u/Obversa

I've been playing this game on Android since March 2026, and while it features a variety of dragons of different types and species (ex. Floral, Nudibranch, Piscine, Reptilian, Mammalian, et al.), this is the first time they've introduced "Dinosaur Dragons". Usually, there are two new dragon species released per event, and one of them is based on an Ankylosaurus. It's definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of dinosaurs and dragons.

From a November 20, 2025 Facebook post by Andrew Joseph Pearman:

"The (Possible) Death of the Dutch Harness Horse in America

(and Why Hubert VDM Stands Alone)

I've been sitting on this for a while, and I think it's finally time to share it. For those of you who know Hubert VDM, my KWPN approved stallion, you know he's not just any Dutch Harness Horse. He's a true outlier. He's the only KWPN approved stallion to win national titles both in the Netherlands and here in America, and what makes him even more special is that he naturally embodies a type that American trotting horse lovers, whether they're into Saddlebreds, Arabians, or Morgans, admire instantly. The upright neck, the elegance, the extreme expression…he just has that look that stops people in their tracks.

Yet the thing is, Hubert was never the golden boy in Holland. He wasn't approved at three because he didn't shine in hand the way the judges wanted. He had to earn everything the long, hard way, proving himself under harness, proving himself in the ring, and winning so consistently that eventually they couldn't deny him, and now in America, he's proven again that he isn’t the result of gimmicks or tricks. He is simply, naturally that good.

The hard part to admit is this: The true Dutch Harness Horse type is fading out in America.

The Dutch Harness Horse isn't a purebred in the strict sense. The foundation came from Gelderlander, Hackney Horse, and Dutch Warmblood influence, but despite that, the breed developed a very distinct type: powerful, airy moving, extravagant, strong behind, refined in front, with that big, electric motion.

That type is getting lost.

Many of the largest breeders of harness horses have crossed them with Saddlebreds and other breeds, and while those crosses may create nice horses, they do not create better harness horses. They refine them, yes, but at the cost of the traits that define the harness horse: the power, the lift, the athleticism, the sheer presence. When you mix too far outside the original framework, you don’t improve the harness type. You dilute it.

That's where the real rarity of Hubert VDM comes in, because the truth is...there simply isn’t another stallion in America or anywhere who naturally represents the American ideal harness type the way Hubert does, and even more concerning, there are very few mares left in the United States who can produce that type with him.

I'm breeding Hubert again to Naukia, a mare I used to own who I believe can help preserve that magic, and beyond that, I've been quietly searching for another truly special harness mare. Not publicly posting, not announcing it everywhere, just turning over stones and looking under every rock, hoping to find that needle in a haystack who can help keep this type alive.

I'll be honest, it’s not easy, but here's something I’m deeply grateful for: The half-Arabian English community has embraced Hubert more than anyone.

That market has a long history of producing elite English horses, and they've recognized Hubert's value immediately. Even though breeding half-Arabians won't recreate another Hubert or rebuild the traditional harness type, those breeders see what he is. They understand his rarity, his athleticism, and the level of quality he represents. They saw the same thing in him that I saw the day I bought him, and that means more than I can say.

So here's to Hubert VDM: A once-in-a-lifetime stallion. A survivor of a fading type. A horse who proved himself on two continents, and a reminder of what the Dutch Harness Horse was, and what it still could be, if we fight to preserve it [from going extinct]."

What are yout thoughts on this? Is the Dutch Harness Horse in the United States going the way of the now-extinct Morocco Spotted Horse, a similar breed that used pinto Hackneys and Oldenburgs (German Harness Horses) as its foundation stock? Why do you think U.S. breeders aren't as interested in "carriage types" as some European "heritage" breeders are, even though pintos are popular across multiple gaited breeds?