Russian Warmblood
ORLOV-ROSTOPCHIN SPORTHORSE ASSOCIATION
Gorhonik / Iskusnik / Abaskus ox
Kaia was bred as part of the restoration project for the Russian Warmblood, also known as the Orlov-Rostopchin. Her breeding is 40% Akhal-Teke, one of the world’s oldest breeds, originally from the deserts around Turkmenistan and now a keystone of Russian horse breeding. The Akhal-Teke has unique soft gaits, with a trot that snakes from side to side. They are legendary for their stamina, devotion to their humans, and ability to subsist on little forage and water. They provide great reliability and speed and are easy to train. Akhal-Tekes have routinely performed well in the longest endurance rides in the world, including 2600 miles from Ashkhabad to Moscow with 300 miles of Kara Kum desert which is crossed in 3 days with only the water they can carry!
Kaia is bred to be an improver. Her Akhal-Teke heritage is combined with 30% Arabian blood, largely Polish, Crabbet, and old American lines. This combination of two foundational desert breeds, bred for generations with a very specific focus, gives her offspring extraordinary endurance potential as well as great refinement. More importantly, in my opinion, she passes on that devotion to their humans as well as the rideability that characterize these breeds.
Finally, Kaia combines the two foundation sires for Russian Warmblood breeding in the US: Gorhonik and Iskusnik. Gorhonik is by the black Russian-born purebred Akhal-Teke stallion Gorhon, out of a Russian Warmblood mare that constitutes the first generation bred by Dr. Barbara Weber at Solstice Farms. Notably, Kaia is also linebred to her damsire, the Elite-I imported stallion Iskusnik, thus concentrating and preserving this bloodline. He appears in her pedigree through two daughters in the second and third generations representing 37.5% of her genetic heritage. Her damline goes back to the desert-born Arabian mare Basilisk ox 1875 (read about her here).
Kaia has produced two spectacular colts for us, both pictured below: Kyrian in 2023 by the Trakehner stallion Torrent, and Gavril of Solstice in 2021 by the Russian warmblood stallion Galileo of Solstice. Both are tall, black, with correct conformation, striking looks, easy temperaments, and the human-focused devotion we expect from their ancestry.
Height: 15.2 1/2 h
Cannons: 19 cm
Black
DNA: Endurance Type
Color Genetics: E/e, a/a
WFFS n/n
Solstice Female Russian (2006) – Black
Alp 1131 1993 Bay Akhal Tekes | Amelit 12 1987 Buckskin Akhal Tekes | Adat 1972 Bay Akhal Tekes | Yulduz |
Algush | |||
Lada 1978 Buckskin Akhal Tekes | Ararat 1 | ||
Lolla | |||
Perigozel 1987 Bay Akhal Tekes | Pudok 1973 Bay Akhal Tekes | Polotli | |
Kaplya | |||
Arpa 1977 Black Akhal Tekes | Angar | ||
Akbelek | |||
Kismet Sky-Anne 2001 Bay Russian | Iskusnik 1994 Black Russian | Intrigan 1986 Black/Brown Russian | Imbir 1966 Black/Brown |
Gidroponika 1981 Bay | |||
Istina 1981 Black Russian | Igrannyj 1970 Black | ||
Indiana 1975 Black | |||
Kismet Ky-Anne ox 1991 Chestnut Arabian | Abaskus ox 1973 Chestnut Arabian | Bask ox 1956 Bay | |
Abalihah ox | |||
Kismet Fancy Fire ox 1984 Chestnut Arabian | Firebrand ox | ||
Cinnamon n Honey ox |
provided by PedigreeOnline.com
Dam
KISMET SKY-ANNE
Iskusnik / Abaskus ox / Firebrand ox
RUSSIAN WARMBLOOD
BORN 2001
BREEDER: DR. BARBARA WEBER, SOLSTICE FARMS

DAMLINE
Offspring
KYRIAN
Torrent / Gorhonik / Iskusnik
RUSSIAN WARMBLOOD/TRAKEHNER
BORN 2023
BREEDER: ANNORIEN SPORTHORSES

GAVRIL OF SOLSTICE
Galileo of Solstice / Gorhonik / Iskusnik
RUSSIAN WARMBLOOD
BORN 2021
BREEDER: DR. BARBARA WEBER, SOLSTICE FARMS

KAMAIA OF SOLSTICE
Ehrentanz KD / Gorhonik / Iskusnik
RUSSIAN WARMBLOOD
BORN 2018
BREEDER: DR. BARBARA WEBER, SOLSTICE FARMS

Breeding Notes
Kaia has correct conformation, with a strong foundation, uphill build, and long elegant lines. She has a medium-set neck, good pillar of support, long shoulders but rather steep, medium-angled humerus, equal alignment between her ilium and femur sides, average stifle placement, and good alignment between her point of hip and the lumbosacral gap. Points to correct include her frame, which could be shorter, her front legs, which toe-in slightly, and more slope and angle to her shoulder.

LINEBREEDING STATISTICS
NAME | LINEBREEDING STATS | CROSSES | LINES | BLOOD % | INFLUENCE | AGR
4D x 5D | 2 | 2 (2) (0) | 9.38% | 4×5 | 9.86% | |
4S x 7S | 2 | 2 (2) (0) | 7.03% | 5×5 | 9.18% | |
5S x 8S x 5s | 3 | 2 (1) (1) | 6.64% | 5×5 | 7.03% | |
5S x 5S | 2 | 2 (2) (0) | 6.25% | 5×5 | 7.42% | |
7D x 9D x 5D x 6D | 4 | 2 (2) (0) | 5.66% | 5×6 | 5.66%* | |
6s x 6s x 6s x 7s | 4 | 2 (0) (2) | 5.47% | 5×6 | 5.47% | |
5s x 6S | 2 | 2 (1) (1) | 4.69% | 5×6 | 6.25% | |
6S x 9S x 6S x 7s | 4 | 2 (1) (1) | 4.10% | 6×6 | 4.10%* | |
5D x 7D | 2 | 2 (2) (0) | 3.91% | 6×6 | 5.57% | |
6s x 9s x 6S | 3 | 2 (1) (1) | 3.32% | 6×6 | 3.32%* |