For a horse breed to be suitable for dressage, it needs to have the athletic ability to carry itself in a frame naturally and be able to collect and extend its body and gaits. A dressage horse prospect horse should have long legs with long strides and good conformation. As the best horses competing on the higher levels have to perform advanced moves such as piaffe, passage, and pirouettes.
Warmblood Horses
The most popular dressage horse breed for dressage competitions is by far the warmblood horse. Warmblood horses exist in a range of different breeds, including Swedish Warmbloods, Dutch Warmbloods, Trakehners, Danish Warmbloods, Belgian Warmbloods, German Warmblood Hanoverians, and Holsteiner. Even though warmblood horses are regarded as the best horse breeds for dressage, other non-warmbloods are gaining popularity too, including Andalusian horses, Friesian horses, and the Irish Sport horse (cross-breeds).
Spanish Horses
Spanish horses, including the Andalusian and Lusitano, have gained popularity in the dressage horse world over the last decade due to their expressive movement, gorgeous long manes, and fairytale-like appearance. The Instagram personality Matt Harnacke is a dressage rider from Australia who lives in Europe and promotes the Spanish horse breeds to both amateur riders and Grand Prix-level riders. Over 1 million people worldwide have watched his YouTube videos, and some get inspired to try the versatile Andalusian breed. These beautiful horses have gained popularity in the last 20 years with an increase in the number of breeders worldwide.
Older type Dressage Horses vs Modern Dressage Horses
Thirty years ago, the dressage horse breeding program focused on lighter and taller types of warmblood dressage horses with medium to long necks. The most common dressage horse breed in the 80s and 90s was the Trakehner horse. The Trakehner is the oldest warmblood breed. A good dressage horse, in more recent years, has focused more on stockier dressage horses that are not as tall but with longer necks and full of impulsion and suspension, and needs to not only have a striking appearance but also have a good character and drive to please its rider. Equestrian sports are becoming increasingly competitive every year. High-level dressage riders and breeders tend to pick solid color horses over pinto, buckskin, or gray horses. All types of warmbloods are used for dressage today.
Most Popular Lighter Dressage Horse Breeds
- Trakhener - Most popular breeds in the 90s
- Arabian Horse
- Appaloosa horses
- Westphalian horses
Most Popular Heavier Dressage Horse Breeds
- Iberian horses - Andalusian horse breed, Lusitano, PRE
- Friesian Horse
- Gypsy Vanner - Never seen at a higher than intermediate level
- Irish Draught
- Oldenburg Horse
- Holsteiner Breed
- Selle francais
- Swedish warmbloods - athletic horses also used for jumping
- Dutch warmblood - also referred to as kwpn horses (often seen at the highest levels)
- Danish warmblood
- Belgian Warmblood
- German warmblood
- Hanoverian
