The is a pony

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...

 breed originating in Imabari

Imabari, Ehime

is a city located in Ehime, Japan. It is the second largest city in Ehime prefecture.Following a recent merger, the city has an estimated population of 172,384 and density of 410.87 persons per km². The total area is .-Transportation:...

, Ehime Prefecture

Ehime Prefecture

is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. They originated in the 17th century from Mongolia

Mongolia

Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...

n stock, and are the smallest native ponies from that country, standing about up to 10.1 to 10.3 hh

Hand (unit)

The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...

. The ponies are used for draft and riding. They are one of the 8 recognized native horse breeds in Japan.

The breed is currently being preserved as local cultural heritage. At one point the population was as low as six. It rebounded to the point that by December, 1988, there were 27 pure Noma ponies. But as of 2008 there are now 84 purebred ponies in existence.

See also

• List of horse breeds
• Misaki
  Misaki
  The is a breed of pony that is native to Japan. Like other native horses of Japan, it is believed to have developed from horses brought to Japan from China, with the earliest imports dating back at least 2,000 years....
  
  
• Hokkaido Pony
  Hokkaido Pony
  The Hokkaido pony, generally called Do-san-ko as a term of endearment, is an old but rare breed of pony native to Japan.-History:The Hokkaido pony is thought to have been brought to Hokkaidō from Honshū by fishermen during the Edo period...
  
  
• Miyako Pony
  Miyako Pony
  The is a rare breed of pony originating from Miyako Island, in Japan.The Miyako is one of eight breeds considered native to Japan. Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture has been known as a horse breeding area for centuries, and small horses have always been found in this area...
  
  
• Yonaguni (horse)
  Yonaguni (horse)
  The Yonaguni or is a breed of horse native to the southwest islands of Japan, specifically Yonaguni Island. It is a small breed of pony height, typically 11 hands . It is also very rare, with fewer than 200 individuals known to live in Japan...
  
  

External links

• "Country Report (For FAO State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources Process)", Editorial Committee Office of the Japanese Country Report, Animal Genetic Resources Laboratory, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan.
• Japanese horse breeds
• "A rare, short breed returns"
• "Japan Saves Noma horse"
• "Horse"