The Budenny (pronounced Bood-yo-nee) is one of Russia's most popular and versatile native warmblood sport horses. The primary reason for the development of the breed came from the army. The horse takes its name from Marshall S.M. Budenny, a distinguished cavalry officer whose name is synonymous with the legendary Red Cavalry. The Budenny is also spelled Budonny, Budyonny, and Bedennovsky. The Russian spelling is Budennovskaia. Carefully cultivated as the ultimate cavalry horse, the Budenny achieved recognition as a distinct breed in 1948, only a few years before the Russian cavalry was officially disbanded.

The Budenny is known to perform well in dressage, cross country, and jumping. Since their inception they have been developed through rigorous selection, grueling testing on the racetrack, and extensive testing on cavalry equitation courses. Over 80% of Budennys are chestnut although they also occur in black and bay. They stand from 16hh to 17hh and are well-balanced and compact. It is estimated that less than 30 Budennys currently reside in the United States.

In the 1968 Olympic games Nelson Pessoa paired with the eight-year-old Budenny, Rebus, who was also known as Pass Op. Nona Garson, who has represented the United States internationally for a decade, rode the 15.2hh Budenny gelding, Rhythmical, in the 2000 Olympic Games. Nona says she saw past his small size to his incredible heart and talent and arranged for the horse to come to America. The pair clicked immediately and went on to win numerous competitions, including the Budweiser Grand Prix of Lake Placid, the Budweiser AGA Championship, and the Fidelity Investments Jumper Classic.