Italian Trotter

The Italian Trotter, Italian: Trottatore Italiano, is the Italian breed of trotting horse.[2] It has been selectively bred exclusively for its racing ability. Varenne, one of most successful trotters in the history of the sport, was an Italian Trotter.

Italian Trotter
Conservation statusFAO (2007): not at risk[1]:71
Country of originItaly
Distribution
Usetrotting races
Traits
Height
  • 145–160 cm
Colourany

History

The Italian Trotter has been influenced by the French Trotter, the Russian Orlov Trotter and the American Standardbred. The move in recent years towards races over shorter distances has led to greater reliance on horses of the American type.[3]:151

The first trotting races in the Italian peninsula were held in the Prato della Valle of Padova (which at that time was in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy) from 1808, some two years after the earliest official races at New Haven, Connecticut, in the United States. Selection of the Italian Trotter did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century, when mares with aptitude for trotting were put to English Thoroughbred stallions.[3]:152 The first notable Italian trotting horse was Vandalo, foaled in Ferrara in 1862. A genealogical stud-book was opened in 1896. The stud-book is closed – only horses born to registered parents can be registered; however, trotters registered elsewhere can sometimes be admitted if their racing record is exceptional.[3]:152

The most celebrated Italian Trotter is Varenne, foaled in 1995, who raced in seven countries, won 61 of his 73 races, and whose winnings of over €6 million are thought to be a record.[3]:152

Characteristics

The Italian Trotter has been selectively bred exclusively for its racing ability, particularly over short (1600–1660 m) and medium (2060–2100 m) distances; races over longer distances are no longer common in Italy.[3]:153 There is no breed standard or morphological requirement of any kind. The most common coat colours are bay, chestnut and black.[3]:153

References
  1. Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed January 2017.
  2. Breed data sheet: Trottatore Italiano/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2017.
  3. Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594.

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