- Caspian -

The Caspian is an important breed that an American lady named Louise Firouz rediscovered in Iran in 1965. The Caspian is a miniature horse, but is referred to as a pony breed. This breed is widely believed to be, along with the Asian Wild Horse, one of the oldest breeds of horses and ponies in the world today. It may possibly related to the miniature horse of Mesopotamia, and to have existed there from 3,000 BC until the seventh century AD, where they eventually disappeared from record.

There are studies being carried out today to determine whether the Caspian is the ancestor of all modern hotblooded breeds, including the Arabian. Studies on the skeleton of an adult Caspian in 1969  demonstrated how the Caspian has a number of skeletal anomalies  from other breeds of horse. These were mainly seen in the structure of the skill, the length of the lower leg bones in relation to their size, the structure of the withers, and the feet. When the breed was rediscovered in 1965, their numbers were small and spread out all over the world.

Luckily, the breed has been re-established, first at the Norouzabad Stud in Iran, and then when the Caspian Stud was founded in England in 1976.  The ponies have benefited greatly from careful breeding and management, and are now much improved. The Caspian is  quite a remarkable creature and has a very wonderful temperament, so much so that the stallions are often handled by children, and several can be turned out together. They make excellent riding ponies for children and have a beautiful movement, which makes them desirable show ponies. They adjust to harness quickly, so they are adaptable driving ponies. Their particular slope of shoulder and length of leg contributes toward their exceptionally long, free flowing stride that is very rare in an animal of such small stature.

They have the proportions of a miniature horse of great quality. They have attractive heads with and Arabian look, fairly small ears, muscular necks, narrow backs, and strong hindquarters. The Caspian's legs are strong and the hooves are incredibly hard - they seldom need shoes. They are mostly bay or brown, and stand between 10 and 12 hands high.

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