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Orlov Trotter
The Orlov Trotter takes its name from Count Alexis Orlov (1737-1809),
founder of the Orlov stud near Moscow, Russia. He developed the breed around 1784 at
the Khrenov stud that was founded in 1778. Firstly he imported
from Greece a grey Arab stallion called Smetanka who was crossed with a
Danish mare to produce a grey son called Polken in 1784. Polken produced
Bars 1, the foundation sire of the Orlov Trotter.
In 1788 the stock from the Orlov stud was transferred to Khrenlov where the
Orlov was further developed by the Count and his stud manager, Shishkin.
Arab, Dutch and Danish and Mecklenburg harness breeds mares were used, as
well as half-bred mares imported from England. The stud was in the province
of Voroezh in the natural conditions of central Russia, and it used natural
pastures in the flood plain of the Bityug River. The combination of stable
and pastures produced a breed with good action and adaptability, which made
it suitable to spread to different climatic zones of the country, from
Poltava to Perm regions, from Pskov to Kurgan regions and from Kirgizia to
Altai territory.
It became one of the world's best trotting breeds and by the beginning of
the 19th century it was one of Russia's leading breeds. Trotting races were
held in Russia as early as 1799 and as the popularity of the sport grew in
the early nineteenth century the systematic training and racing of trotters
improved the Orlov further and it became faster. It was not until the
development of the American Standardbred that proved to be even faster and
began to demonstrate its supremacy on the racetrack that the Orlov began to
lose popularity. The first volume of the Orlov studbook in 1927 recorded 939
stallions and 1120 mares, while in 1954; Volume 8 listed 3228 purebred
mares. Subsequently, however the number of horses in the breeding nucleus
began to decline. Volumes 19 and 20 recorded 432 stallions and 652 mares in
1982.
American Standardbreds were imported into Russia and crossing the Orlov with
the imported American horses developed the Russian Trotter. The Russian
Trotter proved to be faster than the Orlov but imports of the Standardbred
ceased with the outbreak of World War 1. They have since resumed and
Standardbreds continue to be used to maintain the speed of the Russian
Trotter.
The Orlov is still used as a racer in Russia, as a draught horse, as a
utility horse for light and medium-heavy agricultural jobs, as a pleasure
and competition horse and as the principal improver of small native horses
throughout Russia. It is also well suited to four in hand driving and many
are exported for this purpose.
The height is between 15.2 and 16.h.h. it is predominantly grey, bay and
black, chestnut is rare. The head is smallish and well proportioned; the
neck is long, often swan shaped, muscular and high-set, withers medium to
high; a broad chest; well sprung ribs; a long back; muscular, broad loins
with low set, powerful, croup; legs properly set and the joints well
developed, with a good 8 inches of bone below the knee; the limbs are often
hairy. The paces are active and tremendously powerful, the average speed of
adult trotters is currently 2 min 20 sec for 1600 m; the record is 2 min 1
sec.
The Orlov has an extremely strong constitution, it is very fertile and
possesses longevity; the figures at the studs reveal that there are 80-85
live births per 100 mares plus there is a high survival rate of 78-83% up to
one year of age. The outstanding stallion Kvadrat was used as a sire until
he was 32 years old, while the mare Gondola (foaled 1933), won a prize at
the Bars hippodrome equivalent to the Derby and lived until she was 27 years
old having produced 17 foals.
The best studs for the Orlov are Khrenov, Novotomnikov, Perm and Altai -
there are now 12 sire lines and 16 mare families.
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