Horse Basics Category

Asil – Rare Breed of the Week

This week’s rare breed comes from Iran & they are a different kind of rare. The Asil horse is rare by design. Named for the region where they are bred in Khuzestan, the bloodlines of the Asil horse have traditionally been kept within local tribes & families.

Mysterious & Secretive

The actual origins of this horse seems to have several theories & it seems that many of the western interpretations of their history are lost in translation. However rock carvings depicting animals similar to this fine Arabian strain have been found in the area that date back 5,000 years. Read more →

Arravani – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

This Week’s rare breed comes from Greece & like many native Greek breeds it’s dangerously rare & close to extinction. The Arravani breed only has a couple hundred members.

A Melting Pot

A wide variety of different breeds helped to develop this breed over the last couple of millennia, from Thessalian animals to the mighty Arabian. Originally they were bred as workhorses, which provides them a robust, surefooted foundation. Later outside influence (especially the Arabian) lent them a refinement that can still be seen today. Read more →

Ariègeois Pony – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

This Monday’s rare breed is known as the Merens or the Ariègeois pony. They are a rare mountain pony native to the Pyrenees and Ariègeois mountains of Northern Spain & Southern France.

Tough & Ancient

Thought to be of prehistoric ancestory, these rugged mountain ponies were originally domesticated for use in mines & for hauling timber. Physically they are very similar to Dales pony & the Friesian horse which probably shared an ancestor with them. It is believed that during the Muslim invasion local stock was also enhanced by Arabian blood. Read more →

Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

This week’s rare breed comes from Germany & sadly they are among the rarest equines on the planet. So rare, in fact that we can’t find any images or video of them to share with you. The Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony is dangerously close to extinction & are listed as critically endangered with their numbers in the teens.

20th Century Breed

These animals are a fairly recent breed (during the 20th century) & originally come from wild horses of Munster, Westphalia crossed with Lithuanian broodmares. This was a semi-wild breeding program (similar to that of the Dulman pony). Read more →