Estonian (horse) – Wikipedia

L’ Estonian or native Estonian (in Estonian: Estonian horse ), is a horse breed in Estonia. Its origin dates back to XI ^{It is} century. Russian horses win the territory of origin at XIV ^{It is} And XV ^{It is} centuries, then the horses spread to XIX ^{It is} century, for agricultural work. The Estonian retreats to the competition of the draft horse. Little crossed, it is gradually pushed back to the islands of the Baltic Sea. He becomes threatened with extinction at the end of XX ^{It is} century.

This little horse is particularly strong and resistant to diseases. The height at the witch is approximately 1.45 m , which explains why he is sometimes called “Estonia pony”. The dress often has a mullet line, the Dun gene, or more rarely the rouan. The Estonian horse influences other breeds from the Baltic countries, including the Tori horse. It is now mainly used under the saddle, for equestrian tourism and as a building horse. Close to other native horses in northern Europe, it is one of the most threatened domestic animal breeds in the world. Most of the workforce is on the island of Saaremaa.

The breed is known under a large number of names. The name in Estonian Estonian horse is considered by FAO as being the most common ^{[ first ]} . However, the name in English Estonian Native Horse is the most used internationally ^{[ first ]} . In French, he is named “Estonian horse”, “Estonian Klepper” or “Pony of Estonia”. The name “Klepper” is old and is no longer used ^{[ 2 ]} . In Russian, the names of Mestnaya Estonskaya or Estonskaya Loshad are employed ^{[ 3 ]} .

The Estonian shares common origins with native horses in northern Europe ^{[ 4 ]} . He is one of the closest descendants of the old North horse ^{[ 5 ]} , who lived in forest areas ^{[ 6 ]} . Its origins date back to XI ^{It is} century ^{[ first ]} . Old horse race, the Estonian is an heir to agricultural history in Estonia. This is one of the two native animal races of the country to have survived, with the Estonian cow ^{[ 7 ] , [ 8 ]} . It is not very crossed ^{[ 9 ]} , which represents a rarity among the races of horses present in the territory of the states which constituted the USSR ^{[ 5 ]} . The Estonian is slightly influenced by the Arab horse and Finnish horses ^{[ first ]} .

Horses are probably arriving in Estonia via Novgorod, Russia, XIV ^{It is} And XV ^{It is} centuries. Full -developing agriculture results in demand for work animals. The native horses are crossed with larger breeds. The animal spread throughout the Estonian territory at XIX ^{It is} century. While the breeding of the draft horse progresses, the native Estonians are pushed towards the shore of the Baltic Sea and the neighboring islands ^{[ ten ]} . In 1856, the stud farm at the origin of the Tori engaged in the breeding of horses in Estonia and crosses the best mares of the race with light bodybuilders and saddle breeds ^{[ ten ]} . In 1921, a stud-book was founded, under the name of “native Estonian”. From 1921 to 1937, 13 Finnish stallions came into crossing ^{[ first ]} . The average measures of the breed (height, chest tower and barrel) have changed little between 1921 and 1997 ^{[ 11 ]} .

The development of motorized roads and transport causes a decline in the horses population. Between the end of the Second World War and the end of XX ^{It is} century, the number of Estonian horses fell from 16,000 or 12,000 to 500 ^{[ 4 ]} . Croisments with the more powerful fjord and Finnish is one of the causes of this decline ^{[ 6 ]} . The animal almost disappears from continental Estonia, surviving only on the islands of Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and Muhu ^{[ 9 ]} . Some stud farms retain the heritage races during the Soviet period ^{[ twelfth ]} . In the 1970s and 1980s, under the authority of the USSR, the remaining horses were crossed with Arab horses ^{[ first ]} . In 1992, a company of horse breeders was created ^{[ 13 ]} And experienced a revival, after having experienced difficult moments in the 1980s. In 2000, an association was founded to preserve the Estonian. Between 1996 and 2003, the race was the subject of an evaluation of its farming value ^{[ 14 ]} .

It’s a little horse ^{[ ten ]} , the size of a pony ^{[ 6 ]} . According to the University of Oklahoma, the size goes from 1.33 m at 1.45 m ^{[ 5 ]} , the stallions measuring an average of 1.42 m , and mares 1,41 m ^{[ 9 ]} . The reference figures of the breed transmitted to the FAO give a higher size: 1.47 m on average for males and 1.45 m In females, the respective median weight being 450 and 420 kg . The weight is around 40 kg at birth ^{[ first ]} . Precise measurements were carried out in Estonia on 105 male and female animals aged 2 and 3, between 1997 and 2000. The average size was 1.43 m , the chest of 1.76 m and the barrel of 18.6 m ^{[ 11 ]} .

The native Estonian proves very close to the Lithuanian žemuitukas ^{[ first ]} , and probably Swedish Gotland ^{[ 6 ]} . Its head is well proportioned, even if it can be coarse ^{[ ten ]} . Its forehead is wide, its short and well fleshy neckline. The tourniquet is wide and little out, the muscular kidney, the medium length rump and normal tilt. The chest is very deep and wide. The legs are short, firm and clean. The hooves are particularly solid ^{[ 9 ]} , a particularity confirmed during the seven years of study on the breeding value of the breed ^{[ 14 ]} .

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The native Estonian can present a wide variety of dresses. Of the three breeds of horses in Estonia, it is the one that presents the greatest diversity, with variations ranging from black to cream dresses. Nevertheless, the most frequent dresses in breed are, in order, the Bai, the Alezan, the Black and the Gray ^{[ 15 ]} . The occurrence of the gray dress decreased over time, those of the Alezane dress increased ^{[ 11 ]} .

There are also, more rarely, dresses with the Dun gene (such as black also called mouse), and Rouan. The presence of a mullet line is frequent ^{[ ten ]} . The Silver gene is possible in the breed, this mutation (with its famous applelings) being popular with breeders and Estonian owners ^{[ 15 ]} . Particular attention is paid to the preservation of this characteristic. In 2010, 30 horses in the breed express this gene ^{[ 16 ]} . Since the end of the use of horses at work, breeders attach great importance to the color of the dress ^{[ 11 ]} .

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The Estonian is a slow maturity breed ^{[ ten ]} . Its longevity can be extraordinary: the tenki mare, born in 1946, was still alive in 1983 at the Kinguissepp region Farm ^{[ ten ]} . Endurance, actions and performance at work are excellent ^{[ 9 ]} . It also has a pleasant temperament ^{[ first ]} . In addition, it is completely adapted to the climate of Estonia. The breeders return their animals to the stable during the winter ^{[ first ]} .

Consanguinity has become worrying, due to the small number of reproducers available. She does not seem to have caused damage among the breed, if not an increase in the time necessary to achieve maturity ^{[ ten ]} . To keep it under control, crosses are made with the Finnish ^{[ 17 ]} .

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Galloping and freedom aptitude are taken into account for the evaluation of the breeding value. However, the quality of the movements (especially during the jump) experiences great variations depending on individuals ^{[ 14 ]} .

Estonian is mainly intended for traction ^{[ first ]} . In its country of origin, it can be mounted by children and tourists or employee with a light line for small agricultural work ^{[ ten ] , [ 3 ]} . It is sometimes used in crossing with ponies. He himself participated in the formation of other races, such as the now disappeared, and the Viatka. In crossing with the hackney, he influences the Tori. He entered the formation of the race of the Estonian line with the Ardennes ^{[ 9 ] , [ 5 ]} .

In 2005, 25 breed animals were imported into Sweden to recreate the missing horse of Öland, genetically close ^{[ 18 ]} . A native Estonian stallion was used in crossing with the Lithuanian žMuitukas to reduce the consanguinity of the race, while crossing with a genetically close horse ^{[ 19 ]} . This influence on the race žMatukas is particularly observed between 1998 and 2002 ^{[ 20 ]} .

In 1980, the census carried out by the USSR reports the presence of 182 Estonian horses, including 152 of pure breed ^{[ 21 ]} . The figures transmitted to the FAO are different:

Year	1980	1994	1995 [ 22 ]	1996	1998	2007
Enrollment [ first ]	1000	500	900 [ 22 ]	Less than 224	Between 100 and 1000	Between 600 and 950

This horse has become rare, which is why it was included in the World Watch List of the most threatened races in the world ^{[ 7 ]} . It is present among the 17 breeds of horses recorded in the Nordic Gene Bank for Farm Animals (Banque Nordic genes for farm animals), aimed at preserving heritage animals in northern Europe ^{[ 4 ]} . He is one of the three threatened domestic breeds from Estonia, with the Estonian cow and the Estonian line ^{[ 23 ]} .

The livestock has been the subject of protective measures since the 1980s ^{[ first ]} , especially because in -consanguinity remains worrying ^{[ 9 ]} . These measures are praised for their effectiveness ^{[ 6 ]} . This program has been set up in partnership with a nature conservation program, and the green tourism sector ^{[ 17 ]} . The livestock is growing, with more than 150 new Poulinages each year (2005) ^{[ 6 ]} . According to the evaluation of the FAO carried out in 2007, the Estonian remains threatened with extinction (“d”, endangered ) ^{[ 24 ]} , although the census carried out that year testifies to the growth of the workforce. There are 452 females in the stud-book in 2007 ^{[ first ]} . The native Estonian is considered by the study of the University of Uppsala (2010) as a European local race in danger of extinction and maintained (“DM” status, endangered-maintened ) ^{[ 25 ]} .

In early May 2014, the breed was presented at the Saint Petersburg International Horse Show ^{[ 13 ]} .

This horse is quoted in the novel The Madonna of the Maquis from Sylvie Pouliquen ^{[ 26 ]} .

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: document used as a source for writing this article.

• [Kosharov, Pern et Rozhdestvenskaya 1989] (in) A. N. Kosharov , E. M. Porn and G. A. ROZHDESTVENSKAYA , « Horses » , In Animal Genetic Resources of the USSR. Animal Production and Health Paper Publ. , Rome, fao, 1989 , 517 p. ( read online )
• [Hendricks 2007] (in) Bonnie Lou Hendricks, International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds , Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, August 15, 2007 , 2 ^{It is} ed. , 486 p. (ISBN  0-8061-3884-X , OCLC  154690199 ) , « Estonian Native » , p. 178-179 .
• [Peterson et Tamsalu 2001] (in) H. Peterson and h Tamsalu , « Changes in measures of the Estonian Native horse » , In Proceedings of the 7th Baltic Animal Breeding Conference, Tartu, Estonia, 17-18 April 2001 , 2001 (ISBN  9985-882-95-4 ) , p. 174-176
• [Rousseau 2016] Élise Rousseau ( ill. Yann le Bris), European Horse Guide , Delachaux and Niestlé, first ^is August 2016 (ISBN  978-2-603-02437-9 ) , “Estonian”, p. 232
• [Saastamoinen et Mäenpää 2005] M.T. Polluted and Marcus Hillhead , « Rare horse breeds in Northern Europe » , In Conservation genetics of endangered horse breeds , Wageningen Academic Pub, 2005 , 187 p. (ISBN  9076998795 , EAN  978-90-76998-79-4 , ISSN  0071-2477 , read online ) , p. 129-136
• [Carleton Olegario M. Ximo 2011] (in) Carleton Olegario M. Ximo , Estonian Horse , Ject Press, 2011 , 80 p. (ISBN  9786139792214 )