Five breeds you’ve (probably) never heard of

1. The Black Forest Horse (Schwarzwälder Füchs)

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Dating back 600 years, the Black Forest Horse is native to southern Germany and is considered an ancient cold-blooded breed.

They were originally selected for working on farmland and in forestry regions. Today they are mainly used as coach horses and for riding. They are nimble and lively, have a gentle nature, and are very durable and strong. The Black Forest horse is known for its high fertility, is long-lived, and are very easy keepers. Their body color, as suggested by the name, is mostly dark chestnut (German: Kohlfuchs) with light (blonde/flaxen) mane and tail. Their coloring can vary slightly into a sorrel; however the most popular color is the dark chestnut. Black Forest Farmers refer to the Black Forest horses as the “Pearls of the Black Forest” because of their positive/easy nature, gentle disposition, and their sheer elegance and beauty. Link

Genetic studies have shown this breed to be distinct from other German breeds. I predict they may become the next slightly trendy ‘exotic’ horse, following in the footsteps of the Friesians and Irish Gypsy cobs.

2. The Moyle Horse

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The Moyle Horse breed was developed by Rex Moyle. It began as a light riding horse in Idaho, during the mid-20th century, with mustangs brought from Utah. They are usually bay or brown, and often have frontal bosses or horns. They are rather rare, and are said to have livers and spleens larger than an ordinary horse’s.

The preceding paragraph represents the sum total of all information about Moyle horses available on the internet. Would I lie to you?

3. The Kerry Bog Pony

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Originating in Ireland, Kerry Bog Ponies were used by farmers to carry loads of peat. Their numbers declined drastically due to mechanization, sport shooters, and the importation of donkeys as animal labour, but they have begun to rebound since being named Ireland’s Heritage Pony, and the establishment of a national stud book. They are also making inroads in North America: American Kerry Bog Pony Society.

4. The Yakut Horse

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No one’s really certain about the origin of these little woolly critters:

There seem to be two main theories. The first is that the animal is related to the Mongolian horse, arguing that when ancestors of today’s Yakuts migrated from southern Siberia and settled in the Lena and Yana river basins, they brought horses with them. These then gradually–and successfully–adapted to the extreme environment. The second theory is that the Yakut horse is related to the Pleistocene horse of northeast Asia. This creature existed before the last ice age, and its contemporaries were mammals like the mammoth, reindeer, and woolly rhinoceros. The horse–like the reindeer–took refuge and survived in areas of northeastern Siberia where only the mountains were covered in ice. Link

More about the Yakut people and their horses can be found here.

5. The Tiger Horse

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Nope, it’s not an Appy–at least, not the Appy you know. The leopard complex (Lp) gene has been known in horses for thousands of years; it’s depicted in ancient cave paintings in Spain. Tiger Horses are the descendants of those early spotties, mixed with the blood of Arabs, Spanish jennets and others to produce a loudly patterned, gaited horse:

As base foundation stock, the Tiger Horse Association Inc., is actively seeking all horses which display the Tiger Horse characteristics of Leopard Complex (Appaloosa) color patterns, an even four beat intermediate gait, and at least some Spanish conformation characteristics. These horses can come from the Appaloosa breed, Spanish Mustang, any of the Paso Breeds, Native American herds, wild horse herds, or some of the less well known Spanish based breeds, such as the Florida Cracker Horse. Link

Honourable mention: Lac La Croix Indian Pony

(This post is part of //engtech’s Five Things contest/meme. There’s still time to enter YOUR WordPress.com blog!)

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