The Giara horse is undoubtedly one of Sardinia’s most well-known wild animals. It is not a pony, despite its low height at the withers, but a real horse with a small build. Over the course of time, the hostile and uncontaminated environment of the Giara has selected ungraceful, hardy and skittish animals, with a proud personality and indomitable spirit.
‘Mesomorphic, small build, with weight varying from 170 kg to220 kg; height at the withers between 1.28 m and 1.32 m for males, and 1.25 m and 1.27 m for females; dark bay, liver chestnut or black coat, rarely displaying any particular markings; chest lying close to ground with slightly sunken back; short, narrow croup, low-set tail with thick hair; square-shaped head with wide jaws and abundant forelock; strong neck with thick, often double mane; not particularly muscular thighs; thin limbs and long cannons; long pasterns; small but strong and healthy feet; frequent limb conformation defects, often due to rickets, generally affecting area around hocks, which are frequently cow- or sickle-hocked.’ (L. Gratani)
The Museum features in-depth texts, images and interesting documents on the origins and life of this fascinating animal.
