Can You Guess These Horse Breeds in this Hidden Picture Game?

The Spanish introduced horses to Mexico in the 1500s, and spotted horses have been depicted in images as far back as prehistoric cave paintings. However, it wasn’t until the 1700s when horses first reached Northwest America that horses with Appaloosa coloring gained recognition in the United States.

The Belgian Draft Horse was developed in the fertile pastures of Belgium. It was also there that the forefather of all draft horses was first bred—a heavy black horse used as knights’ mounts called the Flemish.

Although spotted horses seem to have originated with American Indian horses, the distinctive two-toned coat pattern seen on the Pinto horse probably came to North America through Arabian and Spanish stock that accompanied early explorers.

Off the coast of Scotland lie the Shetland Islands, the native habitat of the smallest pony in Britain, the Shetland Pony. It’s thought that the breed evolved on the Scandinavian tundra and was possibly brought over by Viking raiders.

The Warlander came from the crossing of Iberian and Friesian horses. The name came from the late twentieth-century classical Sporthorse Stud in Western Australia. This breed was named after the association's veterinarian, Dr. Warwick Vale.

The Noriker horse is one of the oldest mountain draft horses in Europe, originating in the foothills of the highest Austrian mountains, Grossglockner, and being indigenous to the Central Alpine regions. Initially used for transporting goods from one place to the other, this horse is immensely popular in the present time because of its pleasant temperament, surefootedness, and agility.

The Portuguese Lusitano was officially created in the late 1960s, after Portuguese breeders opened a studbook that would set their Andalusians apart from Spanish Andalusians. The official name of this breed is Puro Sangue Lusitano, which is the Latin name for Portugal.

The Icelandic Horse was most likely brought to Iceland by the Vikings in the 9th century. Although the breed shares characteristics with the Mongolian horse and the Lyngen or Nordland, little is actually known about its ancestry.

The Holsteiner is a warmblood horse known for being dependable and relaxed. As a multi-talented horse, it is commonly used today in dressage, endurance riding, general riding, jumping, and work activities.

Although Arabians have been carefully bred for generations, the Fjord horse has one of the longest histories of pure breeding – evidence of over 2,000 years of selective breeding has been found while excavating Viking burial sites – without crossbreeding from other horses.

The Lipizzan’s roots go back to Moorish-occupied Spain, when Spanish-bred horses were considered the optimum cavalry mount. In 1562, Maximillian II brought Spanish horses to the Austrian court. His brother, Archduke Charles II, created another stud at Lipizza by the Adriatic Sea.

With its unusual, gazelle-like appearance, the Akhal-Teke (Ah-cull Tek-y) is an incredibly distinctive breed. Experts say the Akhal-Teke breed is at least 3,000 years old. The Akhal-Teke may be the last remaining strain of the Turkmene, a horse that has existed since 2400 B.C.

The Irish Sport are eager, enthusiastic horses, known for their stamina and endurance. They are brave and bold with exceptional jumping skills. They are intelligent and generally lively horses, yet calm and very easy to handle.

Buckskin horses have long been a part of television Westerns, including Ben Cartwright’s horse on Bonanza and Trampas’ horse on The Virginian. Buckskin horses have also appeared on the big screen, in Dances with Wolves and The Man from Snowy River (I and II).

The little Falabella is named after the family who created it near Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the early 1900s. They crossed tiny Shetland ponies with a small Thoroughbred and kept breeding, using the smallest ponies produced, creating the smallest breed of horse in the world.

The Oldenburg was created in the 17th century through the endeavors of Count Johann XVI von Oldenburg and Count Anton Gunther von Oldenburg to create a grand carriage horse. Small breeding farms throughout the provinces of Oldenburg and East Friesland were developed.

Like most German warmbloods, the Hanoverian is named for its region of origin: Lower Saxony in northern Germany was formerly the kingdom of Hannover. In 1714, King George I of England—originally the elector of Hannover—sent several English Thoroughbreds to Germany to refine the native stock.

The Canadian Horse has a beautifully arched neck with a long, flowing mane and tail. Its head is refined, with a short forehead and small throatlatch. The chest is deep and the back is short and strong. Long, sloping shoulders and broad hindquarters give way to muscular legs with clean joints and bone structure.

The Miniature Horse traces its history back to the 17th century in Europe, when oddities and unusual animals were talking points among nobility. Less refined Minis were employed as “pit ponies,” working and living inside mines. Minis were imported to America in the 1930s to work in the coal mines.

The Haflinger hails from the Southern Tyrolean Mountains of Austria and Northern Italy and is thought to have been there since medieval times. In fact, the horse gets its name from the Tyrolean village of Hafling.

Hailing from the Iberian Peninsula, the Andalusian takes its name from the Province of Andalucia, where it was most famous. This living antiquity is purported to be an ancient breed; 20,000-year-old cave drawings show a similar type of horse and Homer mentions the horses in the Illiad (1,100 B.C.).

Gypsy horses, registered as Gypsy Vanner Horses, Gypsy Cobs, and Gypsy Drum horses, are a relatively new concept to most people, but not to the Romany (gypsy) “Traveller” of Great Britain.

The Percheron developed in the Le Perche region in Normandy in 732 A.D., when Barb horses were left by marauding Moors after their defeat in the Battle of Tours. Massive Flemish horses were crossed with the Barbs to give the Percheron its substance. Arabian blood was also added.

The Friesian is one of Europe’s oldest breeds and gets its name from the Friesland region in the north of the Netherlands. The breed almost became extinct worldwide during the turn of the 20th century, as many Friesians were crossed to other breeds to create a faster horse for trotting races.