What counts as beautiful varies from person to person. However, if you ask us, just about any horse out there could easily count as beautiful. There are some horses that are more visually striking than others. Some were bred purely for their looks, while others were bred for practical purposes—but ended up being beautiful anyway.
We’ll take a look at some mixed horse breeds in this article that are surprisingly exquisite. Some of these hybrids have specific names, as they’re more popular. Others are a bit obscure and don’t have set names.
The 11 Mixed Horse Breeds
1. Appendix Horse
While the Appendix horse does have a rather strange name, it is merely a crossbreed between a Quarter Horse and a Thoroughbred. Both of these horses are quite popular, so this mixed breed is rather popular as well. The American Appendix Horse Association recognizes this crossbreed. They can be registered as an Appendix horse as long as both of their parents were registered.
This horse breed is well-known for a variety of traits. They are most commonly used in competitive rodeo events, especially racing. They can also make suitable overall mounts and good ranch horses. They are relatively fast.
An Appendix horse that does well in competitions may be registered with the American Quarter Horse Association as a “full” Quarter Horse. Technically, they’ll have a “Registration of Merit.”
2. Arabian x Thoroughbred
This is another Thoroughbred mix. Considering that Thoroughbreds are so popular, it isn’t surprising that many mixed breeds on this list have a Thoroughbred parent. These horses are also known as Anglo-Arabs, though this name is somewhat rare. They can be registered in the Arabian registry as long as they have at least 12.5% Arabian blood.
These horses are usually taller than a purebred Arabian and are less “refined.” The Anglo-Arab usually competes in show jumping and eventing. They aren’t as fast as their Thoroughbred parent, and their stamina isn’t quite as significant as their Arabian parent either.
3. Araloosa
The Araloosa is a cross between an Arabian and an Appaloosa. They are best known for their unusual appearance. Usually, they inherit the spotted coat from the Appaloosa due to the breed dominant leopard-complex gene. Their body types are more similar to an Arabian, though.
This mixed breed does best in endurance events, as both parents have high endurance.
This horse can be registered with both the Appaloosa Horse Club and the Arabian Horse Association. In some cases, they can be registered as a “Sportaloosa,” which stands for an Appaloosa Sporthorse.
4. Morab
This mixed breed contains an Arabian parent crossed with a Morgan. These horses are very sleek and elegant, which is one reason they are so beautiful. This horse excels at trotting, which is its primary purpose.
This crossbreed is one of the few that have a set history. It began back in the 1950s when a Morab was bred and named Golddust. This stallion sired over 300 foals, which led to the popularity of this mixed breed.
Today, this breed is sometimes considered its own breed, as opposed to a mixed breed. It depends on who you talk to. Most horse breeds were created by mixing horses. They become their own breed eventually and are no longer referred to as a mixed breed. This breed is on the cusp of that development.
Either way, this breed is magnificent at just about everything. They can be used as ranch horses and general riding horses. They are also excellent at driving, endurance, and trail riding.
There is a Morab Association where these horses can be registered. A Morab must be not more than 75% and no less than 25% of Morgan or Arabian. In other words, they have to be close to a 50/50 mix.
5. Irish Draft x Thoroughbred
Another Thoroughbred mixed breed, this horse is known as the Irish Sport Horse. Many people breed Thoroughbreds with Irish Drafts to improve the Thoroughbred’s temperament, as Irish Drafts are known for their excellent character. These horses are also quite firm and robust, as are both of their parents.
While these horses can be used for small farm work like their Irish Draft parents, they are mostly used as competition horses. Unlike most mixed horses, only one parent of the Irish Sport Horse must be registered for them to become registered.
6. Desert Norman Horse
This crossbreed has an Arabian parent and a Percheron parent. Since the Percheron is likely descended from the Arabian horse, this mixed breed is very similar to both parents. It represents an earlier version of the Percheron. They are often considered athletic, though they also have a very refined appearance—like their Arabian parent.
The Desert Norman Horse can compete in a lot of different things. They’re often seen in jumping competitions, though they are most often used in driving. They can also be used for light farm work, though this is rarer.
7. North American Spotted Draft Horse
The parentage of this horse is a bit confusing. Unlike other horses, it is not descended from two different horses. Instead, they come from many different horses. There is a bit of Percheron, Clydesdale, Shire, American Cream Draft, Suffolk Punch, and Belgian in a single North American Spotted Draft Horse.
Not all Spotted Draft Horses have this parentage, though. Technically, this breed can be any combination of draft horses; it’s the spots that distinguish it as its own breed. This breed’s appearance is essential, as it is the only thing that sets it apart from other breeds.
The Spotted Draft Horse was well-known even in medieval times when it was used as a drum horse. However, there has been a movement to conserve this unique draft horse pattern in modern times, which led to the creation of a registry.
- Related Read: 6 Canadian Horse Breeds (with Pictures)
8. National Show Horse
While this breed has a bit of a strange name, it is just a cross between an American Saddlebred and an Arabian horse. This horse is called the “National Show Horse” because it was specifically bred to be a show horse. It performs well in many competitions for this reason.
These horses are very refined and have an excellent gait, which is why they perform so well in a variety of competitions. They are sometimes used as pleasure mounts and can make good train-riding horses.
To be registered, these horses have to be at least 25% Arabian blood, though they cannot be 100% Arabian for apparent reasons. They must only contain Arabian, American Saddlebred, or National Show Horse—no other breeds.
9. Welsh Pony x Arabian
This horse breed is sometimes called a Welara, although this is rarer, as it is somewhat of a mouthful. This is another breed that has a known history. It was first started in the 1920s by a breeder in England. This breeder was somewhat prominent, so the breed took off quite quickly. It is often advertised as a good riding horse for children and smaller adults.
These horses have their registry called the American Welara Pony Registry. To register with this organization, the horse must be a somewhat even mix of Welsh Pony and Arabian, with no other breeds included.
There are some height recommendations, however, the horse can be registered even if they fall out of this height requirement. Mixed breeds can be registered as long as they are at least 50% Welara. This is called a “Welara Sport Pony.”
10. Warlander
The Warlander is nearly any Iberian horse that is mixed with a Friesian. This sort of mixing has likely been going on for a very long time. However, we cannot point towards any one time when this breed was first started.
These horses were “discovered” in the 1990s. They are excellent horses with a high level of intelligence, power, and flexibility. They are good at just about everything. For this reason, they are often referred to as “super horses.” Many breeders seek to breed these horses for this reason.
These horses are top-rated for dressage. They are generally very people-oriented and trainable, so they excel at many different competitions.
11. Quarab
These horses are a mix between an Arabian and a Quarter Horse. They often look similar to their Arabian parents, as they are quite sleek and refined. However, they are better at reining and roping than the average Arabian. This breed is primarily located in the Western World, as it is mostly a way to “westernize” the Arabian horse.
These horses are most common in the English disciplines, like dressage and similar events. However, these horses are not as common as other mixed breeds on this list.
You may also want to read:
- When Is a Mare Too Old To Breed? Everything You Need to Know!
- 13 Asian Horse Breeds and What You Should Know About Them
- Quarter Pony
- What Is the Best Age to Breed a Mare? A Complete Guide
Featured Image Credit: Warlander Horse, Randy Stewart, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)
