Westphalian Horses Breed Information

The Westphalian, or Westfalen, is a warmblood horse bred in the Westphalia region of western Germany.

The Westphalian is closely affiliated with the state-owned stud farm of Warendorf, which it shares with the Rhinelander.

Since World War II, the Westphalian horse has been bred to the same standard as the other German warmbloods, and they are particularly famous as Olympic-level show jumpers and dressage horses.

Westphalians are bred to the same standard as the other German warmbloods and in particular exchange a great deal of genetic material with the nearby Rhinelander and Hanoverian. The standard for all German riding horses calls for an appealing, long-lined, correct riding horse with bold, expansive, elastic gaits, suitable for all types of riding due to its temperament, character, and rideability.

The Westphalian's type is less refined than that of a Thoroughbred, but less coarse than that of a "cold blood". Westphalians usually stand between 15.2 to 17.2 hands high at the withers and weigh between 1000 and 1300 lbs.