Origins
Also called the Ege Midillisi, the Mytilene horse is a small horse or large pony native to Midillisi island off the coast of Turkey. This is an ancient breed and has been documented in Turkey for the last millennia. They were selectively bred by the Ottoman Turks using the smallest type of Anadolu pony to develop an animal small enough to stand under trees for collecting hazel nuts & olives. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire the island fell to Greek hands, however the Mytilene horse breeding continued in Turkey.
This breed is similar in characteristics to the Caspian breed and likely stems from a similar source, however the Mytilene has a fast running walk gait that is very smooth to ride.
Features
Average height 10.3 – 11.3 hands
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