Top 10 Rarest Horse Breeds in the World

These ten horse and pony breeds are on the verge of extinction. Or are they? There is considerable debate as to whether a breed can become extinct. A species certainly can. But a breed contains the DNA of its entire species, only some may have mutations of certain genes while others will have some genes switched on while others have switched off. It is theoretically possible to recreate any extinct breed of horse using existing breeds or crossbreeds that most closely resemble the physical characteristics of the extinct breed.

Perhaps one day these recreated breeds will come back in vogue, but for now, wave them goodbye.

Abaco Barb

As of July, 2010, only five Abaco Barbs were left and none of the remaining five are thought to be fertile. Horses used to be common in the Bahamas since Columbus' second voyage in 1493, but feral horses appeared on the island of Great Abaco by the 1800's. They have since been hunted for food and for sport as well as slowly poisoned by farming pesticides.

Andravida

This Greek horse breed is more of a rumor than anything else and may actually be extinct. It's also known as the Illia and sometimes the Greek. In the 1990s, there was only one known breeding stallion. The breed only began in the early twentieth century from crosses of Anglo-Normons and local horses.

Chocktaw

Also known as Chocktaw Indian ponies, these small, often colorful horses are arguably the least numerous strain descended from the Spanish Colonial breed of horse that developed in the 1500s. There are about 200 left. The breed has received the help and support of celebrated animal geneticist Dr. Phillip Sponenberg.

Guoxia

This small Chinese breed, barely growing 10 hands high, had only 390 ponies left in 1981, when an association formed to save the tiny breed. It was still in existence in 1995. However, nothing is known about the breed in the West today. Whether it still exists is unknown.

Marsh Tackies

Also called Carolina Marsh Tackies, these are a type of feral pony, usually dun in color, built like a small horse that developed on the islands of South Carolina. There are only about 300 left. This is another offshoot of the Spanish Colonial and also received help from Dr. Sponenberg.

Rottal

This German warmblood breed is most likely extinct in its pure, pre-1960s type. It was also known as the Rottaler. It was the tallest and heaviest of all of the breeds mentioned here. It became the basis of the taller, lighter type called the Bavarian Warmblood. Some websites claim that the Bavarian Warmblood is the Rottal. There are only about 20 breeders in Bavaria cliaming to breed Rottals.

Sorraia

This nearly extinct Spanish and Portuguese breed is thought to be one of the closest living relatives to the now extinct Tarpan. (Although whether the Tarpan was a breed or a species is unknown.) They also were sent in droves to the New World. They are pony-sized and plain-looking but level-headed and incredibly strong.

Thessalian or Thessalys

This is another Greek breed of great antiquity. Bucephalus, the mount of Alexander the Great, is thought to have been a Thessalonian. This small, wiry and lively breed is probably extinct in its pure form, but crosses with Arabians near the Thessalian type have produced beautiful and lively riding horses.

Tiger Horse

Although called a Tiger horse, it is not striped, but spotted, although the hooves sometimes are striped. A striped horse is called a brindle. The Tiger horse is a special type of Appaloosa built like a Barb and naturally gaited. This breed may survive, but only about eight foals are registered every year because the registration standards are so high. In 2005, there were only 50 Tiger horses.

Tokara

These are small ponies about 12 hands high native to Japan and designated a national treasure in 1953. But by 1974 there was just one purebred Tokara left. They are extinct in their pure form. But they have been painstakingly recreated. There are now just over 100 in various islands throughout Japan.

References:

"The Official Horse Breed Standards Guide." Fran Lynhaug. Voyageur Press; 2009.

"Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America." Judith Dutson. Storey Publishing, 2005.

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

ArkWild.org. "Wild Horses of Abaco." http://arkwild.org/blog/