Bosnian Mountain Horse

Bosnian Mountain Horse

Bosnian Mountain Horses at the Borike state stud
Distinguishing features
  • Height: 130 cm
  • Male weight: 300 kg
  • Female weight: 250 kg
Alternative names
Country of origin Bosnia and Herzegovina
Equus ferus caballus

The Bosnian Mountain Horse (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Bosanski brdski konj / Босански брдски коњ),[1] also known as "Bosnian Pony", is the only indigenous breed of domestic horse in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it constitutes about 70% of the horse population. It is a small horse and is used both as a pack animal and for riding. Breed numbers were severely reduced during the Bosnian War of 1992–1995, and, unlike populations of other farm animals, continued to fall after the end of the war.[5]

History

Bosnian pony on stamp of SFR Yugoslavia.

Selective breeding of the Bosnian Mountain Horse began at the stud of Goražde in 1908. The principal centres for the selection of the breed were the stud farms of Borike, in the municipality of Rogatica, and Han Pijesak. Three stallion lines – Agan, Barut and Miško – and nine mare lines were established; the Agan line is lost, and the Barut and Miško lines heavily mixed. Arab stallions at the Borike stud were used to improve the Bosnian Mountain Horse.[5] The Glasinacki type has substantial Arab influence; it is named for the village of Glasinac on the Romanija mountain, in the eastern part of the Republika Srpska.[2][6] A smaller type, the Podveleški, is found in Herzegovina.[3]

During the Bosnian War of 1992–1995 horse populations, like those of other farm animals, suffered heavily. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the total number of horses fell from 46,628 in 1990 to 16,080 in 1995, and by 2002 had fallen further to 7,014, or about 15% of the pre-war number; in the Republika Srpska numbers also fell, though not so steeply. Overall, horse numbers in Bosnia and Herzegovina fell by 68% between 1990 and 2002.[5]

The breed has not been substantially affected by importations of foreign horses. It is in some areas the principal, or even the only, means of transportation.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Breed data sheet: Bosnian Mountain/Bosnia and Herzegovina. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Breed data sheet: Glasinacki/Bosnia and Herzegovina. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.
  3. 1 2 Breed data sheet: Podveleski/Bosnia and Herzegovina. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.
  4. ↑ Maurizio Bongianni (1988). Simon & Schuster's Guide to Horses and Ponies. Simon & Schuster, Inc., p. 159. ISBN 067166068-3
  5. 1 2 3 4 [State Veterinary Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina] (s.d.). Animal genetic resources in Bosnia and Herzegovina, annex to: Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed October 2014.
  6. ↑ Waltraud Kugler (2009). Rare Breeds and Varieties of the Balkan - Atlas 2009. St. Gallen: Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe. p. 35.

Further reading

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