Also known as Merens pony, Castillonais, Cheval Ariègeois de Castillon, Cheval du Biros and Saint-Gironnais, the Ariègeois is a rare mountain pony native to the Pyrenees and Ariègeois mountains of Northern Spain and Southern France. Read more →
The Arenberg-Nordkirchener is dangerously close to becoming extinct and are listed as critically endangered, with their population numbers in the teens. Read more →
The Arabian blood was first added to the Friesian breed during Spanish invasion of the Netherlands in the late 16th and early 17th century. Read more →
The Andalusian is up there with the Arabian when it comes to purity and length of bloodline. Easily a grandfather of modern horse breeds, Andalusian blood influences a huge variety of breeds known today. Read more →
This is the smallest of the donkey breeds and they are known for their incredible strength and willing attitude.
Origins
The American Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys originated in southern Europe on the small islands of Sardinia and Sicily. In the 18th century they were primarily used indoors for grinding grain and as pack animals for mountain shepherds. The breed was introduced to the US in 1929 when the first imports were received by Robert Green on his stud farm in New Jersey.
“Miniature Donkeys possess the affectionate nature of a Newfoundland, the resignation of a cow, the durability of a mule, the courage of a tiger, and the intellectual capability only slightly inferior to man’s.” – Robert Green
Today these tiny animals are almost extinct in their native lands, luckily they have become popular pets in the states, where their numbers continue to grow.
The world’s largest breed of ass, the American Mammoth Jack stock was developed in the US through the selective cross breeding of imported European stock with local Native American and Mexican animals. Read more →
There are two types of horses native to Albania, mountain horses (Mountain) and horses of the plains (Myzequea). Both of them can be called Comune or Common. Sadly, a lack of proper breeding programs has allowed interbreeding between them to blur lines of distinction. These animals all fall under the category of Albanian Comune or Common horses. Read more →
The Abtenauer is often thought of as the smallest variation of the Noriker type and like many of the European draft animals, their population numbers have become very low in modern days. Read more →
*Update – sadly in 2015 the Abaco Barb blog posted that the last mare of the breed had died. Thankfully they have preserved her genetics and the government of the Bahamas approved a plan to restore the breed.