Name of breed: Connemara Country of origin: Ireland Breed origin: Named after the Connemara region in County Galway, western Ireland, this pony is versatile and athletic, yet as tough and sound as its home is rugged and wild. There are a number of theories as to how the breed came to be: some believe it […]

Name of breed: Namib Desert Horse, or Namib Wild Horse Country of origin: Namibia Breed origin: The Namib Desert Horse is a feral breed that has lived wild in the Namib Desert for around 100 years. The origin of these wild horses is still a matter of contention, and several theories exist. One theory is […]

Name of breed: Sandalwood Pony Country of origin: Indonesia Breed origin: The Sandalwood pony developed on the Indonesian islands of Sumba and Sumbawa. It is named after the Sandalwood tree, which was once of the island’s major exports. Not much is known about the history of the Sandalwood breed, but it is believed that Arabians […]

Name of breed: Karachay (also called Karachai, Karatschai pony and Karakachan Pony). Country of origin: Russia – the Northern Caucasus region. Breed origin: The Karachay horse has been bred for around seven centuries in the north-western Caucasus Mountains of Russia. It is named after the people who bred it, the Karachays, who lived in these […]

Name of breed: Irish Sport Horse (also known as the Irish Hunter) Country of origin: Ireland Breed origin: The Irish Sport Horse is the result of a cross between an Irish Draught and – typically – a Thoroughbred, although European warmblood infusions are increasingly common. Now recognised as a separate breed rather than a crossbreed, […]

Name of breed: Standardbred, or American Standardbred. Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origin: The world’s fastest harness racing horse, the Standardbred was developed in America in the late 18th and early 19th centuries after a Thoroughbred stallion called Messenger was imported from England. Messenger was a ‘flat racer’, not a trotter, but […]

Name of breed: Orlov Trotter, or Orloff Trotter. Country of origin: Russia Breed origin: The Orlov Trotter is Russia’s oldest and most famous ‘stud’ breed, renowned for its speed, stamina and fast-paced trot. The breed was developed in the late 18th century by Count Alexei Orlov, hence the name. Count Orlov set out to develop a light […]

Name of breed: Friesian Country of origin: The Netherlands Breed origin: The Friesian horse originated in the province of Friesland, a northern province of the Netherlands. Despite having the confirmation of a light draught horse, Friesians are graceful and athletic, with a natural elegance that gives them great presence whether under saddle or in harness. […]

Name of breed: Quarter Horse, or American Quarter Horse. Country of origin: United States of America. Breed origins: The foundations for the Quarter Horse’s bloodlines were laid when North American settlers’ Thoroughbreds met the horses brought to Central America by the Spanish, which had spread north and been developed into distinct ‘types’ by Native Americans […]

Name of breed: Przewalski’s Horse. Also known as the Mongolian Wild Horse, Dzungarian Horse or takhi. Place of origin: Central Asia. Breed origin: Przewalski’s horses, or Equus ferus przewalskii, are the last surviving subspecies of wild horse. First described scientifically in the late 19th century by Russian explorer N. M. Przewalski, for whom they are named, they exist […]

Golegã Horse Fair happens every November in the town of Golegã, known as the horse capital of Portugal. Overnight, the normally sleepy town is transformed into a buzzing hub of Portuguese horse enthusiasts converging to celebrate their much-loved native breed, the Lusitano. If you’re booked on one of our rides in Portugal in October or […]

Name of breed: Icelandic horse Country of origin: Iceland Breed origin: The ancestors of the Icelandic horse were probably brought to Iceland by Norse settlers between 860 and 935 AD. Only the best horses were chosen to undertake the voyage and those that survived became indispensable to the settlers as they eked out a living […]

Name of breed: Mongol, or Mongolian horse Country of origin: Mongolia Breed origin: The origins of the Mongol horse are hard to determine. Of all horse breeds, Mongol horses have the largest genetic variety, indicating that the breed is very archaic with little human-induced selection. Some believe that Mongol horses were the first true breed […]

Fiona Hughes has been riding horses her whole life, and enriching the Aussie eventing scene for much of that time. Her latest project, Sit Tight Radio, brings listeners top quality equestrian info-tainment in the form of commentaries from Australia’s major 3 day events. We caught up with Fi to learn more about Sit Tight Radio […]

I was recently fortunate enough to attend an incredible festival in the French city of Tarbes, which is nestled into the foothills of the stunning Pyrenees mountains. Equestria Festival is a celebration of all things equus. It’s like a breed show, but with added llamas. It’s like a gymkhama, but with world class performances every […]

Name of breed: Brumby Country of origin: Australia Breed origin: ‘Brumby’ is the name given to Australia’s wild horses. Populations exist in every state and territory except Tasmania thanks to a huge variety of reasons and events. The first horses came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. Only seven survived this initial voyage, […]

Tanya McDermott is spearheading a new project by Harness Racing Victoria that aims to help Standardbreds transition to new lives and careers after retiring from the racetrack. Tanya very kindly took the time to answer some questions for us about her life by the track, the HERO project and some favourite memories. What is your […]

A Chilean huaso is ‘an excellent horseman with gentlemanly ways who identifies with the hacienda’ (‘hacienda’ is a South American term for a large estate – think an estancia, but bigger). Have you heard of gauchos? Huasos are the Chilean equivalent. Until the 20th century, huasos were far from gentlemen. They started off as bandits […]

A little over a week ago, the world witnessed the spectacle of His Royal Highness Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle’s wedding. And while the wedding was just beautiful, to myself and no doubt all the other horse-mad people out there, the carriage procession through Windsor afterwards with the stunning horses and their shiny […]

If you ever want to check out a beautiful, horse-loving island, Sardinia is a great choice! The people of Sardinia (off the coast of Italy) and its greater surrounds, including tourists, flock to this patch of paradise to witness the three-day festive affair that is Sa Sartiglia. This flamboyant medieval festival occurs in early February […]

They’re the four-legged ambassadors for an international brewery giant and have been carting beer along the streets of the Danish capital of Copenhagen every day for the past one hundred and sixty-six years. I’m talking about the beautiful and rare Jutland horses who are essentially, Carlsberg beer’s most faithful business partner. At a time when […]