Cretan horse breed or Messara Pony
The Cretan horse is native to Greece. It is also known as the Messara pony, due its development on the Messara Plain, where actually they are mostly found. Their other name is connected with the largest and most populous Greek islands- Cretan island, which is also the 5thlargest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Thousand years ago the breed existed on this island and there are paintings and horse skeletons as prove. During the Arabian conquest the island was full of Arabian horses. At that time and later during the Turkish occupation in the 17th century native mares where crossed with Arabian stallions and that was the beginning of the modern Cretan horse. During the World War II many horses were imported to Albania, but they couldn’t suit the Albanian conditions, so horses that survived were transported back to Greece.
The first stud book that registered Cretan horses was opened in 1994. In this period breeders and enthusiasts also started a conservation program, in which they are protecting the breed of extinction. Today the populationnumber of the breed is very low, counting only 100 representatives in the breed register.
The Cretan (Messara) horse is a light draft horse with small and muscular body that is standing approximately from 12.2 – 14 hands high. This makes them to be classed as pony sized horses. The most common colors in the breed are bay, dark brown, black and gray.
Physically, the Cretan horse resembles and has some characteristics of their Arabian ancestors. The head is small and refined with big and expressive eyes, small muzzle, large nostrils and short ears. The neck is arched, body is compact, chest is narrow and the back is short. The legs are strong, feet are thin and they have a natural pacing gait, which gives the rider a comfortable and an easy ride. This gait was called by Turks rah van and it resemble to camel’s pace, so they don’t gallop. They are also able to walk easily on rock ground and uneven surfaces.
In the past the Cretan horse was used for light draft work and for transportation. Today, they are used for the same purposes, but are becoming interesting for riding and racing events in their native country. The most famous event is held in Stroumboulas Plateau. Cretan stallions crossed with female donkeys, called Jennies, will result with offspring called hinnies.
Go through this adventure and solve a great horse puzzle. Use your mouse to rearrange the pieces of the jigsaw and replace them by pressing and holding left mouse button on each piece separately and dragging it, so it will match with another piece. When you place the last piece on the right position, you’ll get a complete image of a horse breed that has great stamina and good temperament. The Cretan horse is lively, irritable and intelligent, developing a strong bond with their owners. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of reading and playing!
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