Don

Overview:

Physical Description:

Its long back is straight and broad with a long and slightly sloping croup. The line of the croup may be rather straight. Its rib cage is generally wide, the the ribs long and well-sprung. Depth through the girth may vary from horse to horse. The loin is generally straight. The strong quarters tend to slope away from the croup, and the tail is occasionally low-set. The tail and mane are usually short and thin.

Its long, well-muscled legs have broad, clean joints and strong tendons. While the legs are long and strong, but there is a tendency for the pasterns to be upright. The forelegs are usually straight and well-muscled, but the joints may be insufficiently large and there is a tendency toward calf knees (an inward curve below the knee). On the hind legs, its second thighs may be insubstantial, and it is occasionally inclined toward sickle-hocks. In the old type, the pelvic corner was so placed that it restricted the freedom of movement. Its broad foot is of tough horn, the hooves usually sound, disease-free, and capable of withstanding hard wear.

The Don is described in the breed standard as being a "comparatively massive" horse, but "massive" may be a misnomer or a misinterpretation. A better description of the Don would be "substantial," at least in respect of the body, which to meet the breed standard, should be around 6 ft 4 in (1.93m) through the girth, with a barrel measurement of 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m). Horses are often freezemarked (on left wither and flank) as an increasingly common method of permanent identification, which is practiced worldwide.

Origin:

Its ancestors were the horses of the nomadic tribes, and the early influences were those of the unprepossessing but very hardy Mongolian Nagai, the horses of northern Iran, the Persian Arabians, and the Turkmene, a desert horse closely associated with the Akhal Teke. The Karabakh, a mountain horse from the Karabakh Mountains of Azerbaijan is a particular influence. The breeding areas for the Don were not far from those of the Karabakh in Azebaijan, and many Karabakh horses were loosed in the Don steppes in the 18th century, to upgrade the Don stock.

Large numbers of these predominantly golden-dun horses were turned loose on the Don steppes during the 18th century. The Don was subsequently improved and acquired greater size as a result of crosses with the Orlov, the Strelets Arabian, which was really an Anglo-Arabian, and to Thoroughbreds. No outside blood has been introduced since the beginning of the 20th century. By that time, the Don had emerged as a horse of a relatively fixed type.

Other Facts:

The quadriga is where four horses are harnessed abreast to a Don-style quadriga (similar to a troika sleigh or cart). The outer pair of horses, which are bent to the outside by a fixed rein, canter, while the center pair trot.

Don

This meso-dolichomorphic horse from the former Soviet Union has a quiet though energetic temperament. With its aptidue for riding and light draft, the Don is of national importance. Standing 15.1 to 15.3 hands high, it may be found in bay, brown, black, gray or chestnut. This is the famous horse of the Russian Cossacks from western Russia.

During the dreadful winter of 1812 when Napoleon retreated back to France, the extraordinary toughness and courage of this breed became renowned. Napoleon lost many thousands of his French horses, yet the Russian Cossacks, and their Dons, were tough enough to survive the appalling conditions. They continued to attack the French, and drove them all the way back to their homeland. Then the Cossacks and their Dons made the long return journey to Moscow, a feat without equal in cavalry history. The Don was a comparatively new breed during the Napoleonic wars.

The Don was developed in the steppe country around the rivers of Don and Volga, and it is still bred there today. During the early stages of its development, the Don was smaller and more robust than it is today. The old Don Horse was not very tall, but sturdy and energetic. The Don was developed by crossing native breeds with larger Russian and Iranian breeds. It was bred by Cossacks living on the dry, grassy plains around the Don and Volga rivers where conditions harsh. The winters are bitter and summers are searing hot, so the horses needed to be tough and adaptable. Hardly pampered, they lived in herds on the steppe pastures fending for themselves by scraping away snow in order to get to the frozen. While the Don was based on the horses of the nomadic steppe tribes, it was refined with additions of Turkoman and Karabakh, and later the Thoroughbred and Orlov.

Descending from the old Don Horse, this modern Don was improved in the 18th century with outcrossing to Karabair, Karabakh, and Turkmene stallions. Orlov blood was introduced early in the 19th century. Turkoman, Karabakh and Karabair stallions that were allowed to run free with the Dons on the steppes. English Thoroughbreds and Arabians were used near the end of the 19th century. These introductions gave the Don height and elegance without reducing its natural hardiness. With this upgrading, no further crosses were necessary, and during the 20th century, the Don remained purebred without additional outside blood. This was when the Don emerged as a solid army remount suitable for harness, and requiring minimal attention.

Deriving its name from the river in the steppes region where it is bred, the Don is important in Russian horse breeding. The Don has been used to improve and create other Russian breeds. The quality desired from the Don is its great stamina. The Don has been particularly influential as foundation stock for the development of the Budyonny, and in the improvement of the Kazakh and Kirgiz. The Don's hardiness and frugalness also make it valuable in the improvement of local stock in areas where horse herds are traditional and commonplace.

Some of the best Don horses are bred at the state-run Budonny (Budyonny) Stud. Selected Don mares were crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce Anglo-Dons, which were in turn carefully inbred to create a new breed -- the Budonny. The Budonny, originally bred as a cavalry horse, is now produced increasingly as a specialized riding horse. Some of the best Dons are still bred at the Budonny Stud today.

The Don has also been used to improve the Bashkersky, a versatile and enduring breed from the Bashkiria region and is used for riding and pulling sleighs. Dons have been used to refine the Kazakh, a highly-valued pony due to its comfortable, ambling gait. And Dons have been crossed with the old Kirghiz to produce a new breed, the New Kirghiz, an excellent mountain horse.

The Russian Don is a lean and elegant horse with a head is similar to that of the Thoroughbred -- broad between the eyes, with small ears. It has a long, straight neck with an upright shoulder. The Don's body is long and deep and its legs are long and strong. Dons are bred in the wild in order to develop their great stamina. They can travel long distances withstanding extreme weather conditions. Russian breeders view the conformations of all their horses realistically and note all faults as well as qualities in their breeding records.

While the best Don horses generally have acceptable conformation, they do not always correspond to the breed standard. Individuals are inclined to be long in the leg, and the failings of the breed, whic are meticulously cataloged and honestly appraised, would discourage the average Western breeder. Typical faults include:

• Low withers accompanied by straight, short shoulders
• "Calf knees" (an inward curve below the knee, considered to impinge upon the passage of the tendons)
• A tendency toward sickle-hocks and upright pasterns
• A tail that can be set too low
• A short, constricted poll that makes flexion difficult

Considerable performance testing is practice by the Russian breeders. Dons are tested on the racetrack at two and three years old, and they are also subject to long-distance endurance tests. As a racehorse, it is not impressive, but it is a formidable performer over long distances. A standard test under saddle is a ride of 170 miles (275 km), which has to be covered in 24 hours.

The Don has been used both under the saddle and for light carriage, and is strong and hardy. The toughness and stamina of the Don is, in part, be attributed to the way it has been bred. Herds of Dons run free on the steppes and must be sound to survive the bleak and extremely harsh winter conditions. These horses are incredibly tough, can work on the leanest of rations, and are quite capable of living outside year-round. They adapt easily to all sorts of climatic hardship.

While the Russian cavalry no longer needs large quantities of Dons, they are still in demand for general riding and endurance riding. In competitions, the successes of the Dons have been limited due to their rather short stride. They do, however, excel in long-distance races in spite of this restricted action. Good-natured, calm and easily managed, Dons are quite able to work in harness and in light, agricultural draft. They are energetic workers and have a high level of endurance. Dons are still herded on the plains where their toughness make them a very useful working horse. The Don horse is both ridden and driven and is an ideal mount for the herdsmen of the Kirghizskaya and Kazakhskaya regions of Russia.

For more information visit:

• Oklahoma State University, Russian Don
• Bibliography

This article was not published in the North West Breyer Horse Club newsletter, however, it was published to the NorthWest breyer horse Club website in 1999. (em)

	© 1997-2018 NW Breyer Horse Club & Refiner of Gold Creations Equinealities in place since 1997, Section in place 2001, Updated 2/19/2018		Enter city or US Zip