Tokara
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Names: Tokara. Named for the islands where they were discovered.
Origin: Early in 1950, Dr. Shigeyuki
Hayashida found a group of small horses living in the south side of the Tokara
Islands and named them Tokara ponies. According to this man, around 1897 people
from Kitaiga Island brought about ten native horses to Takara (not Tokara). They
were used for farming, transportation of heavy objects, and in processing
sugarcane grown in the area. In 1943, at the height of their popularity, the
breed reached 100 head, but after World War II their numbers were reduced
drastically.
Kagoshima Prefecture declared the ponies a prefectural
national monument and sent them to the mainland for a time because of the
difficult living conditions on the island. Today Kagoshima University, Iriki
ranch, Kaimon National Park, and Nakano Island in the Tokara Islands are the
centers for breeding and preservation of the Tokara pony. As of December 1988, a
total of eighty-eight purebred animals remained; their population status is
rare.
Breeding:
Description:
Size: It stands 12 hands.
Temperament:
Features:
Uses: It is used for riding and light draft.
Accomplishments:
Curiosities:
Profiles:
Conclusion: