For their ability to learn quickly and retain long-term memories, horses are among the most intelligent animals in the world. Additionally, they are adept at overcoming problems and achieving their objectives. Horses and people have been inseparable for millennia, but which are the smartest horse breeds?
The following 10 horse breeds are the smartest horse breeds at their specific disciplines, divided into 3 categories: heavy, light, and ponies:
1. Clydesdale
2. Percheron
3. American Quarter Horse
4. Arabian
5. Morgan
6. Hanoverian
7. Thoroughbred
8. Andalusians
9. Shetland Pony
10. Welsh Pony
When it comes to training or owning a horse, your horse’s temperament and personality are often entirely up to you. If you take good care of it, you’ll have a lifelong companion who is kind, patient, submissive, and loyal, and you will tell everyone about your smart horse. On the other hand, if you mistreat a horse, or it had previous bad handling before you met it, you’ll end up with one who is scared, anxious, and rebellious, and you will call it dumb.
We divided the horse categories into two divisions, heavy and light, and the third category is for ponies. Narrowing them down from more than 150 breeds, this selection of the 10 most intelligent breeds is very subjective.
Tiny horses called ponies should not measure more than 14.2 hands, whereas large horses should be more than 14.2 hands. In the horse world, the phrase “Hand” refers to a horse’s height, and 4 inches is one hand.
Smart Heavy Horses
These two Heavy horse breeds may be of interest if you’re seeking a well-mannered, robust, and adaptable mount.
1. Clydesdale
Clydesdales are an excellent choice for anybody looking for a versatile draft horse used for various purposes, including labor, competition, or just pure riding enjoyment. Horses like Clydesdales, despite their massive size, are good riders. Clydes are relaxed, friendly, and are ready to put in the effort no matter what you ask them.
Despite their size, these horses are stable and give a comfortable ride. In addition, their stature makes it easy for them to go around obstacles like logs and other debris. Most Clydesdale horses are between 16.2 – 18 hands tall and weigh 1600 – 1800 pounds. However, some mature stallions and geldings are taller and weigh up to 2200 lbs.
2. Percheron
As time has progressed, the origins of the Percheron have become a mystery, although some sources have their origin from Perche, France. While initially bred for military and agricultural purposes, they have become renowned for their ability to adapt. Percherons thrive in various fields, including riding, farming, and other pulling work, because of their strength, stamina, and agility.
Their well-built bodies, arching necks, large chest, sturdy legs, and relatively small head make it easy to identify a Percheron. These magnificent animals are also quite clever and eager to put in lengthy shifts. They are on average 16 – 17 hands high and weigh between 1900 – 2100 pounds.
Smart Light Horses
Saddle horses, a general term for light horses, encompass various breeds used for multiple purposes, including trail riding, racing, cutting, reining , and hunting, to name just a few. In addition, cowboys and cowgirls rely on quarter horses to help them with ranch chores like herding livestock and other ranch duties.
3. American Quarter Horse
Quarter horses are authentically American in their origins. These horses received their name and reputation from horse races a quarter mile long. They were the fastest horses in these races and hence called quarter horses.
There are two main Quarterhorses: Foundation Quarter Horses (no thoroughbred outcrosses on their pedigree), often referred to as bulldogs, as they usually have a stocky build, and Quarter Horses that have Thoroughbred crosses in their pedigree. An Appendix Quarter Horse is one that is registered with one of the parents being a Thoroughbred.
Quarter horses have evolved to work in a variety of events. Many different bloodlines now being bred for specific events such as: speed events, cow horse events (cutting, working cow horse), reining, pleasure, obstacles, trail riding, and more.
I have a particular fondness for quarter horses, as that is the breed I have mainly owned/bred/shown for decades. Quarter horses are popular for a reason. I believe they top the list of smartest horse breeds. Plus, they work for me.
4. Arabian
The history of the Arabian horse breed may be traced back thousands of years in the Arabian Peninsula. Its remarkable beauty and calm temperament have been a favorite breeding horse for centuries. The height of an Arabian horse is 14 – 16, hands weighing around 800 – 1000 pounds. Because of this, they are well-known for their endurance in equestrian activities, and are the breed of choice for endurance events.
5. Morgan
The Morgan linage started from one colt named “Figure,” later renamed to his owner’s name Justin Morgan. The height of a Morgan horse is between 14.1 – 15.2 hands high. Several variations exist to the Morgan family of horses, namely the Brunk, Lippitt, Government, and Working Western. Morgans are among the most popular breeds of horses, with good reason. They were instrumental as a dual breed on working farms, strong, and with a good temperament.
Morgans are the official state animal of Vermont.
6. Hanoverian
The Hanoverian breed is a dominant force regarding athleticism and good temperaments. For more than three hundred years, they have been the warmblood breed you can count on, whether it is for war, sport jumping, or companionship. Their average height is between 15 – 16 hands high. These Northern Germany linages excel in equestrian disciplines at every Olympic game.
7. Thoroughbred
We should not confuse the term thoroughbred, which is sometimes referred to as a pure-bred horse. The name Thoroughbred should always point to the breed Thoroughbred. They are intelligent and willing horses, always ready to please. Thoroughbreds are well-suited to a wide range of equestrian pursuits because of their propensity for speed and athleticism.
Thoroughbreds are probably best known for racing – namely, the annual Triple Crown, that starts in Kentucky each spring. A few of the most famous Thoroughbreds are: Secretariat, Sea Biscuit, Man o War, Native Dancer, but the list could go on.
8. Andalusians
Are often compassionate, sympathetic, intellectual, and quick learners willing to put in the time and effort to learn new skills. Their versatility, obedience, and noble appearance make them famous in the film industry. In addition, they are good riding horses and perform well at farm labor and bullfighting arenas. This Spanish or PRE averages 15.1 hands in height.
Ponies strengths are remarkable, given their diminutive stature. If you compare ponies to horses, they can tolerate a wider variety of temperatures and are known to be more enduring and intelligent.
Small But Smart Ponies
9. Shetland Pony
Shetland ponies are well-known for their strength despite being small. They are between 6 – 10.5 hands tall at the withers and have long straight manes and tails. While they are generally kind, bold, and good-tempered, their intelligence may lead to stubbornness.
However, they are brilliant and tend to make you work hard to ride them. That’s why they sometimes get a bad rap because they are so smart, usually smarter than the children riding them. Shetlands often develop many bad habits from the children that are riding them, as they don’t get ridden/schooled by experienced adults.
Even though Shetlands were traditionally kept as pack animals on farms, they are now more commonly kept as pets for children. However, despite the rise of mechanized farming, their physical strength and versatility make them desirable candidates for this position. An added benefit is they eat a lot less than horses.
10. Welsh Pony
We end off with the best pony breed, in our opinion. These small horses are known to be do-gooders and will satisfy the list for a smart horse any day. The average height for these ponies is 12 hands, weighing only 500 pounds.
Over the last two thousand years, the Welsh pony breed descended from ancient Celtic ponies and is now carefully bred into a remarkable specimen. For farmers, they were lauded for their toughness and ability to travel difficult terrain, but coal miners quickly realized that they were essential deep below in incredibly narrow tunnels.
The introduction of Thoroughbred and Arabian blood resulted in the development of a saddle type. Today you will find these little ponies performing at show rings worldwide.
Understanding What Makes A Horse Smart
Equus caballus (the horse) has been used for thousands of years by people worldwide for everything from farming and ranching to hunting, simple friendship to transportation and sport. Each of the more than 150 distinct breeds of horses and ponies has been deliberately bred by humans to achieve a specific set of desirable characteristics.
Individual horses don’t come in a single “best breed,” “smartest horse breeds, ” or “fastest breed” variety. Therefore, it is possible to find exceptional horses in any breed and less desirable ones in the same bloodline. The intelligence in horses is individual, and one should consider the purpose and relationship with the specific horse.
You can, however, classify breeds into specific roles in which they usually excel. For example, an Arabian might not be the ideal choice for hauling a hefty load, but it might be the finest choice for running long distances in endurance events. Likewise, while a Percheron would fail terribly in a high-level jump test, it would excel in a field-plow test. There are exceptional examples of every breed.
In other words, the ideal breed depends on the rider and the goal for which it gets purposed. And, as usual, one should focus on the individual horse rather than the particular breed. Occasionally, horses are born with a more reserved personality than others. Adequately cared for horses will be more receptive to affection.
You build trust and respect with a horse over time, and it will have the same level of respect for you. As mentioned above, one will think a horse is Smart if it does want you want it to do and dumb when it doesn’t. So, can you train a horse to do specific tasks well? Yes, you can. Horses are smart and can learn new tricks, routines, and skills.
Horses even get used in therapy because of their calming influence on patients. Participants who often engage with horses have reported feeling more at ease and relaxed due to their interactions with these magnificent beasts.
Conclusion
Horses are among the most intelligent animals on the planet due to their capacity to learn rapidly and retain long-term memory. Humans have purposefully developed each of the more than 150 unique breeds of horses and ponies to attain a specific set of desired features. The breeds that excel in their disciplines make up the lists of the smartest horse breeds.
Resources
https://www.thesprucepets.com/the-difference-between-horses-and-ponies-1886998
https://www.thesprucepets.com/meet-the-arabian-horse-1886131
