Wild Horses
Today, there no longer exist any herds of truly wild horses, though some of the Asiatic Wild Horse, believed to be the precursor to the domesticated horse, can still be seen in zoos. However, there remain a number of semi-wild breeds around the world today.
The last wild herd of Przewalski Horses was discovered in 1881 on the edge of the Gobi desert by Russian explorer Colonel Przewalksi. Previous to the finding, they were thought to be extinct. It differs genetically from the domesticated horse, having 66 chromosomes instead of 64. Looking more like a cave painting than a modern horse, the Przewalski stands 12-13hh, is always a golden color and is impossible to be trained for riding.
The Tarpan is native to Eastern Europe and Russia. Another ancestor of the modern horse, some believe the last true Tarpan died in 1919. If so, the breed running semi-wild on reserves in Poland is a "reconstruction" from a cross between Przewalski stallions and Konik mares. (Konik's are Polish descendants of Tarpans) They stand about 13hh and are dun or mouse colored, often with a dorsal stripe and zebra markings.
Australia's Brumby is not a true wild horse since equines were unknown in Australia until the settlers brought them a few hundred years ago. The Brumbies, which live in feral herds, are descended from horses that wandered off into the bush and produced offspring that grew up in the wild. Some Brumbies are trainable but they are generally regarded as pests and are culled because they compete for food with domesticated animals.
In North America there are the Mustangs, descended from the Spanish Barbs brought here by the conquistadores in the 1500's. There are also the two island herds; the Sable Island pony that live on an island off the coast of Nova Scotia, as well as the Assateague pony from the small islands off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. Their annual round up is the true story behind the classic book, "Misty of Chincoteague".
