This week’s rare breed comes from Germany & sadly they are among the rarest equines on the planet. So rare, in fact that we can’t find any images or video of them to share with you. The Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony is dangerously close to extinction & are listed as critically endangered with their numbers in the teens.
20th Century Breed
These animals are a fairly recent breed (during the 20th century) & originally come from wild horses of Munster, Westphalia crossed with Lithuanian broodmares. This was a semi-wild breeding program (similar to that of the Dulman pony).
The Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony was a small breeding program that didn’t last very long. By 1984 the stock was disbanded & sold off to individual breeders.
The End of an Era
Once the main breeding herd (which averaged around 80 animals) went their separate ways, the breed may have been doomed. The stock was absorbed into nearby herds & other breeds, making pureblood animals an incredibly rare sight.
Learning More
Be sure to check out our own Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony page, as well as the This informative German page (hint – stick it in Google Translate) for more information.
Have Pictures?
As of now we have no images of the Arenberg-Nordkirchener Pony for our informative page on them. If you have images (or information about the breed) you’d be interested in sharing, please get in touch today.