Vlaamperd
{{short description|South African breed of horse}}
{{about|the South African breed|the similarly-named Belgian breed|Flemish Horse}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use South African English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox horse breed
| name = Vlaamperd
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| altname = {{ubl|SA Vlaamperd|Vlaamse perd{{r|savbs}}}}
| country = South Africa
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| status = {{ubl|FAO (2007): not listed{{r|barb|p=105}}|DAD-IS (2021): unknown{{r|dad}}}}
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| colour = {{ubl|black|{{nobreak|dark seal brown (mares only)}}}}
| height = {{ubl|147–157 cm{{r|cabi|page=511}}|average: 154 cm{{r|elise|page=418}}}}
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The {{lang|af|italic=no|Vlaamperd}} is a South African breed of light draught or harness horse; it is also suitable for riding and is used in dressage. It was bred in the Western Cape region of South Africa in the early twentieth century, and resulted from cross-breeding of local mares with imported European stallions, particularly Friesians. The horses are usually black, though mares may be dark seal brown. A stud-book was started in 1983.
History
The Vlaamperd derives from the now-extinct Hantam Horse or Cape Horse, a riding horse bred in the former Cape Province, particularly after 1814 when Lord Charles Somerset imported Thoroughbred stallions from Britain.{{r|fao|savbs|ths}} Shortly after the end of the Second Boer War in 1902, a funeral director in Cape Town imported a few Friesian stallions.{{r|savbs}} They were shipped from Antwerp in Belgium, supposedly because exports of Friesians from Holland were not permitted at the time; for this reason Friesians came to be known in South Africa as {{lang|af|Vlaams Perde|italic=no}}, meaning 'Flemish Horses'.{{r|cabi|p=511}}{{efn|name=a}} The Vlaamperd descends from the offspring of Hantam and other mares put to these stallions.{{r|savbs}} There was some later influence from other foreign breeds: an Ostfriesen and Alt-Oldenburger stallion named Kemp made a significant contribution to the early development of the Vlaamperd, as did a Cleveland Bay stallion named Scheepers in the 1940s.{{r|savbs}}
In 1983 a breed society, the {{lang|af|Suid Afrikaanse Vlaamperdtelersgenootskap|italic=no}} or South African Vlaamperd Breeders Society, was started in Bloemfontein;{{r|savbs}} a stud-book was begun in the same year.{{r|dad}}
The conservation status of the breed is not clear – population data has not been reported to DAD-IS since 1999.{{r|dad}} In 2013 there were about 200 horses.{{r|elise|p=418}}
Characteristics
The Vlaamperd stands on average {{convert|154|cm|hand|abbr=in|lk=out}} at the withers. Its appearance is similar to that of the Friesian, but less heavy, with finer bone.{{r|elise|p=418|hq}} It has a thick mane and tail, a well-rounded croup, long legs and a high-arched neck, and steps high when in motion.{{r|elise|p=418}}
Stallions are black, while mares may also be dark seal brown.{{r|cabi|p=511}}
Use
The Vlaamperd may be used as a riding horse, a carriage horse or for classical dressage.{{r|cabi|p=511|elise|p2=418}}
Notes
{{notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=a|Despite the similarity of the name there is no connection to the Belgian Flemish Horse or {{lang|nl|italic=no|Vlaams Paard}}.{{r|elise|p=418}}}}
}}
References
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{{Horse breeds of Africa}}
Category:Horse breeds originating in South Africa
Category:Afrikaans words and phrases
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