History knows many cases when animals come to the aid of a person. People have long used the extraordinary abilities of dolphins, dogs or elephants. Horses bring invaluable benefits to their owners. For many years they have been faithfully serving people. Until recently, it was impossible to exist without fast horses. The Vyatka hardworking horse deserves special gratitude and respect.
History of the origin of the Vyatka breed
The history of the horse is dramatic and amazing.Vyatka appeared as a result of crossing forest wild horses with domesticated horses. The unique breed was finally formed under the influence of harsh natural conditions. The culture of the indigenous population of Udmurtia had a great influence on the development of the valuable qualities of Vyatka. The first official information about horses appeared in 1803. With the advent of frisky, unpretentious horses, postal troikas came to serve people. Strong, resilient horses ran hundreds of kilometers, doing their job day after day. In the 19th century, one could observe the widespread use of Vyatka.
In the second half of the 19th century, the fashion for horses of Western heavy breeds came to Russia. Vyatka horses were thoughtlessly crossed with imported horses. This led to a sharp reduction in the Vyatka population. The breed was on the verge of extinction, and only at the end of the 30s of the 20th century did scientists begin to restore the almost lost Vyatka breed. The work was carried out sluggishly, so the specialists did not achieve much success.
In the mid-80s of the 20th century, pedigree Vyatka horses were brought to Udmurtia. From that moment on, things went smoothly. Today, several breeding farms are successfully breeding amazing animals.
Description of the horse
The charming horse does not have a flashy appearance. Unlike trotters, she cannot boast of graceful legs or a long neck. The attractiveness of Vyatka is akin to wildflowers - once you see it, you will never forget it.
Exterior
By the standards of horse breeders, the Vyatka horse is not large in size. It grows and develops slowly, and by adulthood it barely reaches 150 cm at the withers. The animal has smooth, rounded shapes, which gives the small horse a neat appearance.Due to its modest stature, the Vyatka is often mistaken for a pony.
Back in the 19th century, V.I. Dal described the Vyatka as a short, round, playful horse with lively eyes. Compared to representatives of racing breeds, the Vyatka has a short neck and a small head. A wide chest and muscular croup indicate remarkable performance and endurance. In the conditions of the North, horses always received roughage. The animal could only rely on straw or hay. Vyatka had to digest meager, rough food. Spartan conditions were reflected in the appearance of the horse.
The Vyatka's legs are a bit short, but they are distinguished by well-developed hock joints. Thanks to powerful, dry limbs, the horse feels confident over long distances. The straight, level back seems to be created for the comfort of the rider. Thick, dense skin serves as a reliable protection for the horse from the bites of annoying insects. Thick wool helps the Vyatka calmly endure the cold. A special decoration of the horse is its voluminous mane, bangs and bushy tail. Like a real fashionista, Vyatka’s bangs beautifully cover her flat forehead, and then obediently lay to the sides.
Savras color is the original color of the Vyatka horse. In the homeland of Vyatka, you can find horses of all shades of Savras color, from pale yellow to deep brown. Horses of bay, red or mouse color are less common. The calling card of Vyatka is the dark stripe running along the horse’s spine. This echo of the past, indicating the wild origin of the animal, is called a “belt”. A distinctive feature is the transverse stripes decorating the horse’s legs.
The Vyatka breed is also characterized by a dark haze - a coating that adorns the head, neck and shoulders of the animal.The main highlight of Vyatka is the curious and friendly look from under the voluminous bangs. Only representatives of the Vyatka breed can look so sincerely and tenderly into the eyes of their owner.
Productive qualities
Taking into account the working qualities and flexible nature of the Vyatka, the horse is used only as labor and a companion.
Breed Temperament
The calm, easy-going nature of the animal is a distinctive feature of the Vyatka breed. Smart horses quickly absorb information and obediently carry out their duties. They are not afraid of sharp car horns or barking dogs. In the frosty winter or in the pouring rain, the horses do their work measuredly and calmly.
Vyatkas get along well with horses of other breeds. They get along peacefully with numerous pets. Vyatka trusts a person. Many stories can be told about the miracles of mutual understanding between people and horses of the Vyatka breed. Thanks to this character trait, even a teenager can take care of a pet.
Advantages and disadvantages
As in any business, maintaining Vyatka has its pros and cons. Advantages:
- The horse is hardy and unpretentious.
- The animal is mentally stable and resilient. Reacts calmly to external stimuli.
- The horse has a strong immune system, so it rarely gets sick.
- Vyatka has an easy-going character. Easy to learn.
- Owning a horse is cost-effective.
Flaws:
- The horse's hind legs are shaped like an X. This feature slightly interferes with the animal’s freedom of movement.
- In some cases, you can find insufficient density of pasterns on the hind legs of your pet.
Content Features
The Vyatka breed horse is unpretentious and tolerates any living conditions.However, in order for your pet to feel good and continue to be in excellent shape, you need to follow the rules. Despite the fact that the horse easily tolerates cold, the air temperature in the stable should not fall below 5 degrees Celsius. In summer, the room needs to be ventilated. The floor is made of strong, undamaged boards. Otherwise, your pet risks serious injury. Sawdust is poured over the board covering. The layer of soft bedding should be at least 6 cm thick. The covering is changed daily; animals do not feel well in a dirty, damp room.
Wet cleaning of the stall is carried out once every 7 days. Before sanitizing the stall, the pet is taken for a walk. They let him back in only after the plank floor has dried.
The stable should be located in a spacious, well-lit room. The horse is provided with constant access to a portion of fresh hay. A drinking bowl is installed in the stall. Every day your pet drinks at least 40 liters of water. Some craftsmen connect the drinking bowl to the water supply system. Thus, the water in the drinking bowl will always be fresh.
The thick mane and tail of the horse are combed daily using a special brush. Before the procedure, long strands are carefully sorted with your fingers. Echoes of the wild past affect the animal. The Vyatka's mane and tail grow quickly, so the pet needs regular haircuts. A superficial examination of the animal’s teeth is carried out 2-3 times a week.
Unpretentious Vyatkas are kept in a herd position until the Christmas holidays. Peace-loving animals calmly walk freely, picking out the remains of grass from under the snow. Horses do not refuse prey in the form of small twigs and bark.
After a break, the pets are released again. Horses are sent to free grazing with the onset of April warmth.
Horse diet
Unique horses can easily be content with hay and grass. Genetically the animal is adapted to a poor diet. Loving owners delight their pet with a treat in the form of an apple, carrot or a portion of oats.
Nuances of breeding
Vyatka horses are fertile and compete with representatives of other breeds. Experts have been trying for many years to improve the quality of the Vyatka, increasing the growth of the animal, making it stronger and more resilient. Experiments on crossing Vyatka with individuals of other breeds ended in failure. The influence of trotting breeds resulted in animals with an unstable nervous system. Hot, easily excitable horses do not adapt well to difficult conditions. Reproductive qualities are reduced.
When crossing with draft horses, opposite problems arose. The offspring retained their adaptive qualities, but the character of the horses did not change for the better. The horses turned out to be phlegmatic and lazy. In addition, the appearance of the horses has lost its former attractiveness. When crossing the unpretentious Vyatka with other breeds, you need to take into account that a young horse will require more feed, and in the northern climate there is little grass on pastures.
Frequent illnesses
Horses are resistant to colds. If there is a lack of movement, they may suffer from colic. Massive animals are prone to gaining excess weight, so nutrition is kept under control. If stable hygiene is poor, the horse can become infected with fungal or bacterial infections.
Scope of application
Once upon a time, Vyatka horses were used for riding troikas, agricultural work and delivering mail. Today, smart animals are used in logging and field work on small farms.Savraskas are tasked with transporting goods over short distances. Horses are often used on equestrian tourist routes. The intelligence, natural delicacy and endurance of horses help tourists enjoy the journey to the fullest.
One cannot do without a Vyatka horse in the complex task of rehabilitating disabled children. Hippotherapy is a reliable means of alleviating the suffering of young patients. Sometimes a small horse becomes the only friend for a child.
Horses are used in children's equestrian sections. The small size of the Vyatka is convenient for riders aged 10-13 years. The racehorse is too big for teenagers, its height reaches 160 cm. The Vyatka horse seems to be created for working with children. In addition, the flexible horse is easy to handle. Vyatka is often adopted as a companion. The animal readily responds to affection and care and is easy to train. The horse has long lived in peasant yards, so it is trusting and attached to its owners.
