Every homesteader I know is concerned about the environment and knows that we all need to be proactive to save the world we live in.
As we all strive, as homesteaders, to be self-sufficient, we have such an opportunity to contribute to the salvation of endangered breeds and species.
Many of us choose to use horsepower of a more natural kind to move around on our homesteads and to plow our fields and transport goods around our properties.
For this reason, we are in a unique position to save endangered horse breeds by breeding these horses on our homesteads and keep the genetic pool expanding.
Today, I am going to tell you about some endangered horse breeds and what you can do to help these breeds recover from the brink of extinction.
1. Canadian
Origin
Canadian horses originate from Quebec, Canada.
Statistics
Currently, there are roughly 2000 Canadian horses in the world.
Nature
Canadian horses are easy-going horses that do not spook easily. They are hardy horses that tend to be healthy, and they thrive on hay or grass.
Physical Characteristics
Canadian horses are muscular and sturdy. They have an arched neck on sloping, long shoulders. They have long thick manes and tails.
Purpose / Uses
Canadian horses are versatile and can be used for farm labor, riding, and racing.
2. Banker
Origin
Bankers are from North Carolina. They are relatives of the Spanish Mustangs that were abandoned in the 16th century on the North Carolina outer banks.
Statistics
There are currently roughly 600 Banker horses left in the world.
Nature
They are very docile horses that are easy to work with. They are very intelligent and love to learn. They are great family horses. Their calm demeanor makes them ideal for children.
Physical Characteristics
Bankers are small well-rounded horses with a broad forehead, narrow chest, and a sloped croup. They have a short back and a long mane.
Purpose / Uses
As they are small horses, they are used for riding, especially for children, and driving light loads.
3. Wilbur-Cruz
Origin
These beautiful horses fall under the Spanish Colonial category. They are from Mexico.
Statistics
The exact numbers are unknown, but it is believed that roughly 100 Wilbur-Cruz horses remain.
Nature
Wilber-Cruz horses are highly intelligent and hard-working. They are loyal, trustworthy horses that do not startle easily.
Physical Characteristics
They are small but exceptionally strong with incredible endurance.
Purpose / Uses
They are used as riding horses. They are the horse of choice for cowboys that need to move herds over long distances. They are often used as endurance racers.
4. Sulphur
Origin
Sulphur horses are from Spain. But they were bred out of the Spanish breed in Utah.
Statistics
Currently, only 300 horses remain, concentrated in Utah.
Nature
Sulphur horses are steady, calm horses that are strong but easy to handle.
Physical Characteristics
Sulphur horses are powerful and agile. They were bred to be used on steep hillsides and in rough countryside. Sulphur horses are somewhat short, measuring an average of 14.3 hands.
They have 3 distinct dorsal stripes on each side. They have some characteristics that are akin to their Arabian ancestors. They have hooked ears.
Purpose / Uses
Sulphur horses are used for herding, riding, endurance racing, and farm maintenance tasks.
5. Santa Cruz
Origin
Santa Cruz horses are Spanish colonial horses that were bred on the island of Santa Cruz.
Statistics
This breed is in dire straits with only 60 remaining today.
Nature
Santa Cruz horses are hardy horses that do not startle easily. They are very gentle and great for learner riders.
Physical Characteristics
Their colors range from palomino to chestnut, and buckskin.
Purpose / Uses
They are used for riding, ranching, and in the agricultural sector.
6. Florida Cracker
Origin
Florida Crackers are a Spanish breed that arrived in Florida in the 1500s.
Statistics
Today, only 1000 Florida Crackers remain.
Nature
They are spirited horses that are eager to work. They are intelligent, hard-working horses. They are gentle enough for children to handle.
Physical Characteristics
They are agile horses that tend to be on the small side. They have short backs and sloping hips.
Purpose / Uses
They are riding horses, ideal for herding and ranch or farm work. They can be used on homesteads to help herd livestock, pull loads, and perform farm tasks.
They are widely used as trail horses as they are built for endurance and agility. They are also used for pulling carts.
7. American Hackney Horse
Origin
Hackney horses were imported from Britain in 1878 where they quickly gained popularity.
Statistics
It is believed that there are fewer than 200 American Hackneys left.
Nature
American Hackney horses are very intelligent and easy to work with. They are exceptionally calm, gentle horses.
Physical Characteristics
American Hackney horses have solid, muscular bodies with slender necks and wide chests. Their wide chests and muscular hinds make them ideal for pulling heavy loads.
Purpose / Uses
In Britain, they were used for pulling carriages. In America, they were popular in the agricultural sector because of their sheer strength.
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8. Caspian Horse
Origin
Caspian horses are originally a small breed of Iranian horses.
Statistics
Conservation efforts are of the utmost importance for the survival of these beautiful, easy-going horses. Currently, breeding programs are slowly raising the number of horses.
It is believed that only 750 horses remain, but the exact number of horses is unknown.
Nature
Caspian horses a highly intelligent, friendly horses. They are very easy to train and handle. They are fast and agile, and willing to do whatever tasks are asked of them.
Physical Characteristics
Caspian horses are small-statured horses with short, straight backs, vaulted foreheads, and high tails.
Purpose / Uses
In Iran, they are used primarily to pull carts. In the rest of the world, they are popular riding school horses gentle enough that children can easily handle even the stallions. They do exceptionally well in shows, jumping, and dressage.
9. Suffolk Punch
Origin
As suggested by the name, the Suffolk horse is originally from England.
Statistics
Suffolk horses are critically endangered. There are currently only 300 left in the world. An absolute tragedy waiting to happen.
Nature
Suffolk horses are a great breed for beginners to learn to ride. They are gentle, calm horses that do not spook easily.
Physical Characteristics
Suffolk horses are very muscular, powerful horses. Their shoulders slope into a short but wide back. They have arching necks, short legs, and very little feathering on their fetlocks.
They are truly remarkable to look at and as remarkable to ride.
Purpose / Uses
Suffolk horses are popular draft horses that are bred for farm labor. They are powerful for pulling heavy equipment and even for the forestry industry.
Suffolk horses are popular for learning to ride. Buyer beware they are addictive, once you have been on one, no other breed will feel as good under saddle or bareback.
Because they are easygoing, they are often used as show horses and in gymkhana events.
10. American Cream Draft Horse
Origin
Truly made in America, American Cream Draft horses hale from Iowa and developed in the early 20th century.
Statistics
There are currently only 250 American Cream Draft horses left worldwide. When I see waning numbers like these, my heart breaks.
Nature
American Cream Draft horses are calm and docile family-friendly horses. They are intelligent and eager to be handled.
Physical Characteristics
They are compact horses that are all shades of cream with white manes. They have short bodies, wide chests, and muscular hindquarters. Their backs and legs are exceptionally strong.
They have big, wideset eyes and very flat noses.
Purpose / Uses
The American Cream Draft horse’s calm nature makes them popular horses for drawing carriages and wagons, and they are also good riding horses.
11. Shire Horse
Origin
The Shire horse is another great horse from England.
Statistics
With less than 2000 horses worldwide, the Shire horse is in need of help.
Nature
Known as gentle giants, these horses are very docile horses that love to work.
Physical Characteristics
Shire horses can easily be distinguished by their exceptionally large size. They hold the records for the largest and tallest horses in the world.
Their colors range from black to brown, to bay, or grey.
They have muscular bodies with large hooves and distinct feathering on their legs.
Purpose / Uses
These powerful behemoths were bred for heavy-duty work on farms, in forestry, and to tow barges.
12. Cleveland Bay Horse
Origin
If you read Cleveland and thought USA, you would be wrong. Cleveland Bays originate from North Yorkshire, England.
Statistics
This is another tragedy in the making as there are roughly 500 Cleveland Bay horses in the world.
Nature
The Cleveland Bay is an intelligent breed that is dependable and trustworthy. They are hard workers with friendly dispositions.
Physical Characteristics
Cleveland Bay’s have well-proportioned bodies with a wide girth and a wide body. They are very muscular horses that have long, sloping shoulders and a tail that flourishes from their quarters.
Purpose / Uses
Cleveland Bay horses are very popular in fox hunting. They are also made for heavy-duty farm work and driving. They are intelligent riding horses that do well in show jumping.
Cleveland Bay horses have been and still are used to draw the royal carriages.
13. Galiceño
Origin
Galiceño horses were bred in Mexico from imported Spanish horses.
Statistics
This incredible breed is listed as critically endangered. There are less than 100 horses worldwide.
Nature
Galiceño horses are lovely family horses with gentle dispositions and the intelligence to perform eagerly, even for beginners.
Physical Characteristics
Galiceño horses are a handsome breed with short backs and sloping croups. They have deep, narrow chests and straight shoulders. Their withers are prominent. They have long, powerful legs.
Purpose / Uses
Thanks to their speed, stamina, and their comfortable gait, they are family-friendly riding and jumping horses that are easy for kids to handle. They are used for farm work and light drafting.
14. Marsh Tacky
Origin
Born in the USA, the Marsh Tacky horse was developed in South Carolina.
Statistics
Sadly, listed as critically endangered, there are only 400 known Marsh Tacky horses left.
Nature
These beauties are gentle natured horses that are known for their calm, laid-back personalities. They are brave horses that do not startle easily.
They are sure-footed horses that were used in battle and do well in wetlands.
Physical Characteristics
The Marsh Tacky is a small breed with a distinct four-beat gait.
Their heads are either flat or concave with a broad forehead and widely spaced eyes.
They have long shoulders that lead into a deep, narrow chest. Their backs are short but powerful.
Purpose / Uses
They are perfect riding horses for novices and for children. They are hard workers in the agriculture setting – perfect for the odd jobs on the homestead – hunting, and herding. They are used for endurance racing.
15. Colonial Spanish
Origin
Colonial Spanish horses originate in Spain and North Africa.
Statistics
Compared to many other horse breeds on this list, the Colonial Spanish horse looks like it is doing brilliantly at 3000 remaining.
However, this is still an endangered breed. In the grand scheme of things, 3000 is still a drop in the ocean.
Nature
Colonial Spanish horses can be terrifying to easily spooked or novice riders. They are graceful powerhouses that are extremely fast.
Physical Characteristics
Colonial Spanish horses are small and not overly muscular. They have long heads with straight or convex foreheads.
They have narrow, deep chests with front legs that are close together. They have a sloped croup, and their tails are set low on their bodies.
Purpose / Uses
They are solid riding horses that do well in endurance races and are good for ranch work or projects on your homestead.
16. American Brabant
Origin
The American Brabant is originally from Belgium and the Netherlands.
Statistics
It is believed that there are only 100 purebred horses left in America and Canada. There are more mixed horses, but the pure breed is in desperate need of expansion.
Nature
American Brabant horses are very kind gentle horses that are intelligent, brave, and easy to work with.
Physical Characteristics
The American Brabant is a heavy draft horse that weighs in at 2000 to 3000 pounds. These horses have strong, wide necks and strong muscled legs and backs that make them ideal for pulling or carrying heavy weights. They stand at 16.1 to 17 hands.
Purpose / Uses
These strong horses are used for heavy-duty work in agriculture, plowing, pulling sleighs and wagons, in the logging industry, fishing for seaweed and shrimp, and for riding.
17. Przewalski’s Horse
Origin
Przewalski’s horses were originally from Mongolia and were hailed as the last truly wild horse breed.
Statistics
Today, they can only be seen domestically or at conservation centers. No wild Przewalski horses have been sighted since 1968.
Conservationists and enthusiasts alike have been working to reintroduce these majestic horses into the wild with some promising success.
If you have a large property where wildfires are a problem, helping conserve these horses can help save the breed and your property. They can clear wide stretches of land reducing the fuel for fires.
Currently, there are believed to be roughly 1900 Przewalski horses left in the world.
Nature
Przewalski horses are not the friendliest breed. Rather, they can be very aggressive, and they are very territorial.
Physical Characteristics
They have some characteristics that are akin to zebras. Their heads are large, and their neck is thick with a short, erect mane just like the mane of a zebra.
Their lower legs are dark with stripes behind their knees that also appear like the markings of a zebra.
A dark stripe runs from the mane, down their spines, all the way to their tails. They are dun-colored with a yellowish-white belly and short legs.
Purpose / Uses
Przewalski horses may not be friendly to people, but they are – or could be – a valuable resource for maintaining a safe, healthy ecosystem.
As they slowly consume natural plants, their manure helps fertilize the land, encouraging the growth of essential plants.
All wild horses are also the best friend of the fire department as they create wide natural fire breaks by eating dry scrubs and bushes thereby reducing the amount of fuel available to wildfires.
18. Nokota Horse
Origin
Nokota horses were born in the USA. Specifically, the southwestern region of Dakota.
Statistics
It is believed that there are only 1000 Nokota horses left in the world.
Nature
Nokota horses are known to be somewhat skittish and fearful; however, if you really put in the effort to get to know your horse, you will learn to handle and care for each animal by creating a safe environment that takes into consideration the triggers that alarm each horse.
Nokota horses can be challenging and aloof until they get to know you.
In spite of the horse’s tendency to spook easily, the Nokota horse is a very social animal.
Physical Characteristics
The build of a Nokota horse is distinctly angular with a square set body and V-shaped front.
They are very muscular with strong legs and prominent withers. They have sloped croups and a low set tail.
Purpose / Uses
Nokotas are officially classed as racehorses due to their incredible acceleration and speed. They are popular horses at endurance events and in Western competitions.
They are graceful dressage horses, and their powerful legs make them excellent show-jumping horses.
19. Sorraia
Origin
Sorraia horses originate in the Sorraia river basin in Iberia.
Statistics
Tragically there are only roughly 200 Nokota horses left in the world in spite of breeding programs.
Nature
These intelligent horses are very easily trained for multiple purposes. They are calm and predictable with a willingness to step up to work.
Physical Characteristics
Not the biggest horse breeds, Sorraia horses only stand about 14.1 hands tall. In contrast to their compact bodies, their heads are sizably large with long ears.
They have convex profiles with long, slender necks, high withers, and a sloping croup.
Purpose / Uses
Sorraia horses’ energy and agility make them great horses for herding cattle and pulling light loads. As riding horses for competitions, Sorraia horses are cooperative and proud dressage horses.
How You Can Help Restore Endangered Horse Breeds
As homesteaders, there are things we can do to ensure the re-establishment of endangered horses.
- Buy breeding pairs, and only let your stallion breed with the original mare, not with offspring.
- Sell or trade foals with others who are also growing the gene pool, to breed with your stallion.
- Harvest semen to trade or sell to other breeders.
- Make use of semen from other stallions to mate with your mares.
- Harvest eggs for insemination.
- Contact the association for the breed you are interested in to find other breeders and for advice about the breed. (I have given the link for each horse above)
- Do not underestimate your contribution. You have the power to do something to spare a breed from extinction.
Conclusion
Please do not underestimate your ability to make a change that could save a dying breed. Every person who steps up and decides to take action to preserve a breed of species is helping preserve something wonderful that our children would otherwise not have had the opportunity to enjoy.
As a homesteader, you’re in a unique position to help a breed grow and utilize the skill set of the breed of choice on your homestead.
Let us know in the comments below what other ways you believe homesteaders can help save endangered horse breeds.
Di-Anne Devenish Seebregts was raised in an environment where daily life consisted of hiking, environmental conservation, growing fruit and vegetables, and raising poultry for meat and eggs.
She combined her passion for the writing word with her love of the pride that comes with not relying on others. She raised three children (who are now adults) to value the environment, and understand the value of being self-sufficient.