Though the head is plain, a Russian Trotter's neck makes up for it with its muscular length. They have a chest that is deep and wide with long, sloping shoulders. The legs are strong and powerful, but can sometimes be prone to a sickle-hocked or “knock-kneed” conformation. This makes their feet move outward as they walk or trot. Technically this is considered a defect of conformation, although it allows them to lengthen their stride with ease and is considered an advantage for horses used in the field of racing. The most common colors are bay, gray, black or chestnut.

The Russian Trotter’s sole purpose is to be a trotting horse, and is a very popular harness racer in Russia. They are said to be of good disposition, easily trained and relatively quiet. The reputation of Russian horses is that of an undemanding, friendly, easy to manage, hardworking animal with a no-nonsense attitude.

The Russian Trotter Horse was originally developed to be a faster trotter than the Orlov, a horse that was losing to the American Standardbred. Between the years of 1890-1914, 156 stallions and 220 mares of the Saddlebred breed were imported from the United States. The first crossings of the Saddlebred to the Orlov Trotter produced horses that were faster, but of a lower quality, so an emphasis was placed on strict breeding regimen and the development of the newly minted breed. The first Russian Trotter registry was in 1948, and the standard for the breed became fixed in 1950.

Back to the Horse Breeds Page         Russian Trotter Breeders - Horses for Sale
Russian Trotter - Horses for Sale