Identifying the Elusive Caspian Horse

 

The Capsian Horse is a very rare breed of horse with a population estimated to be at 900 around the world.  It is very common to say that one has not laid eyes on a Caspian.  That’s how rare it is.  So how do we know a Caspian when we see one?

 

Background

The Caspian Horse is an age old breed that can be traced in history 5000 years ago.  It was only made known to us in 1965 when Louise Firouz, an American living in Iran, re-introduced it to society.  It is said that the Iranian topographical features aided these horses to become agile, fast and long lasting.  Today, they are more known to be browsers rather than graziers.

 

Physical Appearnce

Generally, the Caspian resembles an Arabian Horse.  Its face is concave and it features a soft bone structure.  It has a protruding set of eyes and broad nostrils.  Their tails are flowing and are carried high. This horse’s coat’s texture is smooth and fine during the warm seasons but thicker during the colder time of the year.  For this reason, this breed can adapt well and survive all through-out the year. The legs of these horses are long and lean which makes them stand at about 10 to 13 hands tall. They are well-proportioned which gives off that distinctive pacing that they do.  Their movements are similar to that of a deer as it hails from irregular, steep areas. Their hooves are also oval which assists them in being quick on their foot.

 

Despite the resemblance, Capsians can easily be identified through its size.  Caspians are the size of a pony but are definitely not ponies.  Basically, they are miniature versions of regular horses like the Thoroughbreds and the aforementioned Arabians.  It is hard to tell the difference between the Caspian and the other two breeds if you look at them separately, but when you put them side by side, only then can the obvious difference be noticed.

 

Breeding and Color

Careful selection of Caspian stallions and mares is practiced among breeders in order to achieve optimum results especially when it comes to the color of coats.  These horses come in an array of colors with the most popular being bay (reddish brown), chestnut (dark golden brown) and gray.  It is also not new to encounter a foal with a soft yellowish suede or black colored coat.  Gray coated Caspians, with age, may turn into white or develop some blotches of different shades.  Some horses may even develop a stripe down its back.

 

Caspians are perfect horses for young people not solely because of their Lilliputian size but also because of their superior intelligence, trainability and gentleness.  It is also not bad that the horse’s general look is refined and elegant. It wouldn’t be a surprise if you go and decide to get one for yourself.