The Hessen, or Hessian warmblood, is a German sport horse bred in the federal state of Hesse (Hessen) in central Germany. Like other German regional warmbloods — the Hanoverian, Westphalian, and Rhinelander among them — the Hessen breed developed from the systematic improvement of local riding stock through the introduction of Thoroughbred and Hanoverian bloodlines, supported by a state-sponsored studbook and performance testing regime that became standard in German horse breeding during the twentieth century.
Conformation reflects sport horse breeding priorities: a refined, athletic body with a long neck, prominent withers, correct leg structure with well-defined the joint most scrutinized in sport horse inspection and fetlock joints, and movement quality assessed in terms of elasticity, impulsion, and straightness. The breed is registered and inspected through the Hessian Horse Breeding Association (Pferdezuchtverband Hessen), which maintains studbook records and organizes mandatory performance tests for stallions before approval for breeding.
The Hessen warmblood competes primarily in dressage and show jumping, the disciplines for which German warmbloods are most commonly bred and evaluated. Mares are assessed under mare performance tests; approved approved sires under state licensing are licensed following a 30-day or 70-day station test that evaluates rideability, jumping technique, and character. As a studbook breed produced through open-registry principles, individual Hessen horses frequently carry bloodlines that overlap with Hanoverian or Oldenburg lines, reflecting the interconnected nature of German warmblood breeding as a whole.