How can endangered horse breeds be protected?

Protection involves supporting breeders, promoting the breed’s qualities, maintaining genetic diversity, creating breeding programmes and raising public awareness.

Equine Conservation

Endangered Horse Breeds

Q: What is an endangered horse breed?

An endangered horse breed is a breed with a low, declining or insufficiently renewed population. It may be threatened by a lack of breeders, reduced genetic diversity or the disappearance of its traditional uses.

Q: Why do some horse breeds disappear?

Some horse breeds decline because of agricultural mechanisation, reduced traditional uses, competition from more common breeds, lack of economic demand or a decreasing number of breeders.

Q: Why preserve rare horses?

Preserving rare horses helps protect cultural, historical and genetic heritage. Each breed has unique traits linked to its region, history and traditional uses.

Explore rare and endangered horse breeds, their estimated populations, conservation status and the challenges linked to their survival.

83 listed breeds

Rare living heritage

Tracked population and status

Some horse breeds are now considered endangered . Their populations may be small, ageing, scattered or not sufficiently renewed. This page lists rare breeds featured on Horses of the World and links to their detailed profiles.

The disappearance of an equine breed is more than the loss of one type of horse. It may also mean the disappearance of cultural, historical and genetic heritage built over many generations.

Causes include agricultural modernisation, the decline of traditional uses, fewer breeders, economic pressure and standardisation in breeding. Preserving rare horses helps maintain global equine diversity.

List of Endangered Horse Breeds

Browse endangered equine breeds with their estimated population, conservation status and detailed breed profiles.

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Abtenauer

Endangered
Data 2025

Discover the Abtenauer, a local variety of the Noriker, a rare Austrian draft horse, compact and perfectly suited for mountain work.

Estimated population: unknown

List of Endangered Horse Breeds

Abtenauer

Akhal-Teke

Andravida – Eleia

Ardennais (Draft)

Auxois (Horse)

Bagual

Baise–Guangxi

Bardigiano

Bosnian Mountain Horse

Boulonnais

Breton (Horse)

Budyonny horse - Boudionnovskaïa lochad

Calabrese horse

Canadian Horse

Canadian Rustic Pony

Castillonnais (horse)

Cretan - Messará

Croatian Coldblood

Czech Sport Pony – Český sportovní pony

Czech-Moravian Belgian (Českomoravský belgik)

Dagestan

Dales Pony

Datong

Dutch Draft

Dølehest

East Bulgarian

Einsiedler

Eriskay

Exmoor Pony

Falabella

Faroe Islands Pony

Florida Cracker Horse

Frederiksborg

Furioso-North Star

Galician Pony

Gallega – Cabalo de pura raza Galega

Garrano

Gelderlander

Giara horse

Gidran

Groningen

Guanzhong

Hackney (Horse)

Highland

Hucul (Pony)

Jutland

Karabakh

Kerry Bog

Kladruber

Landais pony

Latvian horse

Lithuanian Heavy Draught

Luxembourg Warmblood

Majorquin

Međimurje - Muraközi ló

Nokota

Nonius

North American Curly Horse

Novoaltaïskaya (New Altai)

Orlov Trotter

Orlov-Rostopchin

Peneia Pony

Pindos Pony

Pleven (Horse of)

Poitevin Mulassier

Pottok

Przewalski's Horse

Romanian Draft Horse

Romanian Trotter

Russian Don

Salernitano

Sarcidano

Shire

Silesian Warmblood - Slaski

Skyros Pony

Slovenian Warmblood – Slovenski Toplokrvni Konj

Sorraia

Soviet Heavy Draft

Suffolk Punch