Intro
The Thai Pony or Thai Country Bred is a native horse of Thailand and while they are thought to come from Mongolian stock, their origins are a mystery.
Origins
These little horses have been used by the local people for transporting tea leaves and fruit from mountainous areas for many years. Due to their isolation they have developed without the influence of outside breeds for the most part. Today they are often used for tourism, pulling carriages or giving rides. However, conditions in Thailand aren’t ideal for horses and at the end of the 20th century they were affected by health problems. This is due to several factors including a rice based diet not providing adequate nutrition, less pasture land and irregular vet or farrier access.
Their degenerating health caused tourists to be alarmed and refuse to hire them, leading to a decline in breeding overall. It was discovered that with supplemental calcium, they could survive on poor fodder and they maintained a resistance to disease found in some tropical types. Also highly adaptable, these hardy little animals are well suited to all type of climates and are easy to train. It seems a more recent effort to improve them brought an influence of ponies from Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Features
Average height 12 – 12.2 hands
Physique
Neck is thick
Chest is wide
Traditional Colors
Generally bay, but can be found in all colors
Temperament
Calm and tractable
Easy to train and intelligent
Use
Riding horse
Pack animal
Military
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