and their
precious horses. And so it was these brave and proud East
Prussian women, children and elderly who hitched their best
breeding stock, some 800 horses in all, to wagons filled with
all the personal possessions and feed they could carry. They
were fleeing for their lives, in the dead of winter, in deepest
snow with many mares heavy with foal. |
Falke
Trakehner Gestut
Hamelschenburg
Impuls
Trakehner Gestut
Hamelschenburg |
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Vineta
Courtesy of Luxe Sporthorses
Tanzelfe
Courtesy of
Tannenwald Trakehners |
Many
horses were left behind which were either claimed by the
approaching Soviets or died in the harsh winter. The East
Prussians headed west. They could not stop when their mares
lost their foals or when their horses went lame or became
ill. They could not stop when they themselves became ill or
injured…they marched on through rough terrain in the
horrendous weather of winter. Their feed soon ran out and
the horses had to live on what they could forage along the
way. The nightmare continued for 2-1/2 months and 600 miles
all the while being pursued by the Soviet troops. At last
they reached what they thought would be their end. They had
reached the shore of the frozen Baltic Sea and were
surrounded on all sides by the Soviets. Their only escape
was to cross the expanse of ice which lay before them which
they did without looking back, at times knee deep in water
covering the ice, galloping to stay ahead of the breaking
ice behind them. If they dared to stop or to attempt to
dodge the fire from the Soviet planes overhead they were
doomed to sink helplessly into the freezing water. Many lost
their lives. Many of these brave women, children and elderly
along with their horses drowned or were shot during this
last leg of the nightmare journey they embarked on 2-1/2
months earlier. The last of the survivors limped into
western Germany, the once proud and beautiful 800 horses
reduced to less than 100 pitiful skeletons, carrying wounds
from shrapnel. Only the hardiest had survived this ultimate
of endurance tests. Of the original 80,000 Trakehner horses
of East Prussia, almost 1000 actually reached safety in
western Germany. It is these horses who became the founders
of today’s Trakehner horse. |
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Some of the broodmares taken from Trakehnen were taken to
safety in the German province of Mecklenburg, but when the
Russians took over that province after the war an overnight
rescue operation was initiated with the help and permission
of an American Army general which allowed 27 mares to be
taken to the West. It was these 27 mares from Trakehnen and
the almost 1000 East Prussian horses that were the
foundation of the Trakehners we have today. These horses
were all branded with the double antler and were referred to
as the “East Prussian Warmblood of Trakehner Origin”, in
short, the Trakehner. The Trakehner is a horse that is
defined by its striking and elegant presence. It is a large
but refined horse with a slightly concaved face, large kind
eyes, and a long graceful neck which is set at a balanced
angle to the shoulder. The body is of a rectangular frame as
opposed to the square frame typical of most other breeds.
The legs are straight and the Trakehner exhibits tremendous
freedom of movement and has a bright and willing attitude.
Standing at 15.2 to 17 hands high the Trakehner is a horse
that excels in difficult disciplines such as jumping and
dressage and is renowned for their grace, power, exceptional
movement, beauty and natural balance. They are intelligent,
level-headed mounts and are easily distinguishable from all
other Warmblood breeds.
Careful and selective breeding is as important today as it
was in the beginning of the Trakehner’s history. All
breeding stock must undergo rigorous grading methods and
only foals from graded parents on both sides are eligible. 3
year old mares and 2 year old colts are inspected by a panel
of judges and given marks for breed type, body, limbs, feet,
walk/trot/canter and overall impression. The standard for
stallions to grade are very high and from all colts born,
only 1 – 4% are likely to succeed as “Graded Trakehner
Stallions” worldwide. In Germany, stallions are judged on
correct confirmation, gaits, and temperament. Only
approximately 100 two and a half year olds will be chosen
from hundreds that have applied to be graded. This grading
lasts 3 days with only 20 to 25 making the final cut. These
young finalists will then attend a 3 month training held at
a government facility to prepare them for their stallion
performance test. This test involves being ridden on the
flat, a stadium jumping test, a cross-country jumping test,
a measured gallop and a feed utilization evaluation as well
as being graded on trainability and attitude. If a stallion
fails this test, his breeding certificate is revoked.
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Karon
Trakehner
Gestut Hamelschenburg
Tanzeln
Courtesy of
Cassel Rock Trakehners |
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Trakehner
Brands
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Trakehnen |
German |
Great Britain |
American |
Canadian |
Danish |
Illux
Courtesy of Luxe Sporthorses
Alter Fritz
Trakehner
Gestut Hamelschenburg
Feature Breeders
Luxe Sporthorses
Cassel Rock Trakehners
Tannenwald Trakehners
Trakehner Gestut Hamelschenburg
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The Trakehner stallion is one of the
most valuable sires used to improve and upgrade the stock of
other breeds. And all mares, no matter of their breeding,
must be approved.
Today the Trakehner can be found in all upper level
disciplines world wide. It is said that a Trakehner is
addictive…once you have had one, you're hooked. Visit the
Featured Breeders to see what makes the Trakehner the
“Performance Horse Extraordinaire” . To learn more about the
history and “The Trek” made by the brave East Prussians to
save their beloved horses read, “The Trakehner” by Dr.
Eberhard von Velsen-Zerweck and Erhard Schulte
Flaneur
Trakehner
Gestut Hamelschenburg |
Navarro
Courtesy of
Cassel Rock Trakehners
Kostolany
Trakehner
Gestut Hamelschenburg
Breed Registries
The American Trakehner Association
Canadian
Trakehner Horse Society |
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