Diversity

About Spiti Pony HorsesAbout Spiti Pony Horses





Spiti Ponies (also known as Chamurthi Ponies) are a gaited pony from India. They are indigenous to the Pin Valley which is found in a Buddhist tribal district called Spiti.  

Spiti is a unique and isolated area located in the state of Himachal Pradesh in north-western India, a high altitude desert which is closed off from the rest of the country for 6 months of the year by snow on the high passes which access this region. To the east lies Tibet, in the west is another remote district often linked with Spiti, called Lahaul, to the north is the famous high altitude area known as Ladakh, and to the south lie the foothills of the Himalayas. Once the high passes are crossed, you enter a completely different landscape. The land is a kind of moonscape with rushing, glacier-fed rivers and streams, rocks of all different hues - red, ochre, purple, blue - and of course the magnificent mountains of the Himalayan range. Most of the valleys are above 12,000 feet. The entire region of Spiti has a population of only about 10,000 people.  

It is believed that they originally came from Tibet where, for centuries, horses were a main stay for transportation and trading between the two countries. They are similar to Bhutia Ponies and the native Tibetan Pony, as these animals have been interbred for years so that many of the individual characteristics have been lost, and are now all categorized as "Indian Country Bred."  

They are very strong, hardy, and easy to keep. They have great stamina and endurance, are sure footed and strong. Grass and other vegetation are sparse in their native area so they are fed barley which is a local staple.  

They are about 12-13 hh at the withers. Their colors are black, dun, or gray. Occasionally a brown or bay will be seen. Their heads can be large although some have likened the Spiti Pony head to a Welsh Pony. They have a large jaw. They have a barrel shaped abdominal area, well spring ribs, strong hoofs that are round, not conical, in shape. Their hooves go unshod and hold up well. Their coupling is short, with strong backs and necks, well developed hind quarters, and wide chests. They have a low withers. Their shoulders are straight and upright. The ponies are fast in their gaits and cover lots of ground effortlessly and quickly. Some are cow hocked. They can be ill tempered, but mostly they are amiable.

They pace, have a running walk much like the Tennessee Walker, and they amble. They do not trot. These ponies are smooth and fast in their gaits. They are an excellent riding pony. They are used for riding, transportation, packing animals, and trekking.