The most common coat coloration of the Abtenauer horse is black although there are other colors such as sorrel and blue roan. Matching teams of Abtenauers are often seen in shows and competitions.
Although similar in physical structure and development to the Noriker, the Abtenauer is lighter in bone structure as well as slightly smaller in overall shape.
As a draft breed the Abtenauer is known as a coldblooded horse breed. This means that it has a thicker, heavier body structure, thicker legs and feathering on the backs of the legs as well as generally larger frame. The Abtenauer also has a typical coldblooded breed personality in that they are calmer and more docile that the lighter horse breeds.
The Abtenauer horse gets its name from the Abtenau Valley in Austria where it is bred. Since it was a largely isolated area there have no infusions of other breeds in the development of the Abtenauer.
The only unacceptable color for the Abtenauer is a leopard spotting pattern.
The modern Abtenauer is considered to be a rare breed of draft horse and is rarely seen outside of Germany. Since it is endangered, there are breeders that are working to increase the numbers of Abtenauers and preserve the breed for the future.
New natural and environmentally friendly agricultural and forestry practices have regenerated interest in all the draft breeds, including the Abtenauer.
Many Abtenauers have a distinctive chocolate brown coloration with dapples and a flaxen colored mane and tail. This coloration is seen in other horse breeds.
The Abtenauer foals are often born with a curly or wavy coat that is shed within a few months. After this first shed the foal will never have a curly or wavy coat at any other time in its life. The mane and tail may remain somewhat wavy all through the horse's life.
The Abtenauer is an excellent agricultural farming horse and is ideally suited to working the soil in the Abtenau Valley. Since they are shorter in the leg and body than many of the other breeds they are able to pull slightly heavier amounts of weight per body pound than longer, leggier breeds of draft horses.
The Abtenauer is a great horse for an owner that wants both a riding horse as well as a draft horse. Like the Haflinger and the Noriker, the Abtenauer is easy to train to ride and will quickly adjust to either the harness or the saddle.
There are estimated to be about 100 purebred Abtenauers left, which is a slightly lower amount than the 178 listed on the registry books in 1939.
The Abtenauer has an excellent reputation as a mountain horse, known for its ability to maneuver difficult terrain and work in mountainous regions.
Harnesses for the Abtenauer teams are often custom made, especially for show and competition. Owners take great pride in grooming and presenting their horses at local fairs and horse shows.
|
