The Taishuh, also known as the Taisu, this breed of horse

Horse breed

Horse breed is a broad term with no clear consensus as to definition, but most commonly refers to selectively bred populations of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a very broad sense to define landrace animals, or...

 originated on the Tsu Island of Japan. It is used for riding and light draft

Draft horse

A draft horse , draught horse or dray horse , less often called a work horse or heavy horse, is a large horse bred for hard, heavy tasks such as ploughing and farm labour...

. The Taishuh is an ancient breed which is believed to date back to the eighth century. There were more than 4000 of them in 1920, but today only about sixty-five remain.

Characteristics

The Taishuh is a strong and rugged animal with sturdy legs. They have fairly large heads and hold their heads horizontally, and like most Japanese horse breeds, it is rather small, with the usual height being less than 14.2 hands high (under 147 centimeters). Noted for their gentle nature and strong willingness to obey, these ponies are often ridden by farmers' wives and children. The common colors are bay, cremello, chestnut, roan, and brown. Some Taishuhs may have a black dorsal stripe.

Three Taishuh ponies have been sent to the national animal husbandry center in Hokkaido for special attention.

Taishuh ponies are also known for their endurance and ability to survive on little food and severe weather.

Sources

• Taishuh Horse Information
• Taishuh Horse Websites