Tundra Horse Breed Extinct

Yakut on stamp of Azerbaijan

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Country of Origin: Siberia now the Soviet Union

The Yakutian horse, sometimes called the Yakut horse, Yakut pony or simply the Yakut, is a rare native horse breed from the Siberian Sakha Republic (or Yakutia) region. It is large compared to the otherwise similar Mongolian horse and Przewalski's horse breeds. It is noted for its adaptation to the extreme cold climate of Yakutia, including the ability to locate and graze on vegetation that is under deep snow cover.

The Yakut may be descended from an extinct animal known as the Tundra Horse that originated in North-East Siberia. It is unlikely that the Tundra Horse played a significant role in the development of any other domestic equine breeds.

Varieties and Characteristics

THe breed is small, averaging 14.3 hands (59 inches (150 cm)) and shares certain outward characteristics with the Shetland pony, including sturdy statute, thick mane and heavy hair coat. There are three subtypes of the Yakutian horse. The Northern type is the purest bred Yakut, and is sometimes called the Middle Kolyma or Verkhoyansk horse. It is usually bay, gray or light dun in color, with primitive markings including a dark dorsal stripe and zebra-pattern stripes on the legs. This variety is considered to be the most valuable. The second variety is the Smaller Southern type, which is also considered a pure but less valuable breed. The third variety is the Larger Southern type, which is the result of cross-breeding with other breeds, and is widespread in central Yakutia.