• What breed is considered the “bodybuilder of horses?”
What horse breed adapted to survive temperatures of negative 70 degrees Fahrenheit?
From new cross-breeds to pure-breds spanning thousands of years, these are 15 of the coolest
horse breeds in the world.
15 – Exmoor Pony • The Exmoor Pony is one of the last surviving
creatures from Ice Age.
• That's right, the Exmoor Pony was around during the days of the Wooly Mammoth and sabretoothed
tiger.
• They survived the Ice Age, but they may not survive humans.
After World War 2, there were only about 50 left alive.
During the war they were used as target practice and for meat.
14 – Gypsy Vanner • What's strange about the Gypsy Vanner
isn't anything about how it looks.
• It's that these colorful horses have existed on the British Isles for centuries, but were
only just “discovered” as a unique breed in 1995.
• And by Americans, no less.
13 – Chocolate Silver Dapple Pinto • “Chocolate Silver Dapple Pinto” is
a lot of words to describe one horse.
But it all actually means something.
• “Pinto” is the actual breed of horse.
• “Chocolate” refers to the coat color, and “Silver Dapple” refers to that crazy
spotted pattern that makes it looks like starlight. 12 – Yakutian
• The Yakutian, or Yakut horse, is a cold weather horse that adapted to live in the
brutal cold of Siberia.
• They evolved very quickly to grow shaggy manes that help them withstand temperatures
of up to negative 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• And that evolution happened over the course of about 800 years – a blip on the evolutionary
timeline. 11 – Black Forest
• The Black Forest horse is basically a supermodel.
Just look at this thing.
• The dark chestnut coat with the flowing blond locks is the signature look of the Black
Forest horse.
• While it doesn't have any special features in terms of its build, it should be enough
knowing you're riding the Fabio of horses.
10 – Camargue • These are the types of horses you might
see a knight in shining armor ride up on.
• Or you would, except that Camargue horses are a rarity in that many of them are still
wild, running free across Europe.
• And also, knights don't really ride horses any more.
9 – Bashkir Curly Horse • The Bashkir Curly Horse is a genetic mystery.
Its distinct curly coat makes it look almost like an alpaca or sheep.
• But it's clearly a horse.
And every single theory trying to trace its lineage has turned out to be wrong.
• Nobody can figure out what these horses descended from, or why their coat has its
distinct curly appearance.
8 – Friesian/Appaloosa Cross • This is what you get when you crossbreed
a Friesian horse with an Appaloosa.
• Apparently, you get the horse equivalent of a dalmatian.
Apparently this color can be replicated with this crossbreed, so these dalmatian horses
can make other little dalmatian horses.
7 – Konik • The Konik is a short, stocky horse that
fell out of favor quickly once larger, faster breeds became more common.
• But the government of Poland has worked to maintain the bloodline of this ancient
breed, as it is native to the country.
• It has an unusually rectangular build, and is short enough to make it a good starter
horse for children.
6 – Over Muscled Halter Horse • Halter horses have become the bodybuilders
of the horse world.
They are a variant of the common Quarter Horse... except that they've bulked up to absurd degrees.
• What is now considered the “ideal” version of a halter horse is an ugly, bulked-up
mess that looks like it enjoys a diet of protein powder and anabolic steroids in between synthnol
injections..
5 – Icelandic Horses • Like the Yakut horse, Icelandic horses
adapted quickly to live in a cold climate with a thick coat of fur.
• Vikings brought them to the island around the 9th century , and they remain the only
breed of horse in Iceland, making them one of the purest horse breeds in the world.
4 – Norwegian Fjord • Considered one of the oldest pure horse
breeds in the world, the Norwegian Fjord has been domesticated for over 4 thousand years.
• It's thought that selective breeding of the Norwegian Fjord began around 1200 BC,
with the Vikings who used them as war mounts.
• The breed is still around today, even after millennia of cross-breeding.
3 – Akhal-Teke • The Akhal Teke is also one of the oldest
domesticated horse breeds in the world.
And it is also one of the rarest.
• Its distinct golden color makes it stand out from other horse breeds, and it exhibits
an almost dog-like loyalty to humans.
• Unlike many horses, the Akhal Teke tends to prefer bonding with one family, or even
just one person.
• They were considered since an integral part of the family in Russia, an old saying
was “if the family horse didn't like the groom, the wedding was off.”
2 – Falabella • The Falabella has been selectively bred
for generations to become one of the smallest horse breeds in the world.
• Despite their small size, they are reasonable well-built and strong.
They are today considered an officially recognized original miniature horse breed.
• All horses must have a direct bloodline to a single horse – the original Falabella
of Argentinian origin – to be considered a “pure-bred” Falabella
1 - Marwari • The Marwari is an Indian horse that has
a distinct feature – a set of upturned ears.
• These are Arabian horses bred with native Indian pony breeds, and they are unique to
the Marwari region of India.
• They are commonly seen in wedding ceremonies and other major occasions as a ceremonial
animal.
• And due to strict exporting regulations, there are almost none of these horses outside
of India.