Pyrenean Tarpan

A breed that takes on a different name depending on the country they're in, the Pyrenean Tarpan is part of the Konink breed type and the result of an attempt to preserve the purity of this type of horse.  In Poland, they are called Pottok; in France they were called Navarre Pony, and in Spain they are Asturian, while in Portugal they are known as Garrano.  The breeds are regional but very similar genetically.

When the ice age occurred, the change in the environment caused the horses to become brown and black to help them avoid predators.  Baby horses of the Pyrenean Tarpan breed have the original tarpan coloration for their first three months of life.

As the population of humans increased, the wild ponies were forced into the mountains.  Before 1950, it was very difficult to find the Pyrenean Tarpan horse but since 1970, people have been keeping the Pyrenean Tarpans with tehir Welsh, Shetland, Arabians, Spanish and Breton horses.

starting in 1990, groups and organizations studying the Pyrenean Tarpan have been working to conserve the remaining members of the breed.  They released horses into various areas of the wild mountains to avoid inbreeding.