Vyatka horse: description and characteristics of the breed, features of the content

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 the owners. For many years they have faithfully served man. More recently, it was impossible to exist without frisky horses. The Vyatka hardworking horse deserves special gratitude and respect.

The history of the origin of the Vyatka breed

The history of the horse is dramatic and amazing. Vyatka appeared as a result of crossing wild forest 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 the service of people. Strong, hardy 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 draft breeds came to Russia. Vyatka horses were thoughtlessly crossed with imported horses. This led to a sharp reduction in the number of vyatok. The breed was on the verge of extinction, and only at the end of the 30s of the 20th century, scientists began 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. To date, several breeding farms are successfully breeding amazing animals.

Description of the horse

Charming horse does not have a catchy appearance. Unlike trotters, she cannot boast of graceful legs or a long neck. The attractiveness of Vyatka is akin to wild flowers - you will make out and never forget.

Exterior

By the standards of horse breeders, the Vyatka horse is not large. It grows and develops slowly, by adulthood it barely reaches 150 cm at the withers. The animal has a well-ordered, rounded shape, which gives the small horse a neat look. Due to their modest stature, the Vyatka is often mistaken for a pony.

Even in the 19th century, V. I. Dal described Vyatka as a small, round, frisky horse with lively eyes. Compared to race breeds, the Vyatka has a short neck and a small head. A wide chest and a muscular croup speak of remarkable performance and endurance.In the conditions of the North, horses always got roughage. The animal could only rely on straw or hay. Vyatka had to digest meager, coarse food. Spartan conditions were reflected in the appearance of the horse.

The legs of the Vyatka are a little short, but they stand out with developed hocks. Thanks to powerful, dry limbs, the horse feels confident over long distances. A straight, even back seems to be created for the convenience of the rider. Thick, dense skin serves as a reliable protection for the horse from the bites of annoying insects. Thick wool helps Vyatka calmly endure the cold. A special decoration of the horse is a voluminous mane, bangs and a magnificent tail. Like a true fashionista, Vyatka's bangs picturesquely cover a flat forehead, and then obediently fit to the sides.

Savrasaya coloring is the original color of the Vyatka horse. In the homeland of Vyatka, you can find horses of all shades of savras suit, from pale yellow to deep brown.Less common are horses of bay, red or mouse color. The visiting card of Vyatka can be called a dark stripe running along the horse's spine. This echo of the past, testifying to the wild origin of the animal, is called the “belt”. A distinctive feature is the transverse stripes decorating the legs of the horse.

Inherent in the Vyatka breed and dark haze - plaque that adorns the head, neck and shoulders of the animal. The main highlight of Vyatka is a curious and friendly look from under a voluminous bang. Only representatives of the Vyatka breed can look so sincerely and tenderly into the eyes of the owner.

Productivity

Given the working qualities and docile nature of the Vyatka, the horse is used only as a labor force and companion.

Breed temperament

The calm, docile disposition of the animal is a hallmark of the Vyatka breed.Smart horses quickly absorb information and obediently perform their duties. They are not afraid of harsh car horns or barking dogs. In a frosty winter or in pouring rain, horses do their work measuredly and calmly.

Vyatki 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, the content of Vyatka has its pros and cons. Pros:

The horse is hardy and unpretentious.
The animal is mentally stable, stable. Calmly reacts to external stimuli.
The horse has a strong immune system, so it rarely gets sick.
Vyatka has a docile nature. Easy to learn.
Keeping a horse is cost-effective.

Flaws:

The hind legs of the horse are formed in the shape of an X. This feature slightly interferes with the freedom of movement of the animal.
In some cases, you can find insufficient density of pasterns on the pet's hind legs.

Content Features

The horse of the Vyatka breed is unpretentious and puts up with any conditions of detention. However, in order for the 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 the summer, the room must be ventilated. The floor is made of strong, undamaged boards. Otherwise, the pet risks serious injury. Sawdust is poured over the boardwalk.A layer of soft bedding is made at least 6 cm. The cover is changed daily, animals feel bad 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 out for a walk. They let him back in only after the plank floor is dry.

The stable should be in a spacious, well-lit area. The horse is provided with constant access to a portion of fresh hay. A drinker is installed in the stall. Every day, the pet drinks at least 40 liters of water. Some craftsmen connect the drinker to the plumbing system. Thus, the water in the drinker will always be fresh.

The thick mane and tail of the horse are combed daily with a special brush. Before the procedure, long strands are carefully sorted out with fingers. Echoes of the wild past affect the animal. The mane and tail of the Vyatka grow quickly, so the pet needs a regular haircut.A superficial examination of the animal's teeth is carried out 2-3 times a week.

Unpretentious vyatok is kept in a herd position until the Christmas holidays. Peace-loving animals calmly roam free, picking the remains of grass from under the snow. Horses do not refuse prey in the form of small twigs and bark.

After a break, pets are released again. Horses are sent for free grazing with the onset of the April heat.

Horse diet

Unique horses can easily make do with hay and grass. Genetically, the animal is adapted to a poor diet. Loving owners delight the pet with a treat in the form of an apple, carrot or serving of oats.

Nuances of breeding

Vyatka horses are prolific and compete with representatives of other breeds. For many years, specialists have been trying to improve the quality of vyatka by increasing the growth of the animal, making it stronger and more resilient.Experiments on crossing Vyatka with individuals of other breeds ended in failure. Under the influence of trotting breeds, animals with an unstable nervous system were obtained. Hot, excitable horses do not adapt well to difficult conditions. Decreased reproductive qualities.

When crossing with heavy haulers, the opposite problems arose. The offspring retained adaptive qualities, but the nature of the horses did not change for the better. The horses were phlegmatic and lazy. In addition, the appearance of the horses has lost its former attractiveness. When crossing the unpretentious Vyatka with other breeds, it must be taken into account that a young horse will require more food, and in the conditions of the northern climate there is little grass on pastures.

Frequent diseases

Horses are resistant to colds. With a lack of movement, they can suffer from colic. Massive animals are predisposed to gaining excess weight, so food is kept under control. With poor hygiene in the stable, the horse can be affected by fungal or bacterial infections.

Scope of application

Once Vyatka horses were used for riding troikas, agricultural work and delivering mail. Today, smart animals are used in logging and field work in small farms. Savraskas are entrusted with the transportation of goods over short distances. Horses are often used on equestrian tourist routes. The understanding, natural delicacy and endurance of horses help tourists enjoy the journey to the fullest.

You can't do without the Vyatka horse in the difficult task of rehabilitating disabled children. Hippotherapy is a reliable means to alleviate the suffering of young patients. Sometimes a little horse becomes the child's only friend.

Horses are used in children's equestrian sports. The small size of the vyatka is convenient for riders of the age category of 10-13 years.For teenagers, the racehorse is too big, its height reaches 160 cm. The Vyatka horse seems to be created for working with children. In addition, an accommodating horse is easy to deal with. Vyatka is often bred as a companion. The animal readily responds to affection and care, it is easy to train. The horse has long lived in peasant yards, so it is trusting and attached to the owners.