Scientific name Equus caballus Rank Breed | Higher classification Horse Country of origin Japan | |
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Similar Miyako pony, Taishū horse, Kiso Horse, Misaki horse, Dosanko | ||
The Noma (野間馬, Noma-uma) is a pony breed originating in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. They originated in the 17th century from Mongolian stock, and are the smallest native ponies from that country, standing about up to 10.1 to 10.3 hh. The ponies are used for draft and riding. They are one of the 8 recognized native horse breeds in Japan.
The breed is currently being preserved as local cultural heritage. At one point, the population was as low as six. It rebounded to the point that by December 1988, there were 27 pure Noma ponies, and as of 2008 there are now 84 purebred ponies in existence. they are colored bay, brown, or chesnut.
References
Noma pony Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA