Oldenburg Horse

by Lisa Selvaggio

Published: August 6th, 2016

About Oldenburg Horse

Weight

1,700 lb

Physique

Large yet compact

Lifespan

30 years

Best Suited For

All levels of horse owners, riders, and trainers, especially those with at least some experience working with large horses

Temperament

Independent, easy to train, even tempered, kind, reliable, versatile, and friendly

Comparable Breeds

Friesian Horse

Height

Oldenburg Horse Breed History

The Oldenburg Horse was bred originally from Friesian horses more than 300 years ago. Since then, this unique equine breed has evolved, particularly in order to fulfill the needs of humans throughout various time periods.

In the latter part of the 1500s, Count Johann XVI von Oldenburg decided to create the Oldenburg breed, which would be based on the Friesian that was primarily used as a harness horse. The Friesian would serve as the foundation breed to make way for a lighter horse that would be ideal for riding as well. Count Anton Gunter von Oldenburg, his successor, further refined this breed by incorporating more blood from lighter breeds that were arriving from areas like Italy, England, Spain, and Turkey.

Oldenburg horses display an air of nobility, and have evolved into a popular sport breed.

Throughout the 1600s and 1700s, the Oldenburg Horse became quite popular in various parts of Europe, and this led to indiscriminate breeding. There were over 16,000 horses in Europe in 1784, and private breeders were able to establish a studbook in 1861 in order to properly register breeding stock, as well as boost the quality of this breed as a way to meet the demands of the cavalry and coach lines.

Once the railway was introduced, harness horses were no longer needed as much, so the Oldenburg Horse breed was developed further in order to enhance the “German Riding Horse” concept. This called for the horse to have ground covering movement, a spirited yet kind personality, and elegance.

In 1983, the International Sporthorse Registry/Oldenburg Registry of North America, also known as ISR/OLD NA, was founded in order to approve and maintain Oldenburg Horse registration.

Today, the Oldenburg Horse is a breed that is powerful, reliable, and versatile. These popular horses display an air of nobility, and they have evolved and adapted into a competitive sport breed that still retains some of the characteristic knee action of its harness horse ancestors.

Breed Traits

Even though the Oldenburg Horse is large in stature, it is not an intimidating breed or one that is difficult to work with or manage. In fact, the Oldenburg is known for having a pleasant and attractive personality, making it an easy animal to work with. These horses are intelligent, easy to train, even tempered, manageable, and kind.

These horses are also highly talented, and they are able to perform a variety of tasks because they are easy to train and adaptable. They make wonderful riding companions, but they will also excel in equine sports and competitions.

Oldenburg horses are powerful, reliable, and versatile.

Overall Description

The Oldenburg Horse is an attractive breed, featuring kind eyes and a somewhat large head that showcases either a Roman nosed or straight profile. The neck is strong and long, the chest is deep, and the horse is also well muscled through the hindquarters, back, and shoulders.

A combination of large and compact in stature, this horse breed is powerful and muscular from front to back. You will also note a high set tail, flat croup, and legs that are strong and feature thick, short bones. Even the hooves are big in order to bear the weight of this heavy breed.

The Oldenburg is known for having a pleasant personality, making it easy to work with.

Colors

The Oldenburg Horse comes in a variety of colors, but the most common are brown, black, chestnut, gray, and bay. These horses can also feature white markings on the face and on their lower legs.

Grooming Requirements

The Oldenburg Horse requires a standard and regular equine grooming routine in order to remain beautiful and clean. Pay extra attention to this horse’s large hooves in order to ensure that they are kept free of debris, dirt, and rocks. Use a hoof pick and inspect the hooves whenever you groom your horse to be certain that there aren’t any injuries or infections developing.

To keep the Oldenburg Horse’s coat looking healthy, you can use a curry comb in order to remove dirt, debris, and loose hair easily and efficiently. A dandy brush can remove even more loose hair, mud, and dirt from the coat, while a body finishing brush could be used on the horse’s face and legs, which are typically more sensitive than other parts of the body. Follow these tools up with a shedding blade if you need to remove excess hair from the coat until it is totally smooth.

Finally, you can use a mane comb to clean out the mane and keep it free of tangles before using a tail brush to maintain the beauty, smoothness, and cleanliness of the tail.

Lisa Selvaggio

Lisa Selvaggio is a freelance writer and editor, and our resident cats-pert, with certifications in pet nutrition and pet first aid. She enjoys producing content that helps people understand animals better so they can give their pets a safe and happy home.

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Canada’s recent discovery of hundreds of tiny unmarked graves attributed to the residential school system has created not only cross-country outrage but also a determination to locate and repatriate the remains of all children who left home to attend these schools but never returned.Within a few weeks, the number of unmarked graves throughout Canada had quickly grown to over 10,000 and the ability to locate and identify additional sites (that would date back decades), had become almost impossible. Particularly since many of the schools had since been razed and pinpointing potential burial areas leaned heavily toward guesswork.The search had to be done respectfully – meaning without the use of large, excavation equipment – however, the need to cover a vast range of land in a timely manner was a challenge.That’s when the search teams decided to bring in the dogs.Part of the Ottawa Valley Search and Rescue Dog Association, German Shepherds, Recce and Taz are proficient in detecting older, archeological remains with drill work that has included using older cemeteries as their training ground. In fact, Historic Human Remains Detection Dogs have been used throughout North America and Europe to identify human remains in archaeological sites that date back hundreds of years… and longer. These dogs can pick up on the much lower scent levels that come from teeth and bones found in ancient graves… and some are even explicitly trained to detect cremated remains where no bones or teeth remain.This switch from bulldozers to the canine duo is a change welcomed by the area’s former residential school students who feel that because dogs have always been part of the Indigenous culture, they offer a natural, more appropriate approach to finding the missing children.According to Archaeology Professor Adrian Burke, dogs make a great option because they are non-invasive. Although it’s not an exact science – they can’t pinpoint an individual grave - they can hone in on a location and this saves time and the need for random digging. Once dogs flag a site, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is used to confirm what lies beneath.By adding Recce and Taz to the search teams, it’s estimated the time needed to cover a couple of acres can be reduced from a few weeks to just a couple of days.While the process is still slow and time-consuming, Indigenous residents confirm it’s about the children’s families understanding what happened to their little ones, being able to bring them home for appropriate burial, and ultimately experiencing a sense of closure and justice.

Watch This Brave Cat Save Her Dog Sibling from a Coyote Attack

Who said that there is no love between cats and dogs? This touching story proves that some bonds between a cat and a dog are so strong that one would risk their life for the other! The event took place in Edmond, Oklahoma, where a tiny pooch was miraculously saved from a vicious coyote attack– by none other than a feisty cat. At first glance, Oakley, a white Havanese dog, and Binx, a black cat, seem to belong to completely different worlds. But even so, they are family. Lane Dyer, the owner of the two, explains for Oklahoma News how the attack - and the daring rescue - came to be.“I was kind of inspired by it, quite frankly,” she said. The event occurred on November 30th, when the 6-year-old Havanese dog, Oakley, was let outside to go to the bathroom. “Out of nowhere she was attacked by a coyote,” said Dyer. Soon enough, another coyote came rushing.

How Do I Train My Dog to Wear a Muzzle?

Introducing a new tool to your dog can feel like uncharted territory. While some dogs will readily accept whatever is thrown their way, others will become stressed or anxious when presented with something new. Unfortunately, if you are in a position where a muzzle is necessary for the safety of your dog or others around you, forgoing a tool because your dog appears to be uninterested in it isn’t an option. So, what do you do? How do you train your dog to wear a muzzle? This guide will dig into the importance of conditioning when planning to muzzle your dog. This includes explaining what conditioning is, walking you through the process step-by-step, and sharing some helpful tips to set you up for success. What is Muzzle Conditioning? Before expecting your dog to wear their muzzle, it is recommended that you take the time to focus on muzzle training, also referred to as muzzle conditioning. This is the process of introducing the muzzle alongside positive rewards. If each time your dog sees or interacts with the muzzle, they get “good things,” it will create a positive association. Over time, they will not only tolerate the muzzle but happily accept it. Why? They recognize that wearing their muzzle means they will receive good things like verbal praise, pets, and their favorite treats. How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Get Used to a Muzzle? There is no one guaranteed timeline when working on muzzle conditioning. While some dogs will quickly take to the muzzle, adjusting in just a few days, others will take longer. Some factors that can impact this include your dog’s personality, trainability, previous experience (positive or negative) with a muzzle, and their trust/bond with you as the person introducing this tool to them. It’s important to keep in mind that the time it takes does NOT mean you are doing better or failing at your training efforts. We have three dogs, all of which have been muzzle-trained. While two of our dogs took to the muzzle relatively quickly, Lucifer’s nerves and anxiety made the process more challenging. This doesn’t mean it was impossible. With time, patience, and consistency, he is now the dog that is most comfortable in a muzzle out of the three. We just had to move at his pace.

Scientists Finally Know Why Cats Love Tuna So Much

No food is more synonymous with cats than tuna. Even the pickiest of cats can’t resist the tuna’s fishy flavor. Finally, scientists have learned why cats love tuna so much. In the study published in the journal Chemical Sense, scientists report that cats, like humans, have receptors needed to detect umami flavor. Along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, umami is one of the five basic tastes.Umami seems to be the cats’ favorite flavor. Considering that umami gives food a deep and savory meaty aroma, it’s no surprise that an obligate carnivore like a cat would prefer it over all other flavors.The research team also found that cats’ taste receptors bind to two chemicals found in high concentrations in tuna. These chemicals boost the umami flavor, making cats obsessed with tuna. “This is an important study that will help us better understand the preferences of our familiar pers,” says Yasuka Toda, a molecular biologist at Meiji University. According to Toda, this study could help cat food manufacturers create healthier food and more palatable medication for cats. Previous studies showed that cats have a unique palate. Cats can’t taste sugar, because their sweet receptor gene is dysfunctional. Scientists believe that felines lose the ability to taste sweeteners and carbs because they don’t need these macronutrients to survive. Cats also have fewer bitter flavor receptors than humans. This trait is commonly seen in obligated carnivores. “Since discovering that cats don’t have a functional sweet taste receptor, we did wonder what they would respond to instead,” study lead author Scott McGrane, a sensory science expert at Waltham Petcare Science Institute, told Live Science. Humans and other animals possess two genes - Tas1r1 and Tas1r3 that work together to detect umami flavor. Previous research has shown that cats express the umami-related Tas1r3 gene in their taste buds, but it was unclear whether they possess both genes needed to detect umami flavor. The research team led by McGrane discovered that cats expressed both Tas1r1 and Tas1r3 genes in their taste buds. To learn this, the scientist biopsied the tongue of a six-year-old male cat that had been euthanized for health reasons unrelated to this study. However, a closer look at the protein sequences encoded by these genes showed that they are very different from human genes. As it turned out, the main amino acids that activate umami flavor in people - glutamic and aspartic acid - were mutated in cats. “So I began thinking, maybe cats can’t taste umami,” said McGrane. But, as it turned out, amino acids don’t bind to the cat umami receptor alone. Nucleotides, which are common in meat and yeast, bind to the cat receptor and glutamic and aspartic acid then have an enhancing effect. “That’s the exact opposite of what we see in people,” explained McGrane. Cats love tuna because it contains the nucleotide inosine monophosphate. Tuna also contains large quantities of L-histidine, an essential amino acid for cats, that enhances umami flavor. “The L-histidine content of tuna is much higher than of other fish species and meat sources.”These new findings could be used for the development of tastier cat food and pharmaceuticals. Although cat food manufacturers already knew that cats prefer meaty flavors, they now have much more details about the compounds they can start working with. It’s essential for manufacturers to ensure that animals want to eat the food they formulate and find it appealing. “I think umami is as important for cats as sweet is for humans,” said Toda. Dogs, she explained, can taste both sweet and umami, which may explain why they’re not such fussy eaters. Join the PetGuide community. Get the latest pet news and product recommendations by subscribing to our newsletter here.

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