Garrano
Origin
Portugal
History
The word „garron", used in Scotland for Highland ponies, may have come from the same Celtic background as the name Garrano. The famous Portuguese hippologist, Dr. Ruy d´Andrade, believed that all the ponies of Europe came from one common ancestor, that migrated from northern Europe down into France and Spain to escape the advancing cold of the Ice Age.
The habitat of the Garranos is in the more fertile mountain valleys of Garranos do Minho and Traz dos Montes, north of the Sor in Portugal.
There is no doubt about the antiquity of the breed, but continued infusions of Arab blood made by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture have created a pony that, while being strong and hardy, is far removed from its primitive ancestors in appearance.
The Garrano is thought to be one of the ancestors of the Asturian and Galician horses of northern Spain. It may also have been involved in early formation of the Andalusian breed and may be responsible for the occasional concave profile seein in the Andalusian. It can also be assumed that the ponies or small horses introduced to the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries no doubt included the Garrano.
Description
- Head:
small, but sometimes tending toward heaviness, with a concave or straight profile, large, lively eyes, and small, mobile ears - Conformation:
-neck, fairly long and well muscled
-deep and wide chest
-shoulder, usually straight
-withers, rather flat
-back, straight and short
-sloping croup with a tail set low
-strong and solid legs with broad joints, short cannons, and well-shaped feet of tough horn - Average height:
10 to 14 h.h. - Colour:
usually bay, brown or dark chestnut with an abundant mane and tail. White markings are the exception - Today:
they are used as pack horses or pulling small carts. This breed is also popular with the Portuguese army as a pack pony for machine guns or military exercises.
