Dølehest

The Dølehest, also called the Dole horse or Døle Gudbrandsdal, is a native Norwegian horse from the Gudbrandsdal valley and surrounding eastern districts. It is a compact coldblooded horse rather than a giant draft breed, with a broad body, short strong legs, substantial bone, and a willing, steady outlook. Black, bay, brown, chestnut, and dun shades occur, and many horses have the thick mane, tail, and winter coat expected from a mountain-farm background. The breed was shaped for farm power, timber hauling, local transport, and later harness work, with historical ties to the Norwegian coldblood trotter.

For private owners, the Dølehest can be a hardy, sensible driving or work horse that is also able to carry a rider. It usually does well on rough pasture and in cold, wet climates, but that easy-keeping nature calls for careful weight management when forage is rich. Regular hoof care is important because these horses may spend part of the year on soft ground, and young horses benefit from slow conditioning before heavy pulling. Breeding programs in Norway pay close attention to preserving type and working ability because numbers are limited outside Scandinavia.

Colors: Amber Champagne, Bay, Bay Dun, Bay Roan, Black, Blanket Appaloosa, Blue Roan, Brown, Buckskin, Champagne, Chestnut, Classic Champagne, Cremello, Dun, Dun Roan, Fewspot Appaloosa, Flaxen Chestnut, Frame Overo, Gold Champagne, Gray, Grey, Grullo, Leopard Appaloosa, Liver Chestnut, Overo, Palomino, Perlino, Piebald, Pinto, Rabicano, Red Dun, Red Roan, Roan, Sabino, Seal Bay, Silver Dapple, Skewbald, Smoky Black, Smoky Cream, Snowcap Appaloosa, Sorrel, Splash White, Tobiano, Tovero, Varnish Roan, White