An incredibly rare pony breed, the few remaining Ainos Ponies can only be found on the island of Cephalonia in Greece. Descendants of the Pindos Pony, which are a small, sturdy mountainous breed.
A Little Backstory
Once home to various herds of horses, Mount Ainos now only hosts one meager feral herd. While their foundation is the sturdy Pindos, over the years this strain has developed their own characteristics. Island life can be a difficult one for horses, often breeding incredibly hardy, surefooted animals as a result.
While there have been attempts to grow their numbers, breeding stock is very limited and feral in nature. The investment doesn’t appear to be there, by the government or the people of Cephalonia.
What Makes Them Special
They are very, very rare. While we have no official numbers, small feral herds marooned on islands often struggle to maintain sufficient numbers. Particularly if there isn’t support from their human neighbors. Horse lovers who visit the Greek island of Cephalonia and take a hike on Mount Ainos might be in for a real treat, though. Unfortunately, they are likely soon to be lost in living memory. To learn more about the breed, be sure to check out the Ainos Pony breed page.
Quick Facts
Native to Greece.
There doesn’t appear to be an official studbook.
They are not listed in the DAD-IS.