Estonian Horse Strength and History | Gustavo Mirabal

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This small breed of horse, the Estonian horse, became famous for its strength and resistance, as well as a docility that allows him to communicate with humans.

Usually it is used for agricultural work, many farmers use them for the heavy work of their farm or stable and this specimen responds correctly.

However, there was a period in which they were used for combat and that endangered their existence, were on the verging of extinction.

They were taken to fight with the soldiers in World War I.

As a result, there were exemplars left as refugees on the Saarema and Hiiumaa islands.

However, today, thanks to the efforts of the Estonian Association for Breeding, Estonia’s horse is re-increasing in number.

He’s even serving to regain other extinct races like the Swedish horse Öland.

Estonian Horse, a specimen with military history

This equine is also known as Keppler Estonian or Eesti Houne in the native language.

The good character of this horse makes it palatable and easy to get with him. Besides it is obedient and its small size adds a touch of tenderness.

Although no one doubts the fact that this is a horse with great resistance and strength.

Estonian horse

Conserves features of the native horse

The Estonian Horse is one of the few races that preserves the characteristic features of the Baltic horse, that is to say the horse originating in the Baltic region.

So their conservation is very important, and they also use it for the creation of other races.

The origin of the horse from Estonia dates back over 5000 years.

It is said that the horse that gave life to the present horse of Estonia dwelt in northern Europe.

Estonian native horse

Other races have been created from the Estonian Horse

Product of nobility, resistance and docility of the horse, they have been used for crossing with other races.

This in order to create new equine like the Tori horse, which emerged from the crossing between studs kepplers estonias with a Norfolk stallion.

The objective of this pairing is to improve the original race, or the Vyatka horses of Russia.

The Estonian horse was very sold in Russia during a time

Given its history in fighting, in the 14th and 15th centuries these specimens were sold in Russia, there they enjoyed a good reception.

For being rustic horses they were very much appreciated to work in the field in strong conditions.

More from the eighteenth century began to be used also as battle horses.

One of the great admirers of this race was the Zar Peter I the Great, who came to use them regularly in their wars against Sweden.

The Estonian horse was about to extinguish itself

As this race of horses was used in the battles of the First World War, the number of specimens began to fall.

Race was totally threatened and about to get extinct.

Because of this circumstance, it was forced to include it on the surveillance list of endangered animals.

A breeding program is born to save it

Given that the numbers were alarming, they began a breeding program for the Estonian horse in order to guarantee the existence of these horses in the future.

By 1921, the Estonian Native Horse Breeders Society attempted to preserve the race by creating a family book that included a total of 13 stalliors.

However, the breed was compromised by the scarcity of genetic variability which caused the slow development of these horses.

In this sense, it took several years to have new reproductives.

Then they abandoned the breeding of these equine… In exchange for machines

With the arrival of transport and the machines for agricultural work, those raising these horses stopped in the process.

Estonian horse breeding was no longer profitable, so they abandoned Estonia’s horse breeding.

The exception was the Saarema and Hiiumaa islands, those who received these specimens years ago as refugees. These islands saw the Estonian horses as more than just a work tool and this protected their special status.

That is why the survivors of that race were crossed with the Finnhorses breed.

The Finnhorses are also descendants of the forest horses. The mixture was made to increase the size of the Estonian horses and give them more power

Characteristics of the horse Estonian

Here we will talk about the features of this horse, which is famous for its size and endurance. This is what makes you attractive for country work.

As for the physical, the horse of Estonia has a thick neck and relatively short, muscular and dense crest.

His cross is low, muscular and medium-length. While the back is wide, long and straight. Besides, the spine is wide and strong. However the grupa is muscular, plump, long and medium width.

This specimen has a rise of about 1.5 meters. It has short but correct legs and strong, clean joints that end up in tough, well-formed hooves.

Its head, a beauty

The head of the horse of Estonia is well proportioned, since it has a broad, mostly straight front. The profile is rarely concave, has short ears and a playful eye. In addition to possessing great space between the jaws.

A beautiful horse whose Roman profile makes it nice to see and to the heart.

A varied color coat

This horse has varying color fur, which can be found as follows: Laurel color, brown and red, black, grey, yellow, cream color, mice and albino.

However, this specimen retains a dark line on the back that speaks of its aboriginal brand. And even though there are horses of various colors, that line is preserved.

This speaks that the owners of the horses are interested in the color of these and the striking feature. This line is the distinctive mark of the Estonian horse.

Even making mixtures to make that line disappear, they still keep it. That way the purity and origin of the breed is maintained. Which is a source of pride for Estonia.

Since that line or “brand of origin” becomes the symbol of identity par excellence of that race.

Over time, the people who are dedicated to the breeding of horses respond more to the tastes of the customers, respect to the colors that they like.

In this sense, the breeding of the Estonian horse in gray is increasing, while the brown color is decreasing.

The Estonian horse for Gustavo Mirabal and Carolina Mirabal.

This feature has always attracted attention to Gustavo Mirabal and his beautiful wife Carolina Mirabal. These two amateur riders and equestrian entrepreneurs although they have no specimens of the Estonian Horse in their stables, they dream of having it in the near future.

Gustavo Mirabal had the wonderful opportunity to mount one on one of his travels by europe and I was delighted by the docility of the Estonian breed. Carolina Mirabal was attracted by her corpulence, strength and aesthetic appearance.

“I consider that one of the most beautiful things of the Estonian horse is his head, a friendly face with a sad look… Maybe because of the memories of his best-day ancestors.”Carolina Mirabal

Temperament

The horse of Estonia has a vigorous temper, and at the same time peaceful, cheerful and sensitive.They are known as energetic, but at the same time calm, empathetic and sensitive to the human.

Definitely this is one of the things that Gustavo Mirabal and Carolina Mirabal loved the Estonian horse

Current use of the Estonian horse

Currently, these horses are used for tourism in farms, farms, etc. Thanks to their preservation they are a valuable tool on farms and an unrivaled tourist attraction.

As a tourist attraction its history of fall and resurgence is a great hook for lovers of horses and animals in general.

Those who have them in their stables, use them to give rides to their guests, and, if it is a tourist farm they use them to bring their visitors to archaic villages, ruins of fortresses and natural landscapes.

Definitely the Estonian horse survived and adapted to modern times thanks to animal conservation activists. To them we owe the treasure to see them among us.