GOTLAND PONY

(Redirected from Gotland Rus)

'Gotland pony' or 'Gotland rus' is an old Swedish pony breed. Gotland ponies are thought to descend from Tarpans that lived on the small island of Gotland that is on the South-Eastern coast of Sweden right after the last ice-age.
The Gotland pony is the only breed of pony native to Sweden. The Öland horse from the neighbouring island Öland is extinct since early 20th century.

Contents

Origin

Wild ponies, and breeding

Uses

Body

Coat

External links

References

Origin

This breed of horse resembles the Hucul and Konik of Poland. Like those horses, it is believed that the Gotland Russ descended from the Tarpan.

Wild ponies, and breeding

Once the Gotland ponies lived wild on the island. Nowadays a semi-wild herd is kept in the 650 acre enclosed area of Lojsta moor where the horses live all year round.
In the beginning of the 19th century Gotland ponies still lived everywhere on the island, but due to the chopping the woods and the increasing cultivation the number ponies had began to lessen menacingly. Plenty of ponies were also taken to the manner Europe, and around 1870 they were sold 200 per year. They were transported all the way to Great Britain and Belgium where they were used in coal mines. Extinction of the breed was avoided when the ennobling society was founded in Sweden. To the society's merit the moors and forests of Lojsta were protected for the ponies to live in.
First pedigree-book for Gotland ponies was opened in Sweden in 1943. To improve the breed two Wales pony stallions have been accepted in it: Reber General and Criban Daniel. The pedigree was closed in 1971 after which only registered Gotland ponies have been accepted in it.
Today, they are mainly bred in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and North America.

Uses

The Gotland Russ is the most common breed of pony in Sweden. It is a good allround pony and is often used by riding schools.
Modern Gotlands are most popular as a riding ponies, often for children, and also as harness racing ponies, and they excel at show jumping and harness racing.

Body

The Gotland Rus has a light and narrow build with sloping quarters and a low-set tail. The pony's hind legs are poorly built, but their hooves are good and hard. This pony generally stands from 115-130 cm at the withers (48-50 inches, 12 to 12.2 hands) and is ideally between 123-126. Three-year old pony must be 115-128 cm.
The pony usually doesn't have a very strong back, and is therefore not usually ridden by adults.

Coat

The coat of the Gotland pony can be a variety of colors, although bay or black is usually preferred. Wild bay and mealy (Pangare) are very common in the breed.
Common colors:

★ Bay

★ Chestnut

★ Black

★ Buckskin

★ Palomino
All colors are allowed except:

★ Dun

★ Grey

★ Dorsal Pinto

★ Double Cream (e.g Perlino, Cremello)

External links

★ Department of Animal Science-Gotland

References