At the auction in Vechta, young horses trot through the hall, and professionals from all over the world sit in the stands next to families looking for a leisure horse. Both find Oldenburgers there. The breed is now primarily known for dressage, but has a long history as a carriage and economic horse.
| Type | Warmblood, sport horse |
|---|---|
| Origin | Germany, former Grand Duchy of Oldenburg (Lower Saxony) |
| Breeding association in Germany | Association of Oldenburg Horse Breeders (OL) under the umbrella of the Oldenburg Horse Breeding Association, Vechta; next to it the jumping horse breeding association Oldenburg-International (OS) |
| Stock size | according to the breeding program, three-year-old approx. 160 to 170 cm |
| Colors | all colors |
| Usage | Dressage, jumping, eventing, leisure |
Origin and history
The foundation stone was laid by Count Anton Günther von Oldenburg (1583 to 1667) with stallions from Naples, Spain, England, Poland and the Orient. This resulted in a popular school, riding and wagon horse. The first stallion licensing took place in the Grand Duchy in 1820, the first Oldenburg Stud Book was published in 1891, and in 1923 and 1924 two associations merged to form the Association of Breeders of the Oldenburg Horse (Oldenburg Horse Breeding Association, History).
From 1959 onwards, the thoroughbred stallion Adonis xx began to be bred into a modern sport horse. In the 1960s, the stud book opened up to other refiners, and French Anglo-Normans were later added. Since 2006 the breeding area has covered the whole of Germany. According to its own information, Oldenburg has been the largest horse breeding association in Germany in terms of registered foals since 2020.
Exterior
A noble, long-lined, correct, powerful and healthy sport horse with dynamic, expansive, elastic movements is bred. The height at the withers should be around 160 to 170 cm at the age of three. What is desired is an expressive, noble head with large, friendly eyes, a medium-length, well-set neck, long, prominent withers with large, sloping shoulders and a frame in a rectangular format. A coarse head, lower neck and a coarse, clumsy overall appearance are undesirable (breeding program OL).
Character (interior)
The breeding program wants a horse that is rideable, versatile and willing to perform, uncomplicated and sociable, but at the same time enthusiastic, strong-nerved and reliable, with a calm, balanced temperament. Difficult, nervous or violent horses are undesirable. That's the goal; You should still always prepare the individual horse yourself.
Keeping and feeding
A sport horse needs more exercise every day than one training session. Pasture or paddock with other animals keeps your head clear and your musculoskeletal system stable. The basis of feeding is sufficient hay, concentrated feed is available according to performance and body condition.
Health
All stallions that are entered in the stallion book I or II have been tested for WFFS, a recessive connective tissue disease in foals, since 2019. The status will be published, but has no influence on the registration (breeding program OL). In a study with over 4,000 horses, the carrier frequency in Hanoverians and Danish Warmbloods was up to 17 percent (Reiter et al. 2020). Therefore, never pair two carriers with each other.
The association requires digital X-rays for the licensing, and horses with health-impairing characteristics are not included in the stallion or mare books I and II. Osteochondrosis is generally common in warm-blooded horses; In a Dutch study, only 30.5 percent of the warmblood yearlings examined had normal X-rays in all joints (Van Grevenhof et al. 2009). A purchase examination with X-rays is worthwhile.
Who is the Oldenburger suitable for?
For dressage and show jumping riders from ambitious amateurs to professionals and for recreational riders who are looking for a rideable, large-framed horse with a good character.
For whom not?
For people who are looking for a frugal, robust horse for year-round grazing without a lot of work, and for riders who prefer a handy, smaller horse with less space.
Furthermore: You can calculate how much a horse really costs per month with our Horse Cost Calculator, and before you buy the Horse Buying Checklist will help you. You can find ideas for the stable name in our horse names, and your own horse is available as a horse portrait from your own photo. All breeds at a glance: Horse breeds from A to Z.
Frequently asked questions
How tall does an Oldenburger grow? According to the breeding program, the height at the withers should be around 160 to 170 cm at the age of three.
What is the Oldenburger bred for? As a sport horse for all kinds of sporting purposes. The OL association breeds primarily with a focus on dressage, the OS association breeds show jumping horses.
Where is the Oldenburg Association located? In Vechta in Lower Saxony. The breeding area has covered the whole of Germany since 2006.
Are Oldenburg stallions tested for hereditary diseases? Yes, since 2019 all registered stallions have been tested for WFFS. The status will be published.
Read more
Quellen, abgerufen am 05.11.2026: Verband der Züchter des Oldenburger Pferdes: Zuchtprogramm OL; Oldenburger Pferdezuchtverband: Historie; Reiter S et al.: Distribution of the Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome Type 1 Mutation in Different Horse Breeds from Europe and the United States, Genes 2020; Van Grevenhof EM et al.: Prevalence of various radiographic manifestations of osteochondrosis in Dutch warmblood horses, Equine Vet J 2009.
