Meet the Small Horse & Pony Breeds of the Iberian Horse Alli

The Asturcón is a Spanish breed of small horse or pony from the autonomous region of Asturias in the northern part of the country. It has been documented since Roman times, it has an unusual ambling gait.

* Asociación de Criadores de Ponis de la Raza Asturcón (ACPRA) 

Meet the Asturcon Pony

The Burguete is a small sturdy draft horse breed originating from Navarre in northeastern Spain. Though sometimes referred to colloquially alongside smaller pony types of the region, it is a robust, cold-blooded, and medium-sized breed primarily used for meat production and draft work. *Asociación de Criadores de Raza Equina Burguete de Navarra

The Chincoteague pony, also known as the Assateague. Studies linked the ponies to 16th-century horses from a Spanish colonial site in the Caribbean, confirming they share bloodlines with horses brought from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal) to the Americas.  

*Chincoteague Pony Association

Discover the Chincoteague Pony

The Connemara pony is a pony breed originating in Ireland. They are known for their athleticism, versatility and good disposition. Tradition holds that Spanish Armada galleons wrecked on the west coast of Ireland allowing Spanish Andalusian horses to escape, swim ashore, and breed with local, rugged stock.

* Connemara Pony Breeders Society  

The Garrano is a Portuguese breed of pony. It is distributed principally in the North Region of Portugal and is equivalent to the Faco Galego of Galicia in north-western Spain. It is one of four Portuguese breeds, the others being the Lusitano, the Sorraia and the Pónei da Terceira. 

* Associação de Criadores de Equinos da Raça Garrana (ACERG)     

The Jaca Navarra is an ancient, endangered breed, native to the Navarre region of northern Spain. Despite their pony-like stature, they are often classified as a light draft breed due to their compact and powerful build. Today, efforts are being made to conserve this breed.

* Asociación de Criadores de Ganado Equino Jaca Navarra 

The Losino is a rare, primitive small  breed native to the Losa Valley in the province of Burgos, Spain. It is one of the oldest breeds in Europe and is currently listed as endangered by the Spanish.  They are exclusively black in color.   Any other coat color or white markings disqualifying defects for the breed. 

Meet the Losino

The Marismeño is a rare breed indigenous to the marshes of the Guadalquivir River. The can be found in the Doñana National Park, which lies mostly in the province of Huelva. It is listed in the Catálogo Oficial de Razas de Ganado de España in the group of breeds in danger of extinction.

* Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ganado Marismeño.

The Mérens is thought to have emerged in prehistoric times, The Mérens, Cheval de Mérens or Caballo de Merens, still occasionally referred to by the older name of Ariégeois pony, is a small, rustic horse native to the Pyrenees and Ariégeois mountains of southern France, where the river Ariège flows, and northern Spain, near Andorra.

The Pónei da Terceira, also known as the Azores Pony, recognized on January 27, 2014, is the fourth native equine breed of Portugal. These small-sized animals are well-proportioned and balanced, resembling a miniature version of the purebred Lusitano.

* Associação dos Criadores e Amigos do Pónei da Terceira  

  The Pony of Americas is a pony breed developed in Mason City, Iowa in the United States. The foundation stallion was an Arabian/Appaloosa/Shetland pony cross. A breed registry was founded in 1954, and within 15 years had registered 15,000 ponies.

* POA Foundation 

Meet the POA

Also called Basque Ponies, Poney Vasco and Pottoka, Pottoks are left to live wild in the Pyrenees of the Basque Country in Spain and France. On the last Wednesday of January they are rounded up, their numbers cut for market and the remaining animals are branded, then released again.

*Association Nationale du Pottok (ANP) 

The Galician or Galician Mountain Horse, Spanish: Caballo de Pura Raza Gallega, Galician: Raza Equina Cabalo Galego do Monte, is a breed of small horse from Galicia, in north-western Spain. It is genetically very close to the Garrano breed of northern Portugal.

*Livestock Genetics of Spain

Meet the Pura Raza Gallega