- Orlov Trotter -

   The development of the Orlov Trotter can be attributed to Count Alexei Orlov at his Khrenov Stud, which he established in 1788. Due to the Count's part in the conspiracy to overthrow Peter III and win the Russian throne for the Tsarina Catherine the Great, he was made Commander of the Russian fleet. Soon after this, he beat the Turkish in an important battle and, as a consequence, was presented with a gray Arabian stallion, Smetanka, by the Turkish Admiral. Smetanka was bred with a variety of Danish mares and one of his progeny, Polkan I, went on the become the sire of the foundation stallion Bars I. Bars I foaled in 1784, son of Polkan I and a Dutch mare called Hartsdraver.

Bars I was moved to the new Khrenov Stud, and there he was crossed with a variety of mares of Arabian, Dutch, Danish, English half-bred, and Mecklenburg descent. The best of the progeny were then interbred until fixed characteristics had been established. The Orlov was developed as a quality carriage horse and a racing trotting horse.

Between 1885 and 1913, there was a large introduction of the American Standardbred to the breed to increase the trotting speeds. It is considered that this crossbreeding began to destroy the fixed characteristics of the Orlov, and it became necessary to re-establish the Russian breed. The modern Orlov does not compare in speed to the American Standardbred, but it is widely used in Orlov only trotting races in Russia. There is  quite a wide regional diversity within the Orlov breed, with the best specimens being produced at the Khrenov Stud. They are also bred at Dubrovski, Novotomnikov and Perm, and the horses from these different studs exhibit different traits, although mostly coarser in appearance and conformation.

The Orlov is a lightweight but powerful horse with great stamina and endurance, and a quit but energetic temperament. Their heads are fine and attractive, and they should have a nicely arched neck set high on the shoulders, which are very straight. Typically, they have a long, straight back and powerful quarters, they tend to be long in the leg and have well-formed hooves. Predominantly gray in color, they can also be bay or black, and stand around 16 hh.

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