Warmblood 101: Registries, Not Breeds
First, the terminology of hotblood (arabian, thoroughbred, akhal teke) and coldblood (drafters) would lead one to logically think that a warmblood is the result of a direct combination of the two. However, this not the case. During the beginning of the various European warmblood registries (the year of which varies by country and region) these horses were being developed by crossing Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and light sport horses against native stock which were utilitarian in nature...usually medium heavy to full drafter types. To use the Hanoverian Verband as an example, it's start date in evaluating stock and recording pedigrees was 1735. There has been more than enough time passed from the original base stock to consider it a simple cross. Also, there are no current Warmblood Verbands that accept Draft crosses into their Registries. Any outcrosses are Arabian, Thoroughbred, and Anglos...and these are strictly evaluated and regulated.
Each Verband has their own breeding agenda for a specific type of horse. While a horse can be born a Hanoverian, unless it passes the evaluation process it's not considered to be an approved Hanoverian for breeding. However, while it may have "flunked out" of that Registry, it may pass another one with differing standards and be considered, for example, an approved Oldenburg. Or, let's say you have a Hanoverian that has been approved. That horse can still go through the approval process of the different warmblood registries and upon it's success be also considered an approved Hanoverian, Oldenburg, Swedish Warmblood, etc. A good way to think of it is as earning multiple citizenship. Most people do look at a horse's registry of origin for convenience of labeling when advertising. But, it's progeny as a result of the parent's "multiple citizenship" gets the right to test into whichever Verbands the parent was approved for. The thing to remember is that these Registries work together and do not approve any stock outside of their circle except for the aforementioned Arabians, Thoroughbred, and Anglos.
Each Verband has their own breeding agenda for a specific type of horse. While a horse can be born a Hanoverian, unless it passes the evaluation process it's not considered to be an approved Hanoverian for breeding. However, while it may have "flunked out" of that Registry, it may pass another one with differing standards and be considered, for example, an approved Oldenburg. Or, let's say you have a Hanoverian that has been approved. That horse can still go through the approval process of the different warmblood registries and upon it's success be also considered an approved Hanoverian, Oldenburg, Swedish Warmblood, etc. A good way to think of it is as earning multiple citizenship. Most people do look at a horse's registry of origin for convenience of labeling when advertising. But, it's progeny as a result of the parent's "multiple citizenship" gets the right to test into whichever Verbands the parent was approved for. The thing to remember is that these Registries work together and do not approve any stock outside of their circle except for the aforementioned Arabians, Thoroughbred, and Anglos.
