Pottok Horse
Country of Origin: Basque Country (France and Spain)
The pottok, pronounced 'pot-ee-ok' (Basque: pottoka, ""little horse"), is a pony native to the Pyrenees of the Basque Country in France and Spain.
Pyrenean Tarpan part of the Konik Breed Type: In Poland-Pottok; In France-Navarre Pony; In Spain-Asturian; In Portugal-Garrano.
History
The pottok's origins may lie as far back as 10,000 years ago. Ancient cave paintings in the area show pottok-like horses. They are thought to descend from the Magdalenian horses of 14,000 - 7,000 BC. There are now only a few hundred left and all have owners, rather than freely wandering through the mountains. Their adaptation to mountain life and dark color made them ideal for use by smugglers.
