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Common Horse Breeds and Types of Horses

Common Horse Breeds and Types of Horses

Updated on March 20, 2024
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Reviewed by Petco’s Animal Care
Education and Compliance (ACE) Team
horse in field

For the expert horse enthusiast, knowing and understanding horse breeds and categories may be second nature, but for a novice, or even someone well engrained in the horse world, identifying and clarifying over 350 horse and pony breeds might be overwhelming! There are a few horse types who tend to be brought up the most due to their generally great disposition and natural ability to compete in a broad range of competition categories. Whether you’re just starting your journey into the horse world because you want a companion to love and adore, or you are already a long time devoted competition aficionado, take a look at the below horse types as any of these might be the right choice for you!

Types of Horses

Ponies

Everyone wanted a pony as a child, right? Well there’s a reason why ponies are so great for kids! With an exception to Miniature Horses and Icelandic Horses, ponies are horses that stand no more than 14.2 hands, or 57 inches, tall, so being so close to the ground is a great start for a youngster. Often times ponies are heavier boned with wide barrels, making them a comfortable ride and much easier to grip and hold onto than some taller horse breeds.

Grade Horses

Grade horses are horses that have no known pedigree. Because these horses may have been crossed with other grade horses for generations, they generally have a larger gene pool, leading to a decreased chance of genetic diseases and good chances of a moderate temperament.

Gaited Breeds

If you’re looking for a comfy ride, gaited horses should be on your list of options! When a typical horse trots, a front foot and the opposite back foot rise and fall at the same time. The transition of two feet being lifted, and two feet being placed back on the ground can cause a bumpy ride. A gaited horse has what some call a ‘broken’ gait, allowing for a speed between a walk and a canter while keeping one foot on the ground at any given time, thus causing a much smoother ride. Another advantage to these horses is that a broken gait is much more energy efficient than a trot, meaning they can typically continue at that pace for longer duration before becoming tired.  

Warmbloods

While physiologically all horses are warm-blooded, the terms hot, cold, and warm blooded are also terms used to identify different types of horses. Warm-blood describes horses with a temperament and size typically between the larger draft horses (cold-blooded) and the lighter (hot-blooded) horses, for example Thoroughbred and Arabians making them a great option for someone looking for a balance between strength and agility with a balanced demeanor. Warm-blooded horses can be purebred horses or horses that are not a specific breed as long as they fit the category between hot-blooded and cold-blooded.

Draft Breeds

Draft breed horses are commonly known for their calm, patient and laid back demeaner but are also capable of slow hard labor. Their tall height and thick bodies are made for hauling heavy loads or plowing farmland, but draft horses can also be ridden. Smaller bodied draft horses and draft horse crosses can be great horse competitors and companions.

Breeds of Horses

American Quarter Horse

Standing between 14 and 16 hands (56 – 64 inches) tall, the American Quarter Horse has been around since the end of the 17th century and remains a true favorite for many horse lovers of all experience levels. At 950-1,200lbs, this breed is a medium bodied, agile horse with a great disposition. While this breed was initially created for its impressive speed at ¼ mile distances, Quarter Horses have since proven their success in a variety of equestrian competitions.

Arabian

Weighing in between 800 and 1,000lbs, the Arabian is a lightweight yet powerful horse breed similar in height to the American Quarter Horse (14-16 hands). The Arabian has been around a long time and is one of the oldest registered breeds in the world. These horses are beloved for having enthusiasm and high intelligence, which makes them a great option for many types of competition but as with many hot-blooded horses, may be difficult for a novice rider.

Thoroughbred

Thoroughbreds are high energy, agile horses and while they are known for their incredible speed over 5-12 furlongs (one furlong is 1/8 mile), they make great cross-functional competition and companion horses. Thoroughbreds are typically taller and heavier than other hot-blooded horses, standing between 15 and 17 hands (60-68 inches) tall and weighing between 1,000 and 1,300lbs.

Appaloosa

Appaloosas, standing between 14 and 15 hands (56-60 inches) tall, are known for their intriguing spots and wide range of colors. At 950 to 1200lbs, these medium bodied horses are great to take on long trail rides as they were originally bred for hunting and have great stamina.

Morgan

Morgan horses are a historic horse breed always used for many purposes, including coach horses, calvary horses and general riding companions. Standing 14-15 hands (56-60 inches) tall and weighting in between 900 and 1,100lbs, this compact horse is strong and versatile with an eager demeaner.

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