Equine preservation
Explore endangered equine breeds, their estimated populations, conservation status, and the issues surrounding their preservation.
Some horse breeds are now classified as endangered. This section of Chevaux du Monde highlights these rare breeds, their conservation status, and the preservation efforts undertaken by passionate breeders around the world.
The gradual disappearance of these rare horses is a warning sign: each breed represents a unique cultural, historical, and biological heritage. Behind every breed name lies centuries of selection, adaptation to a territory, and the relationship between humans and horses.
The causes of this threat are many: the modernisation of agriculture, economic decline, the disappearance of traditional uses, or the standardisation of breeding in favour of breeds considered more productive. Yet these horses still play an important role in genetic diversity, which is essential to the resilience of equine populations.
Preserving endangered horse breeds means defending a living heritage. Thanks to breeders, associations, and conservation programmes, some populations are regaining hope. Public awareness remains crucial, however, in supporting their long-term survival.
Discover detailed profiles of the horse breeds currently listed as endangered.
Discover the Abtenauer, a local variety of the Noriker, a rare Austrian draft horse, compact and perfectly suited for mountain work.
Estimated population: Unknown
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The Akhal-Teke, a 3,000-year-old breed from Turkmenistan, captivates with its unique golden coat and legendary endurance. Discover one of the oldest horse breeds in the world.
Estimated population: 6700
View profileThe Andravida, cavalry horse of the Athenians in the 4th century BC, was saved from extinction by a single stallion named Pegasus in the 1990s. Fewer than 300 individuals survive in Greece today.
Estimated population: 70
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Discover the Ardennais, a powerful, rustic and versatile draft horse breed from the Ardennes region.
Estimated population: 3200
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The Auxois, a Burgundian draft descended from medieval warhorses, can exceed 910 kg. Rescued from extinction in the 1970s, it remains one of France's rarest and most endangered draft breeds.
Estimated population: 299
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Discover the Bagual horse, a symbol of freedom in Chile. Descended from the Criollo, it embodies strength, hardiness, and the spirit of South American wild horses.
Estimated population: 8000
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Discover the Baise horse, a native breed from Guangxi Zhuang, China: origins, characteristics, hardiness, traditional uses and genetic importance.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Bardigiano horse, a small mountain pony from Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Height 135–149 cm, weight 350–450 kg. A robust and versatile breed, ideal for driving, leisure, and light agricultural work. Complete information on its studbook, history, and breeding perspectives.
Estimated population: 3500
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Discover the Bosnian horse, a hardy mountain pony, renowned for its robustness, docile character and unique genetic heritage.
Estimated population: 15000
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Discover the Boulonnais horse, a powerful, elegant and gentle French draft breed from the northern coast of France.
Estimated population: 1800
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The Breton, Brittany's iconic draft horse and France's most widespread, still harvests seaweed along the coastline. Sturdy, powerful and gentle, a truly authentic French breed.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Budyonny horse, a strong and elegant Russian breed born from the cross between the English Thoroughbred and local Don mares.
Estimated population: Unknown
View profileDiscover the Calabrese horse, an Italian breed from Calabria, admired for its elegance, agility, and qualities in sport and traditional riding.
Estimated population: 1350
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An iconic breed from Quebec, the Canadian Horse combines endurance, strength, and a calm temperament. A living symbol of North American equine heritage.
Estimated population: 1998
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Discover the Canadian Rustic Pony, a small yet strong and enduring horse breed from Canada, known for its hardiness, versatility, and gentle temperament.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Castillonnais horse, a rare mountain breed originating from Ariège, ideal for hiking, driving and leisure activities.
Estimated population: 600
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Discover the Cretan horse, or Messara, a rare breed from Crete: height 1.34–1.40 m, weight 300–400 kg, fine Arab-type build and unique arravani gait, perfect for trekking on rugged terrain.
Estimated population: 1000
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Discover the Croatian Coldblood (Hrvatski hladnokrvnjak): full breed standard, history, breeding zones, temperament and future of this rustic horse.
Estimated population: 150
View profileDiscover the Czech Sport Pony, a versatile and athletic breed, ideal for children’s riding and pony sport competitions.
Estimated population: 1250
View profileDiscover the Czech-Moravian Belgian, a heavy draft horse from the Czech Republic, bred from Belgian Drafts and local stock, strong and used in farming and forestry.
Estimated population: 400
View profileRare breed from the Caucasus, the Dagestan Pony is hardy, frugal, and mountain-adapted, bred for mare’s milk, pack work, and riding.
Estimated population: 500
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The Dales Pony is a powerful, enduring, and gentle British pony, ideal for driving, trekking, and work over challenging terrain.
Estimated population: 900
View profileDiscover the Datong horse, an ancient Chinese breed known for its endurance and adaptation to cold climates. Origins, traits and traditional uses.
Estimated population: 20000
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Discover the Dutch Draft, a powerful and gentle draft horse from the Netherlands, valued for its strength, hardiness, and agricultural use.
Estimated population: Unknown
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The Døle, Norway's national horse from the Gudbrandsdal valley, comes in two types: heavy draft and harness racer. Every Døle Trotter traces its bloodlines to one stallion — Odin, imported in 1834.
Estimated population: 4270
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Learn about the East Bulgarian Horse, a rare sport breed from the Balkans, with its history, traits, and uses in equestrian sports.
Estimated population: 200
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Discover the Einsiedeln horse, a Swiss breed from the monastery stud, valued for its robustness, versatility, and centuries-old history.
Estimated population: 100
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Discover the Eriskay pony, a rare breed from the Outer Hebrides: height, weight, physical traits, origin, uses, and breeding areas.
Estimated population: 408
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Discover the Exmoor Pony, an ancient and hardy British breed, renowned for its resilience and dark brown coat.
Estimated population: 3000
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Discover the Falabella, one of the smallest horse breeds in the world: docile, elegant, hardy, and native to Argentina. Used in driving and equine therapy.
Estimated population: 600
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The Faroe Pony, one of the world's rarest breeds with just 90 individuals, nearly vanished in the 1960s. Strictly forbidden from export, it can only be seen in the Faroe Islands.
Estimated population: 100
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The Frederiksborg, founded in 1562, holds the world's oldest studbook for any domestic animal. Ancestor of the Lipizzaner, this rare Danish royal breed captivates with its elegance and noble history.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Furioso-North Star horse, a Hungarian warmblood breed from 19th-century English lines, renowned for carriage driving, sport riding, and Hungarian equestrian tradition.
Estimated population: 650
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Discover the Galician pony, a native breed from Galicia, rustic and resilient, adapted to mountainous terrain. Height, weight, uses, history and breeding.
Estimated population: 300
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Discover the Gallega pony, a rustic breed from Galicia: morphology, temperament, uses, breeding and key facts.
Estimated population: 1650
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Discover the Garrano horse, one of Portugal’s oldest breeds: small, robust, rustic, adapted to the northern mountains, a historic companion and unique genetic heritage.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Gelderland horse, descended from the Guelders horse: a Dutch breed both elegant and powerful, renowned for driving and sport.
Estimated population: 635
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Discover the Giara Pony, an indigenous Sardinian breed living semi-wild on the Giara di Gesturi plateau. Hardy, enduring, and rare, it represents a unique genetic and cultural heritage of Italy.
Estimated population: 650
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Discover the Gidran horse, a rare Hungarian half-bred with oriental and Arabian roots. Medium size 155–170 cm, weight 450–600 kg. Noble, versatile, and valued in Central Europe.
Estimated population: 350
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The Groningen horse is a Dutch breed known for its strength, elegance, and versatility in driving, dressage, and leisure riding.
Estimated population: 2000
View profileOriginating from Shaanxi, the Guanzhong horse is a powerful breed long used for agricultural work and transport in China.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Hackney horse, a British breed famous for its elegance, spectacular high-stepping trot, and excellence in competitive and show driving.
Estimated population: 2999
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Discover the Hucul pony, a hardy mountain horse of the Carpathians, known for its rusticity, endurance, and unique cultural heritage.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Jutland, a compact and muscular Danish draft horse, often chestnut-colored, with a calm and hard-working temperament, ideal for farming and shows.
Estimated population: 1000
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Discover the Karabakh horse, Azerbaijan’s emblematic breed, famed for its golden coat, endurance, speed, and unique cultural heritage.
Estimated population: 1500
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The Kerry Bog Pony, Ireland's Heritage Pony from County Kerry's peat bogs, nearly vanished after the Great Famine. Saved by a single stallion named Flashy Fox, it is now a protected national breed.
Estimated population: 335
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Discover the Kladruber, a Czech baroque carriage horse, renowned for its power, elegance, and distinctive gray and black coats.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Landais Pony, a rare and versatile French breed, ideal for driving, trekking, and children's riding.
Estimated population: 700
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Discover the Latvian Horse, a versatile breed from Latvia, robust and elegant, used for driving, equestrian sports, and agricultural work.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Lithuanian Draft Horse, a strong and docile breed, ideal for farm work, heavy pulling, and traditional rural use.
Estimated population: 900
View profileThe Luxembourg Warmblood, developed from Hanoverian and Holsteiner bloodlines, stands out for its performance-based studbook selection. A versatile sport horse excelling in show jumping and dressage.
Estimated population: Unknown
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The Mallorquín, Majorca's ancient black horse, numbers just 300 worldwide. Critically endangered by the FAO, it embodies centuries of Balearic history and equestrian tradition.
Estimated population: 300
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Discover the Muraköz horse, a rare Hungarian draft breed from the Muraköz plain. Strong, docile and powerful, used for farming, driving and breeding.
Estimated population: 220
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Discover the Nonius horse, a robust and elegant Hungarian breed from the Mezőhegyes stud. Valued for versatility, endurance, and a docile nature, it remains a precious genetic heritage.
Estimated population: 1000
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Discover the North American Curly Horse, a hardy and hypoallergenic breed known for its unique curly coat, intelligence, and gentle temperament.
Estimated population: Unknown
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The New Altai, developed by Soviet zootechnicians in the 1920s and only recognized in 2000, numbers just 2,000 individuals raised semi-wild in Russia's Altai Mountains.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Orlov Trotter, a Russian breed famed for its speed, elegance, and endurance, ideal for harness driving and competitions.
Estimated population: Unknown
View profileDiscover the Orlov-Rostopchin, a Russian riding horse born from prestigious crosses. Elegant, powerful and enduring, it excels in sport and dressage.
Estimated population: 500
View profileDiscover the Peneia, a rare ambling pony from the Peloponnese (Greece), grey, critically endangered. History, morphology and unique traits of this breed.
Estimated population: 85
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Discover the Pindos Pony, a Greek mountain breed known for its hardiness, endurance, and traditional role in rural farming and transport.
Estimated population: 5600
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Learn all about the Pleven: standards, history, behavior, breeding, and future of this Bulgarian warmblood horse recognized for equestrian sport.
Estimated population: 97
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Discover the Poitevin Mulassier, an iconic French draft horse from the Marais Poitevin, known for its strength, rarity, and role in mule breeding.
Estimated population: Unknown
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The Pottok is a hardy pony from the Basque Country, known for its freedom, strength, and use in trekking and riding schools.
Estimated population: 3000
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Discover Przewalski's Horse, the last surviving wild horse species, a symbol of the Mongolian steppe, rare, robust, and preserved through conservation programs.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Romanian Draft Horse, a robust and versatile breed used in farming, traction, and driving, symbol of Romania’s rural tradition.
Estimated population: Unknown
View profileDiscover the Romanian Trotter, an athletic and enduring horse, used for harness racing, equestrian sport, and breeding in Romania.
Estimated population: 250
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Discover the Don horse, a Russian breed renowned for its endurance, versatility, and historical heritage linked to the Cossacks.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Salernitano horse, an elegant and athletic Italian breed from Campania. Height, weight, traits, history, uses, studbook, and breeding prospects.
Estimated population: 140
View profileThe Sarcidano Horse is an ancient native breed of Sardinia, known for its hardiness, unique genetics, and remarkable historical heritage.
Estimated population: 1200
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Discover the Shire, a giant and elegant English draft horse, famed for its strength, towering stature, and calm, gentle temperament.
Estimated population: 2000
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Discover the Silesian horse, a Polish improved draft breed, renowned for its strength, elegance, and versatility in driving and agricultural work.
Estimated population: 1600
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Discover the Skyros horse, a rare and ancestral Greek miniature pony, known for its hardiness, agility, and cultural significance in Greece.
Estimated population: 250
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Discover the Slovenian Warmblood, a Slovenian warmblood horse combining hardiness and athletic ability, excelling in dressage, driving and show jumping.
Estimated population: 900
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Discover the Sorraia horse, a rare primitive Portuguese breed, known for its hardiness, Iberian origins, and key role in genetic preservation.
Estimated population: 300
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Discover the Soviet Heavy Draft horse, a powerful Russian breed known for its strength, resilience, and role in heavy farm work. History, traits, and uses.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Suffolk Punch, a rustic, powerful, and gentle British draft horse, renowned for its chestnut coat and legendary strength.
Estimated population: 550
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The Trait du Nord is a massive and docile French draft horse, used for driving, farm work, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
Estimated population: 750
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Discover the Ukrainian Riding Horse, a sport breed from Ukraine known for its power, elegance, and excellent performance in dressage and show jumping.
Estimated population: Unknown
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Discover the Wielkopolski, an elegant and robust Polish horse, valued for its versatility in equestrian sports, driving, and leisure riding.
Estimated population: 1071
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The Žemaitukas horse is an ancient Lithuanian breed, robust and versatile. Standing 128–138 cm and weighing 350–420 kg, it is valued for endurance, hardiness, and historical importance in European breeding.
Estimated population: Unknown
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