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Of all the horses registered with the German Equestrian Federation in 1987, approximately 8 percent were Oldenburgs.
The Oldenburg registry represents one of the top lines in Germany. The percentages are somewhat skewed as to Oldenburgs, due to the
fact that the region in which these horses are bred is a small one and therefore produces fewer absolute quantities of horses than
other registries. While representing the smallest breeding area in Germany, Oldenburg is nevertheless one of the most important.
The Oldenburg is bred in a small area near the modern region of Lower Saxony surrounding the city of Oldenburg,
a breeding area historically confined to approximatively 5,400 square kilometers, in the center of the Hannoverian region. The
average breeder is a farmer with from 20 to 100 hectares of land and two to four registered breeding mares. The breed, also found
in East Friesland, can be traced back to the 17th Century, with bloodlines based on the Friesian horse.
Originally developed as a good strong carriage horse, the breed contains Spanish, Neopolitan and Barb blood, along with Thoroughbred
and Hannoverian. The early Oldenburg horses were well-known for consistency in conformation, great power, and their magnificent coal
black color. They were also famed for their kind character and extreme willingness to work-under saddle, in front of a carriage or
in the fields. During the present century, as the need for carriage horses dwindled, more Thoroughbred and Norman blood was introduced,
resulting in production of a magnificent all-purpose saddle horse.
Oldenburgs are used today for show-jumping and dressage and three day event as well as occasional driving.
 Oldenburger Pferde
Springpferdezuchtverband Oldenburg-International e.V.
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