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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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