Horses

Robin and Louella will be riding local Albanian horses. Little is known about this breed and one of the benefits of the trip is a deeper understanding about them. We will be posting Photographs and excerpts of Robin ad Louella’s experience with the horses.

The Albanian is a small horse belonging to the Balkan group. There are two types of native Albanian horse, which are referred to as Mountain and Myzeqea (plains). In recent years interbreeding between the two types has made the distinction less clear. Traditionally the Myzeqea is larger standing at 13.2 hands and the Mountain type on average about 12.2 to 12.3 hands.

The ancient inhabitants of this area were Illyrians, Indo-Europeans who overran the northwest part of the Balkan peninsula around the fifth century B.C. During the Ottoman Empire, a great deal of Arab blood was infused into the local horses, which were likely various combinations of Tarpan, Turkmenian, and Mongolian stock.

The Albanian is known for its freedom

of movement, agility in difficult terrain, disease resistance, and endurance. In the past these horses were used more for transport and riding than for agricultural purposes. In the early 1990's, measures were taken to promote and increase the number of Albanian horses and to improve them for agricultural work. The improved breeds are concentrated in large breeding centers such as the Zootechnic Station at Shkodra and at specialized farms where stallions are produced for improving local horses. Since 1980 there has been a great increase in the number of horses in Albania.

The Myzeqea is very good for long distance use and is exceptionally strong for its size and many have an easily ridden ambling gait. The Albanian are hardy efficient horses. They are often used as carriage horses as well as for riding and light draft.

Reference:

Hendricks, Bonnie L., International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, Univ of Oklahoma Press, 1995.

International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds

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Robin Hanbury-Tenison, the doyen of English explorers, is one of the authors featured on Classic Travel Books, an ever growing source of travel-related literary wisdom written by great travel writers past and present.

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Robin and Louella Hanbury-Tenison's previous equestrian travels are published by Horse Travel Books, the world's first collection of Equestrian Travel Classics, and home of The Long Riders' Literary Project, containing more than 100 of the most important equestrian travel books of all time, published in their five original languages.

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