How long do fjord horses live

The neck on a Fjord Horse is supple and forms a natural arch. Also, the bottom line is shorter than the topline, and the shoulders are muscular, while the withers are long and moderately defined as they extend into the back.

Also, a Fjord will feature hooves that are large, round, and dense, and the tail will be set somewhat high. Ninety percent of Fjord horses will showcase a brown dun color, but the remaining 10 percent of them could be yellow dun, gold, pale dun, gray, or red dun.

A unique characteristic is that these horses have retained primitive features. Some Fjord horses will have dark stripes that might be evident over their withers, and red duns will showcase reddish brown stripes, along with body markings. Gray duns will feature very dark gray or black markings and stripes, while the pale or the white dun horse will feature a very light color on the body with gray or black markings and stripes.

Also, horses that are yellow dun which is rare for this breed will feature darker yellow markings and stripes, and they might even have a white mane, tail, and forelock as well. What makes the mane of the Fjord Horse exceptional is the fact that the center hair will be dark or black but the outer hair will be white.

Many owners will cut the mane of this horse short so that the hairs will stand up straight, and the mane will also be trimmed in a crescent shape in order to draw attention to the neck, which curves gracefully.

Specific undesirable characteristics began to show, such as unattractive coloring and fierce temperament. According to Karina Brez , by , breeders decided to eliminate all traces of Dole blood from the Fjord Horse breed.

Once the decision was made, a stallion called Njal was chosen to restore the breed. During his 12 years of life, Njal became the founding father of the modern Fjord Horse. All members of the breed today trace their ancestry back to this prominent and influential stallion. The history of Fjord Horses is closely interlinked with the Vikings of Norway. The Vikings valued these brave and sturdy horses and often rode them to battle. They also played an essential role in the selective breeding and improvement of these horses.

Two municipalities in Nordfjord, southwestern Norway, even feature the Fjord Horse on their coat of arms! As of , the Fjord Horse breed society recognizes five different shades of dun in the breed. These are the brown dun, red dun, grey dun, white dun, and yellow dun. The breed society aims to preserve all existing shades. While they are often hard to distinguish, the five shades differ in their genetics.

A brown dun is created when a Fjord Horse has a bay base color. Their ears swivel separately so they can determine the exact location of a sound. Reproduction Horses have an month gestation period, after which they give birth to one foal baby horse.

Shelter and Space Needs Although they can tolerate cold weather fairly well, horses do need shelter from the wind and rain. Life Expectancy Horses can live to be up to 30 years old, with an average life expectancy of years. Fun Facts The height of a horse is measured in hands. A healthy foal can stand up within one hour of being born. Not all horses wear shoes! Shoes are only necessary to protect the feet of horses that often walk on hard surfaces. The head is medium sized and well defined with a broad, flat forehead and a straight or slightly dished face.

The eyes are large. Ears are small and alert. The neck of the Fjord is well muscled and crested. The body is short coupled with good depth, large heart girth, and well developed muscles. The legs are powerful, with substantial bone and excellent feet which are black in color. Fjords generally range in size from