There are dozens of horse breeds that may be traced back to Europe. For hundreds of years, Europe has relied on them to move both people and products.
Warhorses have been popular since the 8th century, thanks to Napoleon of France’s fondness for the Arabian horse.
They are still used by mounted police nowadays, but they are rarely utilized for transportation. However, horseback riding is still very popular in the region, and many people enjoy owning large domesticated horses.
We are going to be looking at a few horse breeds dominant in countries like Poland, Bosnia, and Italy. These include:
Poland
- Hucul pony breed
- Konik pony breed
Bosnia
- Bosnian pony
- Haflinger pony
France and Italy
- Avelignese pony breed
- Camarguais pony breed
- Merens pony breed
Table of Contents (Horspedia)
Polish Pony Breeds and Origin | The Work Horse
HUÇUL Pony Breed
The Hucul or Carpathian is a pony or small horse breed originally from the Carpathian Mountains in Poland. It has a heavy build and possesses great endurance and hardiness. The breed is also referred to as the Carpathian pony, Huculska, Hutsul, Huțul, Huțan or Huzul.
Origin: Poland – Carpathian Mountains.
Height: 121-13.1hh.
Color: Usually dun, often with dark points or bay.
Character: Sensible, docile, willing, hardy, and enduring.
Physique of the HUÇUL Pony Breed
The HUÇUL Pony Breed is a Strong, primitive pony with a Tarpan head and powerful body. Its general appearance is pleasing and symmetrical, though the pony is sometimes cow-hocked.
Evolution of the HUÇUL Pony Breed
This pony comes chiefly from the Huculie district of the Carpathians. It is thought to stem mainly from Tarpan stock, and there are those who believe its ancestry to be so pure that they call it the Forest Tarpan.
It is now selectively bred on several studs, and in the last century, a great deal of Arab blood has been infused into it.
Main uses of the HUÇUL Pony Breed
The Hucul is widely used as a work pony on farms throughout the higher land of southern Poland. It makes a splendid pack and draught animal, sure-footed enough for the most difficult country and of willing and untiring personality. Occasionally it is ridden, but this is not its main line of employment.
There are said to be three types of Hucul, though these have now interbred to a point of hazy distinction. They are, or were, the Przewalski Hucul, the Bystrzec Hucul and the Tarpan Hucul.
KONIK Pony Breed | Tough and independent
The Konik or the Polish primitive horse is a pony breed from Poland that lives semi-feral in some regions. The Polish word “konik” is the diminutive of koń, the Polish word for “horse”. However, the name “konik” or “Polish konik” is used to refer to certain specific breeds.
Origin: Poland.
Height: About 13.1 hh.
Color: All shades of dun, usually with a dorsal stripe. Some are said to grow white winter coats.
Character: Tough, independent pony, willing and good-natured.
Physique of the KONIK Pony Breed
The KONIK Pony is a strong, well-proportioned pony very similar to the Hucul, to which it is closely related. It is extremely robust and can thrive on poor fare. Exceptionally long lifespan and high fertility. Often cow-hocked.
This near relative of the Tarpan, one of the foundation breeds of eastern Europe, has influenced most of the Polish and Russian horses and ponies.
It combines the toughness and frugality of the Tarpan with a kind disposition and willingness to learn that makes it easy to train and a productive worker.
It is as important to the economy of lowland farmers as the Huçul is to the hill farmers, and is so much in demand as a work pony both in Poland and in neighboring countries that it is widely bred by farmers and on State studs.
“Konik” means “small horse”.
Most popular Bosnian and Austro Bavarian pony breeds
The Bosnian Mountain Horse is the only indigenous breed of domestic horse in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it constitutes about 70% of the horse population.
BOSNIAN Pony Breed | Hardy, sturdy and enduring
It is a small horse and is used both as a pack animal and for riding. Below you can find its origin, color, and character information:
Origin: Former Yugoslavia, current Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Color: Dun, brown, chestnut, gray, black.
Character: Tough, affectionate, very intelligent.
Physique of the BOSNIAN Pony Breed
The BOSNIAN Pony Breed is a Compact mountain pony of the Tarpan type, not unlike the Hucul. It is Hardy, sturdy and enduring.
The Bosnian pony breed is the most widespread and important of the pony breeds in the Balkan states. Something like 400,000 of them were employed in former Yugoslavia (present-day Bosnia) as farm and pack workers, and sometimes as riding ponies.
In recognition of their quality, and with the intention of keeping up the great demand, they are carefully bred by the State; only chosen stallions are allowed to cover mares.
To maintain the breed’s excellence as pack ponies all stallions have to pass a test requiring them to carry a load of roughly 220lb for ten miles.
This has to be achieved in 71 minutes. The Bosnian is yet another example of the basic Tarpan type which has been improved with Arab blood.
HAFLINGER Pony Breed | well-muscled yet elegant
The Haflinger is a breed of horse developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century.
Haflinger horses are relatively small, are always chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, have distinctive gaits described as energetic but smooth, and are well-muscled yet elegant
Origin: Austria and Bavaria – Tirol.
Height: About 14hh.
Color: Chestnut with flaxen mane and tail. Other colors are rare.
Character: Docile, adaptable, frugal, hardworking, and long-lived.
Physique of the HAFLINGER Pony Breed
HAFLINGER Pony Breed has a medium-sized head with a pointed muzzle, kind, alert eyes, open nostrils, and small ears.
Well-muscled body, wide-chested and deep-girthed, long, broad back, strong loins and quarters. Short legs with plenty of bone. Round, hard feet. Action-free and elastic with a long, smooth stride.
These ponies are reared on mountain pastures and are left to mature until they are four years old before they are broken in, which may have something to do with their reputed ability sometimes to work until they are 40.
Certainly, they have extremely long lives and are exceedingly strong in the limbs, heart, and lungs. They are marvelous mountain ponies, splendid for riding as well as for harness and pack work, being sure-footed and tireless.
Haflinger pony breeds possess Arab blood.
The brand of the Haflinger is an edelweiss (the Austrian national flower), with an “H” in the center.
French and Italian pony breeds
In the next few paragraphs, we will write about 2 most popular French and 2 most popular Italian pony breeds. You can find information about their origin, height, color, and character.
AVELIGNESE Pony | Seldom Subject to Illness
Origin: Italy.
Height: 13.3-14.3hh.
Color: Chestnut with blond mane and tail.
Character: Gentle and easy to train, tough and long-lived.
Physique of the AVELIGNESE pony
It is a strong, muscular working pony with a comparatively delicate, pointed head with wideset eyes. Strong shoulders with a wide chest, a long back with powerful loins and hindquarters.
Legs short with plenty of bone. Sloping pasterns with a feather, large, hard hooves.
Evolution of the AVELIGNESE pony
The Avelignese pony breed is a cousin of the Haflinger (both breeds are descended from the now-extinct Avellinum-Haflinger) and is quite like it to look at, though a little larger and heavier.
It is a kindly, sure-footed animal, seldom subject to illness, and is popular as a packhorse in the Alps and the Apennines.
It is also valued for light agricultural work. It is said to contain a considerable quantity of Oriental blood, though its appearance does not lend much substance to this claim.
CAMARGUAIS Pony Breed | The Oldest Breed of Horses in the World
The Camargue horse is an ancient breed of horse indigenous to the Camargue area in southern France. Its origins remain relatively unknown, although it is generally considered one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world
Origin: France – Camargue.
Height: Roughly 14hh.
Color: Gray.
Physique of the CAMARGUAIS pony breed
The CAMARGUAIS pony breed is characterized by a fine, Oriental-type head, broad between the eyes and rather long in the face.
Upright shoulders, good chest, short body, and strong in the loins.
Hindquarters are slight, with a penchant for goose rumps. Legs fine, with good bone, and feet are broad and large. Thick mane and tail.
Evolution of the CAMARGUAIS pony breed
This breed is thought to be very old and to possess Oriental blood, the former unproven but probable and the latter likely from the general look of it.
The ponies mostly live wild in the Rhône delta but can work well as cow ponies or trekking ponies.
MERENS Equine Pony Breed | An Ancient Breed
The Mérens, Cheval de Mérens or Caballo de Merens, still occasionally referred to by the older name of Ariégeois pony, is a small, rustic horse native to the Pyrenees and Ariégeois mountains of southern France, where the river Ariège flows, and northern Spain, near Andorra.
Origin: France – Ariège river hill region.
Height: About 13.3hh.
Color: Black.
Physique of the MERENS Equine Pony Breed
It is a compact, sturdy breed with a heavy head. Abundant bone. Full mane and tail.
The Mérens is a strong working type, running half-wild in the high foothills of the Ariège. It is probably an ancient breed and probably has Oriental roots.
