Miyako Pony: Breed History and Characteristics

The Miyako uma (uma is Japanese for horse or pony) is a nearly extinct breed Japanese breed. Some may argue that it is already an extinct breed, since only about twenty animals remain. The Miyako originated on the island for which it gets its name. It's located in the Okinawa Prefecture containing hundreds more islands. Unfortunately, the state of Japan's equine industry is still unknown after the catastrophic tsunami of 2011. Miyako Isalnd was struck by the wave.

Although the breed is currently protected by the Japanese government and considered a living part of Japanese history, its survival is extremely doubtful. It is not to be confused with the Misaki, although both Japanese breeds are just about gone. The Miyako is larger than the Misaki by about four inches at the highest point of the withers.

Brief History

Fossils of ponies have been found in Japan dating back to the Middle Pleistocene Era. These native ponies were crossed with small horses brought from China in the 600s. The Chinese horses were most likely Mongolian or Tibetan. Many other native breeds from Russia to India are similar in size, build and ability to work under meagre rations and often poor care, indicating that they all sprung from similar sources.

The ruling classes began to breed the ponies for warfare and riding, although they were strong enough for agricultural work. The Miyako tradition is to mount a horse from the right, instead of the left. The area began to devote itself to sugarcane growth and the Miyako was deemed suitable for the task. Since land is so scarce in Japan, ponies deemed to old to produce offspring or to work were usually slaughtered and eaten.

After the devastation of World War II, roads were impassable and for many islands, the only way to farm or get around was by horseback. The native ponies were bred to be larger. Horses and ponies were also often raised for slaughter, as raw horse meat is considered a delicacy in Japan. By 1955, there were an estimated 10,000 Miyako ponies. But Japan rebuilt and mechanized its agriculture and transportation, so the need for horses or ponies plummeted until in 1988 there were only eleven Miyako ponies left.

General Appearance

The Miyako averages 14 hands in height. The usual colors are various shades of bay, chestnut and dun. They eyes may seem to be small in comparison to the rest of the head. The profile of the head is often straight, the neck short, the chest deep and the back is level. The mane and tail are thick and usually black.

As a result of inbreeding, there have been noticeable deformities of the hind legs. As seen in this Japanese website, the pasterns may grow too long and the hocks may nearly touch, leading to a knock-kneed appearance in the hind legs.

Additional Refernces

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds." Bonnie Hendricks. University of Oklahoma Press; 1995.

"Microsatellite Variation in Japanese and Asian Horses and Their Phylogenetic Relationship Using a European Horse Outgroup." T. Tozaki, et al. Journal of Heredity. 2003.

Japanese Culture Blog. "Japanese Horse Breeds." Philip Seyfi. August 22, 2010. http://nihongoup.com/blog/japanese-horse-breeds/