Horses of the Ukrainian riding breed are characterized by high growth, have a well-developed body, harmonious constitution, strong constitution. They have a proportional head, a long, high neck, deep and wide chest, a long, wide, normal slope of the croup, strong with correct setting limbs, energetic temperament, productive movements at all gaits, the ability to assimilate the elements of a higher riding school. The breed combines the best qualities of the original breeds: vigor, dryness, strength of the constitution of a thoroughbred horse; high growth, massiveness and boneiness of Western European; beautiful forms of the Orlovo-Rostopchin breed, which became famous all over the world for horses of an outstanding and unique exterior.

The popularity of UVPs and their ability to perform well in equestrian competitions is confirmed by the multiple achievements of equestrian athletes at the international level. Winners and awardees international competitions, including the Olympic Games, there were about 50 horses of the Ukrainian riding breed. Over the past 10 years, the best in competitions were: in dressage - Rosehip, Quartz, Areal, Mehol, in show jumping - Native, Bacchus, Fibrin, Template, Khingan, in triathlon - Term, Chelobitnaya, Nuclon, Kozhukh. Also, horses of the Ukrainian riding breed were part of the USSR national team in dressage and show jumping (Ihor, Gambler, Raft, Shkval, Rukh, Bouquet, Barberry, Ichthyander, Rosehip, Horoscope, etc.) At the XIX Olympic Games in Mexico City, Soviet athlete I. Kizimov rode the black stallion Ihore and became the Olympic champion. Horses of this breed showed themselves brilliantly at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Three Russian riders - Y. Kovshov on the Player, V. Ugryumov on the Shkval and V. Misevich on the Raft - became champions in the team dressage event.

Work on the creation of a horse-harness type horse in Ukraine began immediately after the end of the Great Patriotic War on the initiative of the Marshal Soviet Union CM. Budyonny. It was carried out at first in the Ukrainian stud farm, which received 275 trophy mares (vernier, hydran, north-star, furioso) mainly with the brands of the Hungarian stud farm Mesohegyes. At the same time, trophy stallions of the Hanoverian, Trakehner, Hungarian, thoroughbred riding breeds and their crosses were brought in. When creating the Ukrainian riding breed, horses of more than 11 breeds were used. The main breeds were: thoroughbred horse, Trakehner, Hungarian, Russian horse, less used horses of Hanover, Arab, and Akhal-Teke breeds. Great importance in the creation and improvement of the breed, it was used in breeding work of stallions and mares, carrying the blood of the Russian riding breed.

With the beginning of the country's participation in big equestrian sports ( Olympic Games) high-bred, smart and elegant horses were required. In the breeding work on the creation of the UHP of horses, mare-daughters and granddaughters of the black stallion of the Russian riding breed Buketa, born in 1934 from Ozherelk and Balalaika, and also the daughter of Globus, Voronoi, born in 1934 from Obrazchik and Goduvalnitsa, were used. Among them were the mares Bylinka, Gvozdika, who left the greatest mark on the Ukrainian riding breed and were the ancestors of the brood families. Of the stud stallions with Orlovo-Rostopchin blood, the stallions Bespechny and Grokhot were used, and later their descendants were stallions Inbar, Razbor, Berendey, Khorey, etc.

UHP horses were widespread in a number of union republics and abroad. For example, in the period from 1980 to 1989, more than 3000 breeding and sports horses were sold to stud farms, of which various sports organizations- about 600 heads. During the period from 1975 to 2000, 318 winners and prize-winners of international and domestic equestrian competitions were received in the breed, including dressage - 128, show jumping - 96, triathlon - 74. The breed was approved in 1990 (formerly the Ukrainian breed group - UPG ), at the same time its genealogical structure was also approved - 6 male lines, 2 related groups and 15 uterine families.

Currently, selection and breeding work with the Ukrainian horse breed is carried out in 11 stud farms and some breeding farms. The breeding nucleus includes 1201 horses, including 29 stud stallions, 411 queens and 761 young animals of various ages. As you know, the most significant contribution to the creation of the breed was made by the stud farms of Alexandriiskiy, Lozovskiy, Derkulskiy, Yagolnitskiy, Kharkovskiy.

In general, modern horses of the Ukrainian riding breed, especially its pedigree core, are quite pedigree, riding format, dry strong constitution, without significant exterior defects, owners of beautiful external forms. They are kind and undemanding to the conditions of keeping in comparison with some of the original breeds.

Unfortunately, the economic situation in the 90s did not reflect in the best way on the breed. In the reigning chaos, the best livestock of the Ukrainian horse was transported to the neighboring countries and overseas, and the unstable situation in the country made people forget about progress. Today, active work is underway to improve the breed; to improve working qualities, the gene pool of European sports breeds is used. Modern technologies in reproduction are being practiced - ultrasound diagnostics of fertility in mares, artificial insemination with freshly diluted and frozen sperm, qualified specialists in this field have appeared.

All this led to the growing popularity of the breed, our horses are in demand in neighboring countries - Belarus, Poland, especially Russia, where the Ukrainian horse takes a worthy place among the successful sports breeds.



On the account of Soviet horse breeding there are many breeds of horses for various purposes, which could be the pride of any country. One of them is the Ukrainian horseback riding, or UVP, which ranks first in Ukraine in terms of the number of breeding stock. This is a rather eloquent fact by which one can judge its merits, especially since the official approval of the breed took place just before the collapse of the USSR in 1990. But the path to it began long ago ...

How the breed was created

At the end of the 18th century, in the Little Russian steppes bordering the Oryol and Voronezh provinces, a number of stud farms were founded - Derkulsky, Limarevsky and some others. The reasons for their foundation were the results of a series of Russian-Turkish wars, during which:

1. the Crimean Khanate was defeated - the eternal enemy for Russia, the Commonwealth and the Ukrainian lands that were in their composition.
2. the territory of the Crimea and Tavria became part of the Russian Empire.
3. The Ottoman Empire, which for several centuries posed a serious threat to almost all European countries, including Russia, was relegated to the position of a second-rate power.

The elimination of the threat from the external enemy made it possible to develop the economy of the lands that had previously suffered from constant raids by nomads and from military actions aimed at repelling them. Rich natural pastures and endless steppe expanses, as well as the traditions of spontaneous selection of Zaporozhye Cossacks, who managed to breed a medium-sized, but fast and hardy aboriginal horse in difficult conditions, were favorable factors for the development of young Russian horse breeding. These traditions were preserved and continued in a number of established stud farms located on the territory of modern Luhansk, Zaporozhye, Kirovograd and some other regions. They are associated with the creation of the streltsy horse breed, which was considered one of the best in pre-revolutionary Russia; in these factories, attempts were made to preserve and breed the Orlovo-Rostopchinsky (future Russian riding) horse; finally, a fine Anglo-Arab livestock was concentrated in them. But this is not what Ukrainian stud farms are famous for.

Having made a significant contribution to the development of Russian and later Soviet horse breeding, during three wars - the First World War, the Civil and the Great Patriotic War - they lost almost all of their livestock, and some factories were destroyed. Since they provided horses not only for the army and breeding herds of breeding farms, but also for the village, in 1945, after the victory over Germany, there was an urgent need for a horse, which in its type and multifunctional purpose would be close to the Russian riding breed, which at that time was considered dead. The initiator of the creation of a new breed was S.M.Budyonny (1883-1973), who in the 1920s played a significant role in the founding of Soviet horse breeding. It was at his suggestion that the Ukrainian stud farms destroyed by the Germans began to be restored, and trophy mares of the predominantly Hungarian Mesohegyes factory, as well as Trakehner, Hanoverian and some other horses captured by Soviet troops, were sent to the survivors. A Russian riding stallion named Buket and several mares, which miraculously survived during the war, were returned from the Urals, and horse breeders began work on breeding a new breed, originally called the “UPG horse” (Ukrainian breed group). The name itself indicated that it was planned to get from it a half-bred breed, which would not be inferior to the best European horses of this type. In total, 11 breeds took part in its creation, among which were:

1. some surviving representatives of the Russian riding breed (Bouquet and its offspring, as well as the offspring of the Globe). The line they founded was considered a priority for the entire breed.
2. Trakehner
3. Hungarian (vernier, hydran, north-star, furioso).
4. thoroughbred horse.
5. Hanoverian.

In total, the result of various repeated and variable crosses by the beginning of the 50s was 6 breed lines, 2 related groups and 15 mother families. This structure has survived to this day.

Three stages of work

In the history of the creation of the UPG horse (future UVP), three stages can be clearly distinguished.

1. the first (from 1945 to 1951).
2. second (1952 - 1959)
3. the third (1959 - 1984).

At the first stage, experts selected the available horses according to certain criteria based on plans drawn up by the All-Russian Research Institute of Horse Breeding and accumulated crossbreeds. Selected mares of Hungarian breeds were covered with Trakehner, Hanoverian and thoroughbred riding stallions, and crossbred mares with the blood of an English thoroughbred breed were covered with Hungarian, Trakehner and Hanoverian stallions. The resulting offspring were divided into groups (large, medium, lightweight and "out of type") and re-crossed with the same stallions matched to horses according to the constitution type.

The second stage was the accumulation of all the best genotypes obtained from the crosses of the first stage. It was by its end that the number of horses was created that met the outlined requirements for the new breed. At this stage, horse breeders performed the following actions:

1. cross-breeding mares with purebred stallions (for example, "Hanover-Hungarian", "Trakehne-Hungarian" and "Anglo-Trakehne-Hungarian" - with English riding stallions, "Anglo-Trakehner" - with Hungarian, and "Anglo-Hungarian" "- with trakenens).
2. selected the best large horses and distributed them by type (thick, basic and light).
3. selected individuals were crossed with the aforementioned stallions, matching them to each other according to the type of body composition.

The third stage was characterized by breeding "in itself" hybrids of the required type with the following selection:

1. crossbred horses ("Trakehno-Hungarian", "Anglo-Hungarian" and "Anglo-Trakehne-Hungarian") were covered with purebred stallions.
2. the same mares were crossed with producers who had the blood of the Russian riding breed.
3. the resulting hybrids were bred in themselves and, depending on the type, were crossed with stallions of various genealogical combinations, which gradually replaced purebred horses.

Since 1982, a small number of Arab, Terek and Akhal-Teke horses have been involved in breeding work.

As a result, after so many multiple crosses, Soviet horse breeders managed to breed a hybrid horse that combined best qualities various European and Eastern breeds, which made it almost universal in use. The Russian horse breed gave her endurance, a unique exterior, as well as the harmony and elegance of forms inherent in oriental horse, the English thoroughbred horse "shared" its height, agility and excellent jumping ability, and the "Hungarian" made the Ukrainian horse not only smart, but also suitable for harness work in agriculture. Consolidation of all these qualities made it possible to carry out further work to improve the UVP.

At the same time, a kind of popularization of the breed was carried out. Against the background of her successes in various competitions, an international auction was held in Kiev in 1975, at which only UVP horses were sold. Their exterior and other characteristics aroused such delight among visitors that 78 horses were sold on it for a total of 131,600 US dollars (in Soviet rubles, this was 361.6 thousand). This auction contributed to the strengthening of interest in the UVP abroad, and so much fueled by its success in the competition, and was a serious incentive for its further improvement. In addition, a specialized Council for pedigree work with the UWP was created. Since several stud farms were simultaneously engaged in its creation, he coordinated all the work between them, which greatly facilitated the task. The council existed until the official approval of the breed.

Horse portrait

The Ukrainian riding horse breed, obtained as a result of many crosses, is a real explosive mixture of various European and Eastern breeds, similar to all of them and at the same time having its own face. It is characterized by the following signs:

1. high growth.
2. more massive and developed body in comparison with purebred breeds.
3. head with correct proportions.
4. Long neck.
5. deep and wide chest.
6. high withers.
7. straight back.
8. strong, well-positioned limbs with well-developed joints.
9. the main breed colors are black, bay and gray. A nighting suit is also acceptable.

There are three types in the breed:

1. basic. Horses of this type are tall - 162 cm, well-developed body and backbone, pronounced riding warehouse, dry and strong constitution.
2. thick. He is characterized by a height of 161 cm, massiveness, the exterior of a harness horse and some signs of a damp constitution.
3. lightweight. Outwardly, these horses are similar to the horses of the main type, but are inferior to them in height (160 cm), and also differ in a less developed body and bone.

The character traits inherent in these types delight all riders who are dealing with a Ukrainian riding horse. It is different:

1. calm temperament and good nature.
2. agility and mobility.
3. productivity of movements at all gaits.
4. the ability to teach the elements of a higher riding school.
5. intelligence and ingenuity.
6. endurance.

If we add an elegant appearance to all this, it becomes clear why Ukrainian horse breeders are deservedly proud of this horse, despite its half-blooded character. In addition, the Ukrainian riding horse has shown itself with the best side at various all-Union and world competitions, sports days and the Olympics, and world fame came to her after the Soviet athlete I. Kizimov became Olympic champion... "Ukrainka" showed remarkable results in dressage, show jumping and triathlon, and it is no coincidence that the USSR national team of dressage and show jumping mainly performed on it. Over the last quarter of the twentieth century - until 2000 - the UVP gave more than three hundred winners and prize-winners of various competitions, and this figure, perhaps, speaks most eloquently about the quality of the horse and its contribution to the development of equestrian sport.

Conclusion

Like other countries of the post-Soviet space, after the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine entered a period of protracted economic and political crisis, which also affected the work of stud farms. V. Stashevsky, one of the founders of the UHP, the former head of the Alexandria stud farm (1967 - 1980), once noted with sadness the fact that romanticism, adherence to common values, a sense of responsibility and a creative spirit prevailed from horse breeding work, as a result of which "the practice of rude instinct ". This led to the fact that for a long time in independent Ukraine the Ukrainian riding horse breed was in a position of humiliation. However, he was inclined to attribute these tendencies to the so-called. "Growing pains" and looked to the future with hope, believing that Ukrainian horse breeding would still revive and stand on a par with the horse breeding of the leading countries of the world, since it has all the prerequisites for this. Perhaps the opinion of the honored horse breeder is not far from the truth. At least, the Ukrainian riding horse breed, the creation of which he and his comrades devoted a lot of strength and energy, has not disappeared anywhere. It is still bred in 11 stud farms in Ukraine and on some breeding farms, and the breeding stock, the lion's share of which is young, numbers 1201 heads. And despite the fact that the best livestock in the 90s was exported abroad, stud farms are working on preserving and improving the breed, using the gene pool of European sports breeds and modern reproduction technologies. Ukrainian horse is still in demand, and this is an excellent proof that Ukrainian horse breeders are on the right track.

Exterior
Horses of the Ukrainian riding breed are characterized by high growth, have a well-developed body, harmonious constitution, strong constitution. They have a proportional head, a long neck with a high neck, a deep and wide chest, a long, wide normal slope of the croup, strong limbs with correct positioning, an energetic temperament, productive movements at all gaits, the ability to assimilate the elements of a higher riding school. The breed combines the best qualities of the original breeds: vigor, dryness, strength of the constitution of a thoroughbred horse; high growth, massiveness and boneiness of Western European; beautiful forms of the Orlovo-Rostopchin breed, which became famous all over the world for horses of an outstanding and unique exterior.

Peculiarities
Modern horses Ukrainian riding breed, especially its pedigree nucleus, are quite pedigree, riding format, dry strong constitution, without significant exterior defects, owners of beautiful external forms. They are kind and undemanding to the conditions of keeping in comparison with some of the original breeds.
Origin
Work on the creation of a horse-harness type horse in Ukraine began immediately after the end of the Great Patriotic War on the initiative of Marshal of the Soviet Union S.M. Budyonny. It was carried out at first in the Ukrainian stud farm, which received 275 trophy mares (vernier, hydran, north-star, furioso) mainly with the brands of the Hungarian stud farm Mesohegyes. At the same time, trophy stallions of the Hanoverian, Trakehner, Hungarian, thoroughbred riding breeds and their crosses were brought in. When creating the Ukrainian riding breed, horses of more than 11 breeds were used. The main breeds were: thoroughbred horse, Trakehner, Hungarian, Russian horse, less used horses of the Hanoverian, Arab, and Akhal-Teke breeds. Of great importance in the creation and improvement of the breed was the use of stallions and mares in breeding work, carrying the blood of the Russian riding breed.

Since the beginning of the country's participation in the big equestrian sport (the Olympic Games), high-breed, smart and elegant horses were required. In the breeding work to create the Ukrainian riding horse breed, mares were used - daughters and granddaughters of the black stallion of the Russian riding breed Buket, born in 1934 from Ozherelk and Balalaika, as well as the daughter of Globus, black, born in 1934 from Obrazchik and Goduvalnitsa. Among them were the mares Bylinka, Gvozdika, who left the greatest mark on the Ukrainian riding breed and were the ancestors of the brood families. Of the stud stallions with Orlovo-Rostopchin blood, the stallions Bespechny and Grokhot were used, and later their descendants were stallions Inbar, Razbor, Berendey, Khorey, etc.

Horses of the Ukrainian riding breed were widespread in a number of union republics and abroad. For example, in the period from 1980 to 1989, more than 3000 breeding and sports horses were sold to stud farms, of which about 600 heads were sold to various sports organizations. During the period from 1975 to 2000, 318 winners and prize-winners of international and domestic equestrian competitions were received in the breed, including dressage - 128, show jumping - 96, triathlon - 74. The breed was approved in 1990 (formerly the Ukrainian breed group - UPG ), at the same time its genealogical structure was also approved - 6 male lines, 2 related groups and 15 uterine families.

The first steps to create stallions of the Ukrainian riding suit date back to 1945. Initially, this breed was called "Horse Ukrainian group". The ancestor of the idea of ​​creating these horses was Budenny S. M. Skakunov for selection was selected in accordance with strict criteria.

Among the required qualities in horses used for breeding were tall stature, its characteristics, firmness and muscular constitution of the body, agility and mobility, an obedient disposition and the presence of a learning ability.

Over the course of 45 years spent in attempts, the workers of Ukrainian livestock farms, as a result of crossing half-bred mares with horses of the Thoroughbred Horse, Hanover, Horse Russian and Trakehner stripes, turned out this amazing sports stallion. Officially, the Ukrainian riding horse breed was registered in 1990.

Now the leading livestock farms engaged in breeding horses of the Ukrainian riding breed are located only in Ukraine itself.

Characteristics of the breed

Outwardly, Ukrainian riding horses have big sizes, dense and very harmonious, with a height of about 166 cm.The head is of correct proportions and very large size... The back is straight, massive and deep rib cage... Characteristic color: bay, black and light brown. The legs are well muscled and well positioned, with well developed joints.

This horse breed is very hardy to various physical activity, which is not surprising, because it was created as sport horse... The disposition of the horses of the Ukrainian riding breed is very energetic, they are easy to train, manage, quite good-natured and frisky, move productively at gaits. In addition, this horse breed is very smart and quick-witted, and also beautiful and elegant.

It is customary to keep Ukrainian riding horses in a pasture-stable environment. Still, being a pony, they move away from their mother at the age of about 1.5 years, after which they undergo intensive field work and under-saddle trainings. Upon reaching the age of two, the horses begin training at the hippodromes. For a three-year-old Ukrainian rider, already successful participation in classical equestrian competitions, excellent work in a team, excellent dressage and triathlon are characteristic. The proof of this is the many victories in competitions of various levels.

Usage

The great success of the Ukrainian riding horse breed ensured not only the presence of an attractive appearance, but also the most worthy qualities required in sports.

So, about 50 times the horses of the Ukrainian riding breed were the winners of the competition international level, including even XIX Olympic competition in Mexico City, where the famous rider of the Soviet era I. Kizimov and a horse named Ihor, managed to earn the highest award - gold medal... At the Moscow Olympics in 1980, this breed of excellent horses once again surprised everyone with high athletic performance... 3 Soviet riders and their mounts Raft, Gambler and Shkval became the winners of the dressage competition.

After such a triumph, Ukrainian riding stallions began to be massively bought up at various international auctions. In modern times, in addition to equestrian competitions, Ukrainian riding horses are popular in tourism and rental. In addition, she participates in national holidays of Ukraine, as a symbol and sign of the country's pride.