The Greek horses were originated from the horse of Balkans (Balkan pony), but later, regarding with their environment where they were living, they… [618509]

GREEK HORSE RACES
Fani Printezi
2nd Year, English Group

The Greek horses were originated from the horse of Balkans (Balkan pony), but
later, regarding with their environment where they were living, they developed
two types, the mountainous and the lowland .

Tribes of Mountainous Type

PINDOS RACE
Is the most representative breed of mountain type.
•HIGH : 1.15 to 1.25 m
•The body is narrow, the neck and the croups are weak, the line of the back is straight and the thighs
are slim, the chest is broad and deep, the buttocks are muscular.
•The head is thin,the lips are thin while the nostrils are highly developed
•The mane is abundant and the tail is long.
•The hooves are black, narrow and very hard.
•The horses do not have the ideal physique.
•Are frugal horses with high strength and neural inherently.
•The main colors are: the brown, the bay (red with black mane, tail and legs), the dark bay , the white,
the grey(sometimes spotted).
•Sexual maturation these horses occurs for both sexes at the age of two years. The breeding season goes
from early spring until early summer.
•This character is easy and gentle, considered among the easiest to train races of the world. They are
very calm . They have great strength and can withstand tough conditions without problems.

CRETE RACE

The tribe of Crete is the oldest race of Europe.
Characteristics:
•HIGH:1,38 -1,43 m about males, 1,32 -1,37 m about females.
•The head is delicate and expressive and harmonious with the body.
•Some stallions have an elongated shallow groove in the middle and along the head, beginning below the
imaginary line joining the two eyes and extends 10 -15 cm to the nostrils. This is considered by some
breeders and researchers attribute indicative of pure Cretan horse.
•The neck is thin, narrow body, the line of the back is also straight, thighs are tight ,small and the hip
circumference is small.
•The mane is abundant and the tail very long, but is cut at an early age.
•Characteristic of the breed is the gait (known as georgalidian) .Horse has not this stable trait does not belong
to that breed.
•The main colors are the brown, the bay, the gray (sometimes with red hairs between).
•The hooves are hard and black.
•Rarely appears a small white sign in front or white markings on the forehead and legs
•Puberty broodstock is the second year of age. The mating season early spring to summer, usually during
May.

SKYROS RACE

The tribe of Skyros is none other than the horse of Skyros, one of the smallest pony in the world depending on height.
Characteristics :
•HIGH: stallions from 1.02m to 1.22m., while the mares from 1.00m. to 1.19m.
•The head is small, with small ears and expressive eyes.
•The body is narrow, the neck is short, chest is flattened, back is straight, the rumps are sloping
•the mane and tail are plentiful.
•There is a tendency for convergence of tarsals.
•The hooves are black and hard.
•The main colors are the bay, the white, the brown, the gray, and the dun (yellow with black mane,
tail and legs.)
•The mane extending to the front and can reach up to the eyes. The ears protrude from both sides of
the mane. The tail is very fluffy and far reaching the halfway of metatarsals, but can reach almost
to the hooves.
•Breeding season goes from early spring until early summer. Males create harems various females
having reproductive exclusivity.
•The animal's character is very nervous, but the people who know and children develop a special
relationship and becomes calm.

AINOS RACE

They have a common origin with horses of Pindos, but the harsh living conditions created morphological characteristics
different from them.
Characteristics :
•Their height is 1.15 to 1.25m.
•The head is small and expressive, the chest is narrow and deep, the shoulders and
the croup are strong and muscular.
•The limbs are very strong and the withers are prominent.
•The mane and tail are plentiful.
•The hooves are black and hard.
•The general look of the animals is sportive.
•The standard colors are brown, black , gray ,dun ,bay and red roan.
•They have amazing strength.
•Τhe horses live in herds 10 -15 horses but there are cases that have been observed
smaller herds 2 -3 horses.

Tribes of lowland type

THESSALY RACE

Is coming from ancient Greece. The horses in this race were consisted
in the ancient Greek cavalry and Boukefalas , the favorite horse of Great Alexander, was
a Thessalian horse .

Characteristics:
•Their height is 1.25 to 1.35 m
•The head is large and heavy, the neck is triangular, the dorsal line is straight,
the pelvis is wide but sloping, the mane is standing up and the tail abundant.
•Their colors are gray, the black, the brown, the bay and rarely the white.
•The hooves are of black color.

Today representative animals of this breed are rare, so the race is being
considered almost extinct.

ANDRA VIDA RACE

This race was created from ancient times being the most big and one of the finest Greek horses.

Characteristics:
•The horses of this breed have a height of 1.50 to 1.60m.
•The head is large and has a rectangular shape, with large ears.
•The chest is broad and deep, the backline slightly concave.
•The buttocks are well -developed.
•The ends are relatively thin.
•The main colors are: the bay , the brown , the black, the white and red roan
(white body hair).

Mares of this breed crossed with the stallion of pure English race would give
derivatives ideal for jumping hurdles.

ZAKYNTHOS RACE

Zakynthos race has not yet officially recognized. The parentage of the horses were crossed at the first half of the 20th cent ury
with stallions of Anglo -Arabian race. Today the horses of this race are exhibited at the category of "Anglo -Arabian".

Characteristics:
•The withers height is 1.45 to 1.55 m
•The most common color is light brown , but they can also be black or brown.

RHODOPE RACE

Rhodope breed has not yet been identified.
Characteristics:
•The withers height is 1.25 to 1.45 m
•The main colors are the black and gray in all shades ,but we can rarely meet white .
•Most horses have special characteristics (white markings on the forehead and legs)
•The head is smooth, compact cylindrical body with good muscle development.
•The hooves are dark in color and the mane and tail plentiful. Many farmers cut the mane, which
appears upright.

The free wild horses in Greece

•In many areas of the country are now free horses which most of them belong to
the Pindos breed.
•The animals do not have owners, but the local government and many people
who love them are taking care of them.

THE END