Name of breed: Akhal-Teke Country of origin: Turkmenistan Breed origin: One of the oldest living breeds of horse, the precise ancestry of the Akhal-Teke is difficult to trace. The breed is very similar to, and possibly the direct descendant of an ancient horse known as the Turkoman, or Nisaean, horse. This horse was one of…
Name of breed: Hackney Pony Country of origin: England Breed origin: A breed of pony closely related to the Hackney horse, the breed was originally developed by Christopher Wilson. He used a Hackney stallion to breed with Fell Pony mares, and then interbred the offspring to make a fixed type of pony. His aim was…
Name of breed: Spanish Mustang, officially known as the Colonial Spanish Horse. Country of origin: United States Breed origin: Contrary to what its name implies, the Spanish Mustang (or Colonial Spanish Horse) is not a wild horse breed, nor is it especially closely related to the Mustang. The Spanish Mustang is descended from various horse…
Name of breed: Mérens, also known as the Ariégeois pony. Country of origin: Southern France (the Pyrenees and Ariégeois mountains) and Northern Spain (near Andorra) Breed origin: The Mérens horse is thought to have emerged in prehistoric times, although the early history of the breed remains a mystery. It could have come from the Iberian…
Name of breed: Warlander Country of origin: Many! Breed origin: The Warlander was developed by crossing Friesians with purebred Iberian horses – typically Andalusians, but Lusitano and Menorquín bloodlines are also allowed. Although the Warlander wasn’t recognised as a breed until the late 20th century, the crossing of Friesian and Iberian horses has a history…
Name of breed: Knabstrupper, or Knabstrup Country of origin: Denmark Breed origin: The Knabstrupper is believed to trace back to the prehistoric spotted horses that were native to what is now Spain. Cave paintings of horses with spots akin to the leopard patterning seen in many Knabstruppers have been discovered in these regions. However, the…
Name of breed: Bavarian Warmblood, or Bayerisches Warmblut Country of origin: Germany Breed origin: The Bavarian Warmblood developed from an ancient Bavarian breed called the Rottaler. The best Rottalers were calm, substantial, all-purpose horses used for everything from carriage driving to plowing to riding. A registry for Rottalers was founded in 1907, but when the…
Name of breed: Caspian Country of origin: Iran Breed origin: The Caspian is believed to be one of the oldest horse breeds in the world. Persian art and artifacts from as early as 3,000 BC depict small, refined horses, often ridden or driven by nobles and kings. The oldest known specimen of Caspian horse was…
Name of breed: Exmoor Pony (also known as the Celtic pony) Country of origin: United Kingdom Breed origin: Horses have been present in Britain since 700,000 BC and fossil remains have been found in the area of Exmoor dating back to about 50,000 BC. Some people claim the Exmoor pony has been purebred since the…
Name of breed: Irish Cob (also called the Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Vanner, Romany Tinker and Traditional Cob) Origin: Great Britain and Ireland Breed origin: The Irish Cob was originally bred by Irish Travellers and Great Britain’s Romani Travellers to pull the wagons in which they lived and travelled. These wagons, often known as vardoes, developed…
Name of breed: Falabella Miniature Horse, or simply Falabella Country of origin: Argentina Breed origin: The ancestors of the Falabella are believed to have been brought to Latin America by the Spaniards, eventually forming large wild herds that roamed the vast pampas and in turn gave rise to various breeds including the Criollo. Shaped by natural…
Name of breed: Haflinger, also known as the Avelignese Country of origin: Austria and northern Italy Breed origin: The Haflinger is a breed of horse that developed in Austria and northern Italy (namely the South Tyrolean mountains) during the late nineteenth century. The breed’s ancestry traces back to the Middle Ages. Writings from the era describe…
