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Abtenauer – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThis weeks horse is from Austria & they are so rare that you may not know of them. The Abtenauer is the smallest variation of the Noriker horse & like many of the European draft animals, their population numbers are very low in the 21st century.

Isolated & Pure

These animals come from & are named for the isolated valley of Abtenau in Austria. It is believed they may have originally come from Greek war mounts that were left in the region when no longer needed. Smaller in stature for a draft breed, the Abtenauer is beautifully built with excellent balance & a consistently sweet disposition. Read more

Abaco Barb – Rare Horse Breed of the Week

Rare Horse Breed of the WeekThe Abaco Barb has long been shrouded in mystery & until the late 1990’s not much notice was taken of them. The ancestors of these animals were believed to have come from the ships of Spanish explorers in the late 15th/ early 16th centuries & have inhabited the island since.

Preserving the Past

Due to their extreme geographical isolation, herd bloodlines have remained incredibly pure. This simple fact makes them an important link to the past as well as the history of horses in the Americas. In 2002, the herd was accepted by the Horse of America’s Registry as horses of Spanish Barb ancestry proven through DNA testing. Read more

Horse Image of the Week

Black & white ponies

Why We Like It

There is something quite unexpected & cute about this image. While most of it is the yin & yang effect, but some of it is the casual & relaxed behavior of the subjects. We think they are feral ponies, but aren’t quite sure where they are in the world. They look rugged, fuzzy & we just want to scratch behind their ears!
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Read Black Beauty Online – Chapter 49. My Last Home

Black horse in a green field

Chapter 49. My Last Home

One day during this summer the groom cleaned and dressed me with such extraordinary care that I thought some new change must be at hand; he trimmed my fetlocks and legs, passed the tarbrush over my hoofs, and even parted my forelock. I think the harness had an extra polish. Willie seemed half-anxious, half-merry, as he got into the chaise with his grandfather.

“If the ladies take to him,” said the old gentleman, “they’ll be suited and he’ll be suited. We can but try.” Read more