A grade horse is any horse with unidentifiable or unknown parentage. These horses also include unregistered equines with mixed breeding. Grade horses don’t have a uniform breed type, and characteristics can vary significantly between individuals.

Their lack of registered pedigrees shouldn’t discourage potential owners. Many grade horses can make excellent equine partners, and their diverse ancestry also lowers their risk of genetic diseases.

However, knowing your grade horse’s ancestry can help you make better management decisions. When DNA testing isn’t available, and your horse doesn’t have a clear breed type, sticking to proven horse care basics can help keep your grade horse healthy.

This profile will discuss the history, characteristics, health problems, and nutritional needs of grade horses. Keep reading to learn more about feeding and caring for these equines.

Grade Horses

A grade horse’s history is often a mystery to their owners, presenting some advantages and disadvantages when buying or caring for these horses.

Most modern horses in North America can trace their history to a specific breed. Many of these horses belong to breed registries with managed studbooks and detailed pedigrees.

The term “grade horse” emerged alongside the development of modern breeds to describe any horse without a known pedigree or breed registry.

Some of these horses are purebreds that lost their papers, but the majority are mixed breeds. Many result from accidental breedings, but some breeders deliberately produce grade horses from stallions and mares with unknown parentage.

Some mixed-breed horses with known ancestry are eligible for registration. Examples include Anglo-Arabians and Appendix Quarter Horses. These crosses aren’t grade horses.

Rescue horses are typically considered grade horses if rescuers can’t verify their origins.

Ancestry

Grade horses typically descend from popular horse breeds. Quarter Horse bloodlines were the most common ancestry found in rescue horses, reflecting this breed’s status as the most popular breed in North America. [1]

However, there are regional variations observed in both breed populations and grade horse ancestry. For example, Thoroughbreds are prevalent on the East Coast, the Northeast has a high percentage of Draft horses, while the Southeast has the highest percentage of Tennessee Walking Horses. [2]

A 2015 USDA report calculated the percentage of resident horse breeds in the United States: [2]

  1. Quarter Horse: 42.1%
  2. Thoroughbred: 7.1%
  3. Paint: 6.8%
  4. Miniature Horse: 6.1%
  5. Draft: 4.7%
  6. Tennessee Walker: 4.5%
  7. Arabian: 3.9%
  8. Standardbred: 3.7%
  9. Warmblood: 3.2%
  10. Saddlebred: 2.5%
  11. Appaloosa: 1.9%
  12. Morgan: 1.4%
  13. Mustang: 1%

 

Other popular breeds in North America include Paso Finos, Friesians, Canadians, Haflingers, Gypsy Vanners, Fox Trotters, Rocky Mountain Horses, and Icelandic horses. The report found Grade Horses made up 4.1% of the U.S. horse population. [2]

Some grade horses have a recognizable breed type, but research suggests many owners incorrectly guess their grade horse’s ancestry based on physical appearance.

One study of rescue horses identified more than half with ancestry differing from their presumed breed. Genetic testing revealed horses presumed to be Quarter Horses had Thoroughbred, Appaloosa, Rocky Mountain Horse, Warmblood, Mustang, Morgan, and Welsh Pony blood. [1]

Advantages vs. Disadvantages

While registration papers increase a horse’s value, they don’t necessarily make purebred horses better than grade horses. There are advantages and disadvantages of grade horses for potential owners to consider.

Advantages of Grade Horses:

  • Typically less expensive than registered horses
  • Common genetic diseases are rare due to genetic variation
  • Ownership transfers don’t require fees or paperwork
  • Can combine desirable attributes from multiple breeds

Disadvantages of Grade Horses:

  • Ineligible to compete in breed-specific shows
  • More challenging to provide proof of ownership
  • Less predictable personality, physical traits, and discipline suitability
  • Lack of quality control in the selection of breeding horses
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Grade Horse Characteristics

Characteristics vary significantly in grade horses depending on their ancestry. Some traits can help owners estimate their horse’s breed type, but DNA testing is more accurate. Despite their humble origins, many grade horses are competitive with purebreds in several equestrian disciplines.

DNA Testing

Genotype tests are available to determine your grade horse’s ancestry. These tests compare DNA samples with a reference panel of genotypes from horse breeds common in North America.

Universities and private companies offer horse ancestry tests that calculate the breeds with the highest probability of contributing to your horse’s genotype.

While DNA testing is more accurate than guessing based on phenotype, influences from more breeds lower the probability of a precise result. Horse breeds are more genetically similar than some domestic animals, so tests can’t give a percentage of breed influence. [3]

Conformation

Evaluating your horse’s conformation can help determine his breed type. Different breed types have slightly different care needs. Grade horses are often classified as draft, stock, light, cob, or pony types.

Draft Horse Characteristics:

  • Over 15 hands tall
  • Heavy musculature
  • Large heads
  • Straight or Roman noses
  • Upright Shoulder
  • Heavy bone
  • Feathering on fetlocks
  • Examples include Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons

Stock Horse Characteristics:

  • 14-16 hands average height
  • Compact, stocky builds
  • Heavy muscling
  • Short, wide heads
  • Broad, deep chests
  • Powerful hindquarters
  • Examples include Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas

Light Horse Characteristics:

  • Approximately 15 to 17 hands tall
  • Refined heads
  • Longer legs
  • Balanced conformation
  • Athletic appearance
  • Long, sloping shoulders
  • Examples include Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Sport Horses

Cob Characteristics

  • Approximately 13 to 15 hands
  • Compact bodies
  • Shorter legs
  • Sensible heads
  • Powerful hindquarters
  • Substantial bone
  • Examples include Gypsy Vanners, Welsh Cobs

Pony Characteristics:

  • Under 14.2 hands at the withers
  • Short legs
  • Short heads
  • Large eyes and small ears
  • Well-sprung ribs
  • Thicker manes and tails
  • Examples include Shetland Ponies, Welsh Ponies

Colours

Grade horses come in every colour. Unique colouring can help identify their parentage, but most horses have solid coats.

Common coat colours in grade horses include:

  • Bay
  • Chestnut
  • Black
  • Grey

Temperament

Some horse breeds have reputations for particular temperaments, but personalities in grade horses are less predictable and can vary significantly between individuals.

Grade horses with more Draft horse or Quarter Horse blood may have calmer temperaments than those with Thoroughbred or Arabian blood. Ponies often have cheeky personalities. However, even purebred horses can diverge from breed norms.

Good handling and training also impact temperament. Since many grade horses are rescues, some may need extra time and patience to adjust to their new lives.

Disciplines

Grade horses can excel in many disciplines depending on their unique combination of personality, conformation, and athletic abilities. The majority of grade horses are versatile recreation mounts used for leisure riding.

Most equestrian sports organizations don’t require breed registration papers for horses to participate in competitions. Grade horses frequently compete in both English and Western riding disciplines.

Snowman, one of the most famous horses of the 20th century, was a former plow horse with mixed ancestry and no registration papers. Snowman became a show-jumping legend with Harry deLeyer in the 1950s and the subject of a best-selling book.

Health Profile

Grade horses have some health advantages over purebred breeds, but a lack of breeding regulation can increase the risk of conformation faults. However, most health problems in grade horses are common in the general horse population.

Genetic Diseases

Selection for specific traits and breed types in purebred horses diminishes genetic variation. This reduced gene pool increases the risk of genetic diseases, with several inherited disorders in horses known to be associated with specific breeds. [4]

Many common genetic diseases found in horses have an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Horses must inherit a copy of the responsible gene variant from both parents to display signs of the disorder. [5]

Grade horses are less likely to inherit genetic diseases due to the greater genetic diversity in their bloodlines. Parents from distinct breeds are less likely to carry the same disease-causing gene variants. [4]

However, some genetic diseases can still affect grade horses, especially if they are purebreds with unknown ancestry due to lost papers.

Health Problems

Purebred breed registries often conduct horse inspections to select breeding stock based on conformation and health standards. A lack of breeding standards in grade horses may increase the incidence of conformation faults and lameness problems.

Studies in sport horse breeds with strict selection procedures found strong associations between conformation, health, performance, and career longevity. This shows that good conformation is positively correlation with soundness. [6]

Predispositions to health problems can vary by breed. Since grade horses lack a defined ancestry, predicting health risks based on breed is not possible. However, they share common health risks found in the broader equine population.

Survey studies of horse owners report that obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, and skin diseases are the most common health problems in recreational horses. In one survey, 32% of horses had a long-term health condition with arthritis being the most common recurrent issue. [7]

Nutrition and management practices can contribute to digestive health conditions, such as gastric ulcers. Performance horses have an increased risk of gastric ulcers, but research suggests the disease is also prevalent in mixed-breed pleasure horses. [8]

One study identified undiagnosed gastric ulcers in 48% of pleasure horses, many of whom displayed no symptoms. Risk factors associated with ulcers included high-starch diets, long intervals between meals, providing straw as the only available forage, and water not being available during turnout. [8]

Care and Management

All horses deserve quality basic care, regardless of their bloodlines or registration status. To support your horse’s overall welfare, ensure that their management meets their physical, mental, and behavioural needs.

A comprehensive care program for your grade horse should encompass preventative wellness checks by a veterinarian, as well ass dental care and hoof maintenance. Collaborate with your equine care professionals to ensure the following essentials are met:

  • Veterinary Exams: Schedule routine veterinary check-ups to identify and address health issues early.
  • Vaccinations: Keep up with your veterinarians’s recommended vaccine schedule to protect against disease.
  • Dental Care: Regular dental appointments, including teeth floating, are vital for your horse’s oral health and proper chewing.
  • Parasite Control: Implement a strategic annual deworming program to prevent parasite infestations.
  • Farrier Care: Regular farrier care is key to keeping your horse’s hooves well-trimmed and balanced. Horses with conformational faults or hoof problems may need corrective shoeing to support soundness.
  • Grooming: Daily grooming not only keeps your horse’s coat shiny but also strengthens your bond with your horse.

All horses also need access to safe shelter and adequate turnout. Some grade horses may be more comfortable living outside full-time in cold weather, while horses with finer coats may benefit from the additional warmth and protection of a stable or blankets during harsher conditions.

A thorough daily grooming routine is also important to support skin and coat health in grade horses. Grooming removes sweat and debris that can lead to skin irritations and allows you to check your horse for minor wounds.

The ideal exercise program for grade horses varies on their specific type. Grade horses descended from energetic, athletic breeds do well in consistent training programs. Light exercise also helps prevent obesity in these horses.

Nutrition Program

Proper nutrition is fundamental to the health, performance, and overall well-being of all horses. Whether your grade horse is a competitive athlete or a cherished companion, feeding a balanced, forage-based diet is the best way to meet their nutrition requirements.

Weight Maintenance

The metabolic rate of your grade horse can vary depending on their ancestry. Ponies, cobs, draft, and stock types are typically easy keepers, with an efficient metabolism. Grade horses with more Thoroughbred blood may tend towards a faster metabolism and need extra calories to maintain weight.

Many common breeds of horses and ponies are predisposed to equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). [9] This includes most pony breeds, miniatures, Spanish breeds, gated horses, Haflingers, Icelandics, Canadians, Friesians, Gypsy Vanners, Arabians and Morgans. A grade horse’s predisposition to EMS may be manifested even if only one parent had it.

EMS increases the risk of obesity and laminitis.

To determine if your grade horse is at a healthy weight, conduct frequent body condition scoring (BCS) and adjust their diet as necessary. Horses should be maintained at a BCS of 5 on the 9-point Henneke scale.

Talk to your veterinarian if you notice unexplained weight loss in your horse, which could indicate an underlying digestive problem.

Sample Diet

The following sample diet is intended for a mature 450 kg (1000 lb) grade horse with normal body condition at maintenance (not exercising).

Feed Amount per day
Mid-Quality Hay (8% crude protein) Free-choice
Salt 30 g (2 tbsps)
Omneity® Pellets 200 g (2 scoops)
Diet Analysis
Digestible Energy (% of Req) 106%
Protein (% of Req) 127%
HC (ESC + starch; % Diet) 8.7%

 

Most horses in light work can meet their energy and protein requirements with forage alone. Grade horses that are hard-keepers or in heavy work may need additional sources of energy in their diet.

While forage should form the basis of your horse’s diet, hay and pasture are usually deficient in certain essential nutrients required by horses. A concentrated vitamin and mineral supplement can help balance the diet without adding extra calories or starch to your grade horse’s feeding program. [10]

Mad Barn’s Omneity® is a comprehensive vitamin and mineral supplement that provides important nutrients needed to balance forage-based diets. Omneity® contains key ingredients that support hoof growth, gut health, immune function, joint health, and overall wellness.

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Forage

Forage, including pasture and hay, should constitute the majority of your horse’s diet. Providing adequate forage supports your horse’s digestive health and enables the expression of natural grazing behaviors. [11]

Horses typically consume around 2% of their body weight in forage daily. If you don’t have access to a scale or weigh bridge, follow this guide to estimate your horse’s body weight. [11]

An average 1,000 lb (450 kg) grade horse is expected to consume approximately 20 lb (9 kg) of hay dry matter daily. This amount should be adjusted based on your horse’s activity level and body condition.

Consider your horse’s age, workload, and health when selecting hay. Low-sugar, low-starch grass hay is recommended to provide adequate forage volume without adding excess hydrolyzable carbohydrates (HC) to the diet. HC are the carbohydrates that trigger insulin release whereas NSC also contains carbohydrates that do not impact metabolism.

Some exercising grade horses may benefit from more energy-dense hay to meet protein and energy requirements or for weight maintenance. Adding alfalfa hay can be beneficial for these horses.

Overweight horses and easy keepers may require forage restriction to achieve a health body weight. Slow feeders can help extend access to restricted forage. Conversely, these horses may need a grazing muzzles to reduce pasture intake during turnout.

Feeding Recommendations

To ensure the well-being of your grade horse, avoid feeding large quantities of high-starch grains, which can lead to digestive issues. Eliminate these feeds from your horse’s diet or split the daily ration into multiple small meals to reduce these risks. [12]

For grade horses that need more digestible energy, opt for fiber-based feeds and fat supplements, which are a safer source of calories. Fats high in omega-3 fatty acids provide additional benefits for performance and recreational horses. [13]

If you currently use grain as a supplement carrier, switching to low-starch, forage-based alternatives such as soaked hay pellets or beet pulp.

All grade horses need constant access to fresh water and salt to support adequate hydration. Our nutritionists also recommend feeding 1 – 2 ounces of plain loose salt per day to meet sodium requirements. [10]

Nutritional Supplements

Providing a balanced diet that meets your grade horse’s nutritional needs should be the priority when developing a new feeding program. Once the diet is balanced, the following supplements can provide extra support:

  • W-3 Oil is an essential fatty acid supplement with high levels of natural vitamin E and DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. Feeding w-3 oil supports joint health, a shiny coat, respiratory health, and the immune system in grade horses.
  • MSM is a natural joint supplement that supports health cartilage and connective tissue. It is beneficial for exercising horses as well as senior leisure horses who could benefit from joint support.
  • Spirulina: Spirulina is a nutrient-dense blue-green algae that is a rich source of fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. It can support support immune health and the respiratory system in all horses.
  • Optimum Digestive Health is a gut health supplement that supports hindgut function, nutrient absorption and the immune system. This supplement contains probiotics, prebiotics, yeast and immune nucleotides to help maintain a healthy gut microbiome in grade horses.

Wondering if your grade horse’s diet is meeting their needs? Submit your horse’s diet online for a free assessment, and consult with our experienced equine nutritionists for help formulating a balanced diet.

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References

  1. Clifton, D. Using Genetics to Trace the Ancestry and “Breed-type” of Rescue Horses. Anim Genet. 2023.
  2. APHIS. Demographics of the U.S. Equine Population, 2015. USDA. 2017.
  3. Raudsepp, T. et al. Ten years of the horse reference genome: insights into equine biology, domestication and population dynamics in the post-genome era. Anim Genet. 2019.View Summary
  4. Durward-Akhurst, S. et al. Genetic Variation and the Distribution of Variant Types in the Horse. Front Genet. 2021. View Summary
  5. Bettley, C. et al. A review of scientific literature on inherited disorders in domestic horse breeds. Anim Welf. 2012.
  6. Jonsson, L. et al. Associations of health status and conformation with longevity and lifetime competition performance in young Swedish Warmblood riding horses: 8,238 cases (1983–2005). J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014.View Summary
  7. Ireland, J. et al. Preventive health care and owner-reported disease prevalence of horses and ponies in Great Britain. Res Vet Sci. 2013.View Summary
  8. Hewetson, M. et al. Equine Squamous Gastric Disease: Prevalence, Impact and Management. Vet Med Res Rep. 2021.View Summary
  9. Durham, A. et al. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med. 2019. View Summary
  10. National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Horses: Sixth Revised Edition. National Academies. 2007.
  11. Richards, N. et al. Nutritional and Non-nutritional Aspects of Forage. Vet Clin Equine Pract. 2021.
  12. Cipriano-Salazar, M. et al. The Dietary Components and Feeding Management as Options to Offset Digestive Disturbances in Horses. J Equine Vet Sci. 2019.
  13. Manhart, D. et al. Markers of Inflammation in Arthritic Horses Fed Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Prof Anim Scient. 2009.