Asturcón
Encyclopedia
The Asturcón is a pony
from the Asturias region of northern Spain
. The ancient breed's ancestry is not known, although it is thought to have been from crosses between the Sorraia
, Garrano
, and the ancient Celtic pony. The breed has historically faced near extinction, but recently activist groups have been formed to protect the pony.
The ponies are hardy and resourceful, able to survive in the harshest areas. They are obedient and easily domesticated, and are used for riding, driving, and as pack horses. They tend to have a small but heavy head, a thin neck with a large mane, low withers, a deep chest, straight shoulders and strong legs. They are rounded through the barrel, and have a sloping group with a low-set tail.
The Asturian pony has a naturally ambling
gait that is comfortable for the rider. As a result, a large portion of the population was taken to Ireland to produce the Irish Hobby
.
The ponies are usually brown or black, with minimal white markings. They stand between .
Pony
A pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
from the Asturias region of northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The ancient breed's ancestry is not known, although it is thought to have been from crosses between the Sorraia
Sorraia
The Sorraia is a rare breed of horse indigenous to the portion of the Iberian peninsula known today as Portugal. The Sorraia is known for its primitive features, including a convex profile and dun coloring with primitive markings...
, Garrano
Garrano
The Garrano is an ancient breed of horse from Galicia and northern Portugal, mainly used as a pack horse, for riding, and for light farm work.-Breed history:...
, and the ancient Celtic pony. The breed has historically faced near extinction, but recently activist groups have been formed to protect the pony.
The ponies are hardy and resourceful, able to survive in the harshest areas. They are obedient and easily domesticated, and are used for riding, driving, and as pack horses. They tend to have a small but heavy head, a thin neck with a large mane, low withers, a deep chest, straight shoulders and strong legs. They are rounded through the barrel, and have a sloping group with a low-set tail.
The Asturian pony has a naturally ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait that is comfortable for the rider. As a result, a large portion of the population was taken to Ireland to produce the Irish Hobby
Irish Hobby
The Irish Hobby is an extinct breed of horse native to the British Isles that developed prior to the 13th Century. The breed provided foundation bloodlines for several modern horse breeds, including breeds as diverse as the Connemara pony and the Irish Draught....
.
The ponies are usually brown or black, with minimal white markings. They stand between .