Horses - Lithuanian Heavy

  The Lithuanian heavy horse breed started evolving in the late XIX century. This task was undertaken by the Society for Breeding Work and Driving Horses in 1894; the society increased import of Brabanson, Perscheron, Arden and other heavy thoroughbred stallions that were interbred with local mares. In 1923 heavy horses from Holland were imported with the aim to compensate thoroughbred material destroyed during the war.

  In 1925 the Ardens were brought in from Sweden. The bred hybrids were much more vital, developed faster, and the important, better adapted to the local conditions than imported horses. Such hybrids in the south-western part of Lithuania determined further development of heavy type of horses. Purposeful breeding activity, proper feeding and keeping created favourable conditions for the development of a breed that was confirmed as an independent one with 12 lines in 1963. Lithuanian heavy horses are crossed with the Arden stallions brought from Sweden in 1963, 2000, and 2001. Lithuanian heavy horses have been included into herd books as Arden breed horses and hybrids. The second herd book of Lithuanian heavy horses was issued in 1951-1996. Herd books for Lithuanian heavy horses are issued by the Lithuanian Horse Breeders Association. Thoroughbred horses are identified by colour and markings. In the first place, Lithuanian heavy horses are used as working force, but now more and more of them are exported abroad for meat. The middle of the XIX century marked the start of labour horse capacity testing; in Lithuania, the first were done in 1857. Since 2002, the Lithuanian Horse Breeders Association has been responsible for heavy horse testing. At the moment there is a tendency for rapid decrease of the heavy horse population: the number of stallion lines has diminished dramatically, while breeding and working qualities are getting worse. Individual breeders of heavy horses in Lithuania actually are only concerned with the improvement of their own herds. The current status of Lithuanian heavy horses can be seen as close to extinction