Vyatka Horse

The Vyatka horse is a native Russian northern forest horse from the Vyatka River region, including parts of Kirov Oblast and Udmurtia. It is a small to medium, hardy harness and riding horse, historically useful on farms and post roads where deep snow, poor roads, and long winters demanded stamina. Dun coloring with a dorsal stripe, leg barring, and a thick mane and tail is strongly associated with the breed, giving many Vyatkas a primitive northern look.

Vyatkas are valued as easy keepers for driving, trekking, light farm work, and family riding, particularly in cold climates. Their thriftiness is an advantage only when feed is matched to workload; idle horses on rich pasture can become overweight. They need the same regular hoof, dental, and veterinary care as any horse, even when kept in semi-rustic conditions. Modern breeding is partly conservation work, because numbers declined as mechanized transport replaced small harness horses. Selection generally emphasizes sound legs, calm handling, winter hardiness, and preservation of the dun type.

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