| On 14th of November in 1855 a decision to
establish Tori Stud was made by the gentry of Livonia. The Stud became operative in 1856.
Historical records show that the state manors of Tori and Avinurme had been used by the
Livonian gentry since 1826. They were used for the rearing and breeding of cattle and
sheep. In 1855 the gentry asked the Russian emperor to extend the contract for 24 years to
enable them to establish a horse stud... so Tori Stud was established in Pärnu county. 26
kilometres away from the town of Pärnu. The need to establish a stud was important as the
local horse breed was near extinction. Tori Stud was
established with 47 mares (withers` height 135 cm) and 7 young stallions (withers` height
140 cm) of Estonian breed. In addition 10 mares and 3 stallions of Finnish breed were
imported from Finland. From the Veil Horse Stud in Germany 3 Arab stallions were bought
for riding and luxury purpose as well as 2 Trotter stallions.
Improving the Estonian breed by cross-breeding did not
provide the desired results until a Norfolk-Roadster crossbred stallion Hetman (born 1886) was brought to Tori Stud. He became the basis for
breeding the Tori breed: he gave good offspring suitable for farming and he is the
founding sire of the first stallion lines and mare families.
Until 1936 Norfolk-Hackney and local Estonian horse
remained the core components in breeding the Tori horse. The number of the lines were
enlarged in 1937 with new imported stallions of the Postier Breton breed and a new
universal horse breed was achieved that was approved in 1950. The dominating colour is
chestnut with white markings on the head and limbs. By nature the Tori horse is energetic,
good-natured, docile and is a willing draught animal.
150 years of activity at Tori Stud can mainly be divided
into the following periods:
 Attempts to improve the Estonian breed in 1856-1880
Moving from improving the Estonian horse to breeding the faster
horses in 1880-1908
Forming the Tori breed in 1908-1920
Purebreeding of universal farming horse 1920-1973
Hannoverian stallions to make the Tori breed even more
universal
In the recent past the breeding has changed direction,
moving from the heavier type of horse to a lighter palfrey which is now being bred. At the
same time approx. 25% of the
old-typed universal Tori horse suitable for
harnessing and riding is still retained and bred.
TThe record in high jump among Tori horses is 2 meters, it
belongs to a mare named Helve. In 1989 a mare named Aroonia became the absolute champion of the Soviet Union in triathlon for
harnessed horses (she still lives in Tori Stud). The record of the Soviet Union in
comparative driving power belongs to a stallion from the Stud also, it belongs to Laser
with a driving power of 126% of his body mass. Estonian walk-record belongs to a stallion
from the Stud named Aaker.
There are approximately 100 horses in Tori Stud (the stud
grounds extend to over 900 ha), 35 residents are mares who give birth to 10-20 foals a
year. |