Budyonny (Budenny or Budonny)

Overview:

Purpose-bred for use with the cavalry, this elegant, intelligent horse, with recent crossings to Thoroughbreds, is "proving to be a high-class sports horse" (Kidd). Today's Buyonny is used in dressage because of its regular, level paces and calm temperament.

Physical Description:

Origin:

Other Facts:

Originating in the Rostov area of the former Soviet Union, the Budyonny has an aptitude as a riding horse and for light draft. This meso-dolichomorphic horse is of national importance and stands 15.1 or 15.2 to 16 hands high. Though it is generally chestnut, the Budyonny may be bay, grey, or more rarely, brown or black. Budyonnys occasionally display the golden sheen to their coat so typical of Don and Chernomor breeds.

As a result of an ambitious program began by the Soviet Union in the 1920s, selective breeding was used to create new and improved breeds with experimental crossbreeding to the many types of native mares. The Budyonny is one of many breeds which evolved from this program. This breed was created by Marshal Budyonny (Budenny), a hero of the 1917 Russian Revolution. During the Russian Civil War (1918-1920), he was one of the most famous Bolshevik commanders, and as a result the Budyonny horse was initially bred and used for military purposes. Marshal Budyonny intended to create a good military horse and he undertook the task in the years following the downfall of the Tsar at the military stud at Rostov. He began by crossing Don Horses and Chernomors with English Thoroughbreds.

Intended as a cavalry horse and named after Marshal Budenny, the breed, reared in the Rostov region, was based on Chernomor and Don mares crossed with Thoroughbred stallions. Kazakh and Kirghiz crosses were also introduced, but less successfully. Young stock were carefully reared and performance tested. Three strains were established: Anglo-Don, Anglo-Don-Chernomor, and Anglo-Chernomor, which were less numerous. The mares were bred to the selected Anglo-Don stallions, more Thoroughbred blood being introduced as it was thought necessary. (Eyewitness Horses)

Kirghiz and Kazakh horses were also used for a time, but the progeny either were not hardy or inherited conformational faults making them unsuitable by standards desired. Once developed, the Budyonny was used to improved both of these breeds. To create the Budyonny, 657 mares - 359 Anglo-Dons, 261 Anglo-Dons crossed with Chernomors, and 37 Anglo-Chernomors - were mated with Anglo-Don stallions. Any mares without sufficient definite Thoroughbred character were then bred to Thoroughbred stallions.

Following World War II, Marshal Budyonny continued to encourage the strict breeding patterns which resulted in an excellent cavalry mount. The Budyonny has been recognized officially as a breed since 1948. Strict and selective breeding methods were used to develop the Budyonny and all stock was thoroughly tested. Features of speed, endurance and a tractable character were necessary for the Budyonny to meet the demands as an excellent cavalry horse.

Originally, there were three types (typical Russian breeding styles) -- Massive, Eastern, and Middle. These were later combined into a single body type to produce an all-purpose horse to meet demands of modern equestrians and equestrian sports. Today's Budyonny has more Thoroughbred blood than early examples of the breed, which gives it stamina necessary for competitive sports as jumping, cross-country and dressage. Now the Budyonny is bred at state studs in the southern area of the former USSR, in the Ukraine and Black Sea area to the Kazakh and Kirghiz republics in the east.

This athletic breed has an excellent conformation. Its attractive, well-proportioned and well set-on head has a straight of slightly snub-nosed profile. Its neck is long and well-formed. It has a long, sloping shoulder and pronounced, clean withers. The body is deep with a long, straight back, and well-developed hindquarters with a slightly sloping coup and well set-on tail. Its fine, long and strong legs have good bone and muscle structure to provide power for equestrian sports. The joints are solid and clean with well-defined tendons. The hoof is well-formed and strong.

With a free and natural action in all paces, the Budyonny also has a great jumping ability which makes it a versatile sporting horse. The Budyonny has a docile but energetic temperament (inherited from the Don), and is capable of meeting the modern sporting requirements. The Budyonny's intelligent, willing personality, coupled with its althetic build, make it popular in competitions. The Budyonny excels at eventing, dressage, steeplechasing, show-jumping and long-distance riding. Bred today in government-controlled studs in the southern Rostov region of Russia, Buyonnys are reared in large herds and live a semi-wild existence.

For more information visit:

• Oklahoma State University, Budyonny
• Bibliography

Published December 2002 in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter. (em)

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