Irish Sport horse is an athletic warmblood horse breed that originated in Ireland. The alternative name of this breed is Irish Hunter. The horse breed is a traditional horse breed of Ireland that is highly regarded as an eventer due to its incredible jumping, speed, and stamina.
Why Do You Choose an Irish Sport Horse?
Ireland is the birthplace of showjumping and eventing. The Irish Hunter was developed with the innate ability to show jumping quality. The horse proved themselves as the best eventer and showjumper in the Olympic games. The horse is suitable for both amateur and expert riders. The horse is bold, energetic, enduring, and well-behaved.
1. Origin and History of Irish Hunter
The horse was developed in 1923 in Ireland by the crossbreeding of an Irish draft horse and a Thoroughbred. In recent years few Warmblood horse blood has been introduced, like Hanoverian, Trekhanner, and Selle Francaise. Thoroughbred blood made the horse bigger, and warm-blood horses gave stamina, speed, and endurance. Thus, the breed has become one of the world’s finest sports horses.
2. Physical Features of Irish Hunter
The horse possesses a strong and beautiful appearance, a well-muscular body, and clean and strong legs. The head of the horse is well set and alert; the face is concave, the eyes are large and bright, and the ears are large. The neck is arched, muscular, and sloping to the shoulder, and the chest is deep. The back is compact, the croup is muscular, and the hindquarters are long and sloping. The withers may be high, which they got from Thoroughbred ancestors.
3. Height and Weight of Irish Sport Horse
The Irish Hunter is a medium-sized horse breed and stands between 15.2 to 17 hands (62 to 68 inches) or 162 to 173 cm. The average body weight of the horse breed is 550 to 600 kg (1200 to 1500 pounds).
4. Color and Markings of Irish Hunter
Irish sports horses are found in varieties of solid coat colors. The most common colors of the horse are bay, black, grey, and chestnut. The less common colors of the horse breed are dun, roan, buckskin, palomino, and cremello. The piebald and skewbald horse colors are generally not seen in this breed. The wide variety of coat colors contributes to the genetic diversity of Irish Draft horses and Thoroughbreds.
5. Health and Diseases of Irish Sport Horse
The horse is generally healthy, sturdy, and energetic. There are no specific diseases for this horse breed. You must vaccinate your horse against potential diseases. When reared in captivity, the horse needs regular deworming at three-month intervals. Older horses need regular health checkups by an expert veterinarian.
6. Grooming and Management of Irish Sport Horse
You must groom your horse twice a day with the appropriate kit to keep the skin clean and shiny. Grooming helps reduce skin infections and keeps the horse healthy. Before riding, you must clean dirt, soil, dust, and other unwanted material. The hooves should be picked daily to keep them clean and disease free.
7. Feed and Nutrition of Irish Hunter
The horse needs a balanced ration containing carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. You must provide fresh drinking water all the time. You should provide green grass, fresh hay, grains, and a ration balancer. The horse should be grazed at good pasture daily for a considerable time. You must consult an equine veterinarian to make an ideal ration scale for your horse based on age, body weight, work, and purpose.
8. Behavior and Temperament of Irish Hunter
The horse is famous for its well-mannered temperament, behavior, and energy. The horse is easily trainable, eager to learn, and enthusiastic. The horse is excellent for both competition and pleasure riding. You must exercise your horse regularly to increase endurance and stamina. Regular exercise helps build a healthy relationship between the rider and horse.
9. Uses and Celebrity of Irish Sport Horse
The horse has completed the highest level of equestrian discipline. The utilization of the horse breed is multidimensional:
- Dressage.
- Eventing.
- Showjumping.
- Three-day eventing.
- Endurance riding.
- Pleasure riding.
- Horse Carriage.
- Police horse for patrolling.
10. Modern-Day Irish Hunter
The Irish Sports Horse won more than 15 medals in eventing in the Olympic games. The World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) ranks each year the sport horses where the horse ranked 2nd in 2010 and 3rd in 2011. The horse is found worldwide and is the most famous sports horse.
Where To Buy Irish Sport Horse
Horses are difficult to find due to their high demand. You can purchase the horse from a reputed breeder. Before purchasing the horse, you must check its health, breeding history, age, size, health, and vaccination status. The ideal horse price ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 USD.
Final Talk on Irish Sport Horse
If you think about sports horses, you can first take the name “Irish Sports Horse.” The horse is gentle, intelligent, and energetic. The horse is easily trainable and a decent learner. You can keep the horse for your pride and ambition.
