Intro
The Vietnamese White Horse or Ngua Trang Pony comes from the mountains of northern Vietnam, they are notable in that they are always white.
Origins
Their uniform coloring is not an accident, white horses are particularly sought after for traditional medicine in the area. So popular in fact, that white horses became rather rare, causing business minded people to begin breeding them as fast as they could.
The white coloring is due to a double dose of the cream dilution gene, which produces a white animal with pink skin and light eyes on any base color. These colors are not particularly hard to breed for, but do tend to be rare and the cream gene is not carried by all breeds. This coloration is often mistaken for albino, which is lethal in horses, but it’s not genetically albino.
Breeding for this color locally forced higher levels of inbreeding within the herds which causes the obvious problems. More recently they are crossed with Chinese animals carrying cream genetics to control inbreeding and produce healthier offspring.
Said to be easy keepers, the breed can survive on a variety of different fodder types and are often left to their own devices for food. They are also highly resistant to disease and seldom get sick.
Features
Average height 12 hands
Physique
Head is large with a straight profile
Ears are small
Neck is short
Hindquarters are inclined
Often have rounded belly
Legs are short
Hooves are relatively wide and light in color
Traditional Colors
Always white in color from a double dose (both parents) of cream dilution gene
Temperament
Calm and generous
Use
Medical research
Traditional medicine
Riding
Breeding
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