The Groningen (also known as 'Groninger') is a rare Dutch light draft horse breed, which is mostly known for being one of the two foundation breeds of the Dutch Warmblood (the other one being the Gelderland.)

From a carriage horse to a farm horse:
The Groningen breed was created in the Netherlands during the 1870s, when East-Friesian and Oldenburg horses were crossed with native Dutch horses.

Originally, the Groningen was a light draft horse suitable for pulling carriages and performing light farm work. However, following World War I, the need for carriage horses declined while the need for farming horses increased. Therefore, breeders of Groningen horses focused on breeding the heaviest horses, and gradually the Groningen turned into a heavier draft breed.

From a farm horse to a sport horse:
Starting from the 1950s, the need for horses in agriculture declined while the demand for athletic riding horses increased. Therefore, breeders of Groningen horses sought to breed for the original, lighter form of this breed. In order to achieve this, they crossed Groningens with Thoroughbreds, Holsteiners, and Trakehners. Unfortunately, the Groningen was still heavier and less athletic than other warmblood sport breeds, and its breeding declined.

In the 1970s, the Groningen was on the verge of extinction when only one purebred Groningen stallion was left. Luckily, dedicated breeders managed to get hold of that stallion and to breed him to a handful of Groningen mares, thus saving the breed.

Today, Groningen horses are used for dressage, jumping, and driving. In addition, thanks to their strong structure, they are also good as vaulting horses.

Conformation:
Compared to most sport warmbloods, the Groningen has a heavy conformation. Its profile is convex, its medium-length neck is muscular and of high-set, its hindquarters are muscular, its chest is broad, and its legs are shorter and thicker than usually seen in sport warmbloods.

Performance metrics:
The following are the: range, average, (SD), and MOE of performance metrics of ordered Groningens in Horse Isle (not bred ones). In rare cases, horses might have metrics outside of the range. Breeders can produce horses that are beyond this range.

Speed: 15.3-16.5, 15.8 (0.3), 0.06.
Sprint: 52-66, 59 (3), 0.55.

Accel: 1.01-1.16, 1.08 (0.04), 0.01.
Decel: 1.05-1.21, 1.13 (0.03), 0.01.

Jump: 5.07-5.34, 5.19 (0.05), 0.01.
Pull: 2.77-3.31, 3.05 (0.11), 0.02.

Turning: 55.44-68.81, 62.03 (3.02), 0.59.
Reverse: 2.5-3.1, 2.8 (0.1), 0.03.

Stamina: 52.37-55.43, 53.88 (0.81), 0.16.
Reaction: 0.78-0.87, 0.83 (0.02), 0.00.

Coats & Height:
Colors: bay, black, brown, chestnut, and, more rarely, grey.

Additionals: flaxen, minimal-mealy, rabicano, sooty, tobiano, white-spotted sabino, all rare patterns. The coat often has white markings.

Pinto note: sabino markings can occur on the legs, face, barrel, and sometimes shoulders or thighs of the horse. Groningens with overly extensive sabino markings will be heavily penalized.

Height: 15.1hh to 16.3hh.