Azores Ponies
are from the Azores islands,
Portugal. They have a
wedge-shaped head and a straight or slightly rammed profile, with a wide
forehead and a small mouth section. Their neck is strong and goes into a long
shoulder. Their chest is deep, but narrow. Their hindquarters are somewhat
poor. They generally are brown.
Azores ponies are wiry, noble horses with a fiery temperament.
They are used in agriculture, but they are also used as children's ponies.
Azores ponies are very similar to Balearic ponies. Azores
ponies are a very rare breed, whose origin is not fully understood. It is
assumed that horses or ponies from Morocco were imported into the 19th century,
and that these took a not unimportant influence.
Typically, Azores ponies seem to have little in common with
the Portuguese horses (Lusitanos), although it is assumed that occasionally a
refinement with the luxury horses imported from the mainland took place.
Domingos da Costa Oliveira reported in his book on Iberian
horses of 1906 that at least a Moroccan stallion named Califa was brought to
the islands around 1872 and used for breeding. Very similar to the Balearic
pony, the Azores pony is a very rare breed whose origin is not fully
understood. It is assumed that horses or ponies from Morocco were imported into
the 19th century.
About Azores Pony Horses
