Endangered Horse Breeds of the World

Celebrated Horse Breeds of the World that are Endangered.

While our ranking charts of previous pages show sustained popularity and world renown of the top breeds, we estimate that more than 85% of the world's pure horse breeds face declining demand and contend with less than 35% of the world's dwindling resources devoted to supporting pure horse breeds.

A growing number of famous breeds, breeds of legend and history, now face endangerment. Incredibly, 19 of the world's legendary breeds, some of the world's greatest traditions of the horse, like the Cleveland Bay, Hackney, Lippizan, and other legendary breeds, are facing increasing risks of becoming extinct.

The following breeds are now listed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy as either Critical, Threatened, or Watch. Shown below in our first table are each rare breed's risk category contrasted with the breed's respective popularity rank:

Rare Breed	Popularity Rank	Risk Category	Rare Breed	Popularity Rank	Risk Category
Akhal-Teke	50	Threatened	American Cream	63	Critical
Canadian	30	Threatened	Caspian	76	Critical
Cleveland Bay	43	Critical	Clydesdale	22	Watch
Colonial Spanish	38	Threatened	Dales Pony	59	Threatened
Dartmoor	62	Threatened	Fell Pony	27	Watch
Exmoor Pony	65	Threatened	Gotland	>76	Watch
Hackney	45	Critical	Lippizan	42	Threatened
Mountain Pleasure	>76	Watch	Rocky Mountain	21	Watch
Shire	37	Critical	Suffolk	66	Critical

Horse Breed Diversity in the Post Modern Era

Underscoring the growing threats world-wide to horse breed diversity in the Post Modern Era, breeds that are historically famed, with only slight differences from the top 20 breeds, find themselves facing the growing threat of endangerment and extinction.

Unquestionably a pillar in the world's legacy of the horse, the famed Lippizan struggles in comparison to the Arabian and Quarter Horse:

Note how the disproportionately low number of breeders and breed organizations supporting the majestic Lipizzan contrasts sharply with its unchallenged tradition and history.
The spectacular Lipizzan, long ranked with the world's most famous breeds, is ranked just 42nd, with a support index of only 23 - in fact the Lipizzan, with a global population of under 3,500, is now considered a threatened horse breed, and needs conservation support.

England's heritage of the Hackney is endangered, with a falling global population of now well under 3,000. The Hackney is ranked just below the Lippizan at 45th, with a support index of only 21. Recently reclassified by the ALBC as a critical horse breed, the Hackney needs strong conservation support to forestall extinction.

Stewartship Honored - Conserving
the World's Wealth of Genetic Diversity

World Leaders:  The Cleveland Bay Horse, a foundation breed to many of the most popular horses today in the world, is now critically rare, but would be extinct today, were it not for the intervention and ongoing steadfast support of the Queen of England.

Breeders and Breed Organizations:  The top horse associations and breeders who now enjoy world-wide support, need to support and champion conservation of horse breed diversity in honor of the heritage and tradition of the foundations of all breeds.

Most endangered breeds would be in growing demand if successful breeders of the widely known breeds would also offer endangered breeds of similar traits, and if they would educate potential owners in the value of the conservation of genetic diversity.

Conservation Organizations:  Links throughout the following page demonstrate how, despite the sustained world renown and popularity of many legendary breeds, some of the world's greatest Traditions of the Horse now find themselves in need of strong conservation support.

A Tribute to the Pioneer in
American Conservation of Genetic Diversity of Horses

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is the pioneer American organization dedicated to the conservation of genetic diversity in horse breeds and other livestock. Through its dedication, future generations will benefit from our stewardship now of the world's wealth of horse breed genetic diversity.

The following page summarizes the ALBC's listing of the world's most endangered horse breeds, related statistics of the ALBC, and associated links within their site.

Endangered Horse Breeds of the World

The World's Heritage of the Horse at Risk

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