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The Java Pony, also called the Kumingan Pony, was developed
on the Indonesian island of Java (hence their name) sometime in the 17th
century. The Dutch East India Company played a part in the development
of many different Indonesian breeds through their introduction of oriental
horses. Their first factory was established on the island of Java during the
1500s and from that time on they have imported harness and pack horses. A
large part of the Java's heritage is due to the crossing of local stock with
Arabian and Barb horses that were imported.
Today's Java pony is not startlingly similar to the Arabian in conformation
but does seem to have inherited the Arabian's desert nature and remains highly
resistant to heat. It also has inherited the incredible endurance and stamina
from the Arab, and in spite of its small, weak-looking frame, can wok
relentlessly all day in broiling heat. One of these ponies' main jobs is
pulling sados, which are a type of horse-drawn Indonesian taxi. They
are often piled high with both goods and people but the Java ponies pull them
with little apparent effort. They are also quite useful as pack ponies and for
riding, and are used for both professions on the island. Unlike other
Indonesian breeds, the Java pony is often ridden with a wooden saddle that has
quite extraordinary stirrups. The stirrups have a piece of rope with a loop in
the end through which the rider puts his toe. The Java ponies are very
willing, quiet, and they have very good temperaments.
They are tough, wiry, and light of frame, which may have
been due to nutrition deficient diets. The Java is not unremarkable, with a
slightly attractive head with long ears and lively, expressive eyes.
Their necks are usually quite short and very muscular, and the withers are
pronounced, the shoulders reasonably sloping, and their chests deep and wide.
They tend to have long backs and a slightly sloping croup with a high
tail-set, probably reminiscient of their Arabian ancestry. The legs of this
breed are poorly formed but surprisingly strong. They have fine bones with
poorly developed joints and long cannon bones, and their feet are hard and
tough. The Java can be any color and stands between 11.2 and 12.2 hands high.
Check out the following
links for more info about the Java Pony!
http://www.paralumun.com/ponyjava.htm
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