Zanskari pony: The hardy equine of the Himalayas
A historical entry from the OASIS animal picture blog. Original observations and discussion are preserved; this entry has not received a new veterinary review. Some photographs show clinical procedures.
The Zanskari is a native Himalayan horse breed genetically related to the Spiti breed of horses. There are only 5 breeds of India horses listed in the Gazette notification by the Government of India and apart from the Zanskai and Spiti include the Marwari, Kathiyawari and Manipuri breed. The Zanskari horse/pony is considered the most hardy amongst all and can work in the extremes of altitude and temperature. The predominant body color is grey though black and copper body coats are not uncommon. The ponies are low-set with heights ranging from 120 to 140 cm. The most characteristic features include predominant eyes, long & heavy tails and uniform gait.
The Zanskari pony numbers have dwindled over the years due to large scale mating with non-descript ponies, leaving just a few hundred of these elegant animals, and unless efforts are directed towards their conservation, pictures such as the ones below may be the only records of their presence in the future.
