Why was a difference made between warm-blood and cold-blood horses?

Answer 1

Warm and cold blood horses had very different uses. Different people in different parts of the world selected their breeding stock based on what they used horses for and what they wanted them to do. The terms 'hot, warm and cold' blooded horses are inaccurate - all horses are mammals and are therefore warm blooded. Hot blooded breeds are mostly Eastern breeds, the foundation horse being the Arab, but also including Akhal-teke, Barb etc. The modern Thoroughbred, Arab, Anglo-Arab, Akhal-teke, Standardbred and most 'speed' breeds are hotbloods. Warm-blooded horses are mostly sporthorses. These were based on strong, useful horses crossed with fast blood. Polo ponies and horses that excel at eventing, showjumping and dressage are generally warmbloods. These include the Friesian, Hanoverian, Andalusian, Lipizzaner, and hunters. Many are also crossbreds with warm/cold and hot horses, ie. Irish Draught x Thoroughbred is the quintessential hunting horse. Cold blooded horses are the draught animals. They are large, heavily-muscled, with coarse joints and often feather and shaggy coats. They are not particularly delicate and not very fast either. They were bred for pulling heavy loads and for farm work, ie. ploughing, dragging wood.