TDLR -- a very beautiful and extremely rare russian breed. NOT to be confused with orlov trotter even though the beginning of the name is the same. primarily a dressage breed, which has the charactersitics + versatility of a sporthorse while having the elegant appearance of a thoroughbred or an arabian! very gorgeous, elegant, primarily black or bay. 16-ish hands tall on average. look below for pics or a video of one -- html editor wouldn't let me add pictures so i had to link them.

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hello! i am a new member here at horse phenomena. i noticed the option to request for new breeds to be added and i thought this breed would be a wonderful candidate. i would go so far as to make it my breed specialty and primary focus on this site if it were to be implemented, and i would love to partner with anyone else who would share this interest for breeding, training or otherwise introducing the breed to the site. i have been an admirer of this breed for quite some time -- it is extremely rare, but also extremely beautiful. i've included some information below!

01. A BRIEF HISTORY 

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The Orlov-Rostopchin Sporthorse (also known as the Russian Warmblood, or Russian Saddle horse) was bred by combining the Rostopchin Riding Horse and the Orlov Riding Horse. Both breeds were gorgeous in their own right. Orlov saddle horses were beautiful and perfect for dressage, with a "swan like neck and an superb topline." They were ideal for dressage and were favored for the sport throughout Russia. The Rostopchin was similarly beautiful, but they were bred for speed. They were extremely successful racing mounts -- Count Rostopchin's mount Anubus would even win against English Thoroughbreds on the race track. Once combined, the Orlov-Rostopchin breed was often used in the calvary for dressage. It was also favored highly in the Tsarist courts, and was often exported as an exotic gift, winning multiple awards at exhibitions. The breed was prematurely declared extinct due to the hardships of both World Wars. However, in 1950, it was restored. 

02. TODAY'S ORLOV-ROSTOPCHINS  

a video of Danielle Gallagher performing on her Orlov Rostopchin, Abrikos.

To this day the headcount for the breed is very small but immensely loved by those who know about it, and hopefully will continue to grow in count. A recent estimate on the population # is approximately 500 head. (According to the International Museum of the Horse, linked below). The horse today is used primarily in dressage competition. Due to its elegance, it sees strong success in dressage. However, it also has been successful in jumping competition as well. Originally, they were not often seen outside of Russia. That has changed somewhat, with exports of the breeds centering in Europe and the United States. There are a small handful of stud farms & organizations dedicated to the breed in the West. The main one is listed down below as the first reference. 

03. BREED CHARACTERISTICS

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Orlov-Rostopchin Sporthorses are usually black, but they also come in bay and brown. They are on average 16-16.1 hands high, though they can reach 17hh too. They are characterized by a superior lightness and elegance, and are the perfect breed for those who love Thoroughbred and Arabian mounts but are seeking something with better sport qualities. They have a quiet temperament and extreme trainability, making them particularly excellent for dressage.

04. REFERENCES 

http://www.orlov-rostopchin.org/breed-history/ (also where all pictures & videos were found).

http://www.equiworld.net/breeds/orlovrostopchin/index.htm

http://imh.org/exhibits/online/breeds-of-the-world/europe/russian-riding-horse/

05. SUPPORTERS 

we have 6 supporters including myself now! :) i have contacted koni to get them added and am just waiting for final approval now. i have included the supporters in a list down below for reference:

1. kuryakin (me lol) 

2. famous shamus 

3. utakata

4. n.adhima

5. primrose 

6. insomnia

I am going to be joining you guys but breeding my own line. Just figured I'd let you all know. Thanks to Nad!

I joined in this breed as well.

Just now getting to this -- but ahhh yay that's so exciting @ Sihtric & @Shadow!!!! 

We'll send you guys a buddy request so we can find each other easily and collaborate our lines.

cool sounds good to me

*peeks in*

me too! 

ahhh yay @yama!!!! glad you decided to join!!! they are such pretty horsies.