What's the difference between warm and cold blooded horses?
Cold bloods are larger and heavier compared to Warm bloods. Musculature is more prominent in Cold blood breeds than in Warm blood breeds. Cold Blood horses are mostly useful in heavy work and less used in racing sports, whereas Warm blood horses are more useful in racing and equestrian sports as well as in light works.
Horses with a pedigree that includes cold and hot-blooded horses are warmbloods. The original warmblood breeds were offspring of large coach horses crossed with smaller Arabians and Thoroughbreds. Warmbloods are typically intelligent, have calm temperaments, and are exceptional athletes.
Cold-blooded horses encompass the draft breeds such as Percherons, Shires, Clydesdales, and Belgians. Large-boned and heavy-bodied, these horses were developed to use in draft and agricultural work, and were selected for a calm temperament.
1 : an athletic, agile horse (such as a Hanoverian or Trakehner) that is noted for its trainability and usually calm temperament, is commonly used in equestrian competition, and typically possesses Thoroughbred, Arabian, and draft horse bloodlines With generations of recorded and proven performances, the warmblood is ...
Quarter horses are not a warmblooded horse breed.
Although they originate from cross-breeding, quarter horses don't have the proper mix; it lacks sufficient draft (cold blood) bloodlines to be a warmblood horse. The blood types of horses are divided into three categories: warm-blooded, hot-blooded, and cold-blooded.
They stand somewhat smaller than their riding horse counterparts, between 155 and 165 cm at the withers. They are predominantly bay, brown, chestnut, and occasionally grey.
American quarter horses, Appaloosas and Paint horses are all descendants of hot-blooded breeds. The American quarter horse is considered by many to be the original American Warmblood.
- American Cream Draft Horse.
- Poitevin.
- Ardennes Draft Horse.
- Rhenish German coldblood.
- Clydesdale.
- Schleswig Coldblood.
- Dutch Draft.
- Black Forest Coldblood.
Since horses are mammals, they are all warm-blooded.
Technically the make – up of the breed – with its mix of pony, thoroughbred, and heavy horse – would make the Irish Draught a warmblood, like the majority of non pony breeds.
Are warmblood horses good for beginners?
Which horse breed is the calmest? The calmest horse breeds are the draft breeds, Belgiums, Clydesdales, and Shires. However, the calmest horse breed for beginner riders is warmblood breeds like the Irish Sport Horse. Horses are individuals, and you can find calm horses in almost any breed.
Warmblood riders appreciate the methodical pace of a horse with natural impulsion and rhythm. It's like riding along in an Easy Chair, as they say. They drool over just how handsome their horse is – because in all honesty, he is pretty darn good looking.

The simple definition of a warmblood horse is a cross between a hot-blooded breed -- the thoroughbred -- and a cold-blooded breed, such as the draft horse. That's misleading, because European warmblood registries date back generations, if not centuries. Generally, warmbloods are calmer and quieter than thoroughbreds.
Historically warmbloods were used as cavalry horses, for farming, and in harness. Lighter in build than coldbloods, they were bred to be suitable for a wider range of jobs, making them true all-rounders. As their traditional roles were phased out by mechanisation, warmbloods were adapted for sport and leisure.
The Tennessee Walking Horse is a warm-blooded breed, which influences many of its personality traits. Many hot-blooded horses originated in the Middle East, and they are generally short-tempered and athletic, making them well-suited to racing. Cold-blooded horses often come from Europe.
A highly skilled Dutch warmblood with a competitive Olympic show record can cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. If you're looking for a good jumper to succeed in the lower levels, a well-bred Dutch warmblood can cost anywhere from $40,000 – $100,000.
Thoroughbred Characteristics
Fortunately the entire bone structure of the thoroughbred is typically lighter and more refined than most of its warmblood counterparts. They have higher and well-defined withers, which is the bony structure at the base of the neck directly in front of the saddle.
For the past two hundred years, the Friesian breed itself has been kept free from outside blood, making it a genetically distinctive member of the “warmblood” group of horse breeds.
They tend to be intelligent, easygoing, and willing to work with their humans. And because they're so even-tempered, they can thrive in a variety of environments, including on pleasure rides and in the show ring.
The simple definition of a warmblood horse is a cross between a hot-blooded breed -- the thoroughbred -- and a cold-blooded breed, such as the draft horse. That's misleading, because European warmblood registries date back generations, if not centuries. Generally, warmbloods are calmer and quieter than thoroughbreds.
How many types of warmbloods are there?
Warmblood
Which horse breed is the calmest? The calmest horse breeds are the draft breeds, Belgiums, Clydesdales, and Shires. However, the calmest horse breed for beginner riders is warmblood breeds like the Irish Sport Horse. Horses are individuals, and you can find calm horses in almost any breed.