Horse Breeds · 24 full guides

Horse Breed Guides

WARN publishes full guides to 24 horse breeds, each with type, height, temperament, lifespan and common health problems. Browse by popularity, by type — draft, pony, light — or by what suits a beginner.

Browse by what you need

Each list says how it was compiled. Where a list is our editorial selection rather than a filter over recorded data, it says that too.

Start here Types of Horses Draft, pony, light, stock and warmblood — plus working equines. Not a 350-breed catalogue and not a popularity ranking. Open →
Most Popular Horse Breeds The most popular horse breeds ranked, with type, height, temperament, lifespan and what each breed was actually bred to do. 24 breeds →
Best Horse Breeds for Beginners The calmest, most forgiving horse breeds for beginner riders and first-time owners — with an honest account of why age and training matter more than breed. 8 breeds →
Draft Horse Breeds Draft and heavy horse breeds compared on size, temperament, lifespan and the health problems that affect very large horses. 5 breeds →
Pony Breeds Pony and miniature breeds compared on height, temperament, lifespan and the metabolic problems that come from feeding a pony like a horse. 4 breeds →

All 24 breeds, A–Z

Every breed has a full guide covering history, temperament, grooming and care needs, lifespan and the health problems the breed is prone to.

Horse Breeds: frequently asked questions

How many horse breeds are there?

Somewhere over 350 recognised breeds worldwide, though the count depends on which registries you accept and how you treat regional types. WARN publishes full guides to the 24 most searched.

What is the best horse breed?

There is no general answer, because breeds were developed for specific jobs. The right question is what you intend to do — hacking, showing, driving, western riding, competition — and how experienced you are. A breed bred for speed is a poor fit for a nervous novice however good the breed is.

How much does it cost to keep a horse?

Far more than the purchase price. Livery, feed, bedding, farriery every six to eight weeks, routine dentistry, vaccination, worming and insurance are all recurring, and veterinary emergencies are expensive. The purchase is usually the cheapest part of horse ownership.

How long do horses live?

Typically 25 to 30 years, and ponies often longer. Draft breeds are generally shorter-lived, commonly reaching their late teens or early twenties.

What are the types of horses?

Types of horses are grouping systems — draft, pony, light, stock and warmblood for conformation and job, plus working horses that earn a living. Wild equids are not horse types. The taxonomy page is types of horses.

Before you go

Most of the world's horses are working animals

The horses in these guides are kept for sport, showing and pleasure. They are a small minority. Across South Asia, Africa and Latin America, tens of millions of horses, donkeys and mules haul bricks, water and goods every day — usually for families whose income depends entirely on that animal staying sound.

The interventions that change those animals' lives are unglamorous: harness that does not cut, hoof care, rest, water, and treatment for wounds before they become fatal. WARN funds partner-led veterinary and welfare work for working equines, and it helps the owner as much as the horse — a treated animal keeps a family earning.

Help working horses → Working donkeys appeal