Imagine being in a chariot, your four matched war steeds frothing as they plunge headlong into battle. The spikes of your scythed wheels are poised to plow through the enemy foot soldiers. You look for an opening and … charge! Hollywood movie? No, it’s part of the history of the Caspian horse from ancient Persia some 500 years BC.
Ancient History
All breeds of modern horses are believed to be descended from four primitive equine types: Pony Types I & II, and Horse Types III & IV. Horse Type IV was known to inhabit the dry steppes (plains) of Central Asia and though proportioned like the modern horse, it was no larger than a pony. Type IV was the ancestor of the Oriental or hot-blooded horse. Its closest descendant is the similar, but larger Arabian horse, and until recently, the ancestor was thought to be extinct.
Then in 1965, Louise Firouz, an American woman living in Iran, made a connection between the small horses she had seen running wild in the mountains and carrying burdens in villages by the Caspian Sea, and those depicted on ancient Persian palace walls and artifacts. After painstaking research and investigation, including modern DNA analysis, experts agreed; the little horses Firouz had found were the Type IV missing link – the direct ancestor of the hot-blooded horse!
For centuries the Caspian had been thought extinct. Dating back to possibly as far as 3000 BC or more, these little horses, full of courage, spirit, and speed, were the same coveted centuries later by the kings of Persia. The Persians held them in high esteem, utilizing them to pull chariots for ceremonies and in hunting the fierce Asiatic lions. Caspians were also employed in war. Four swift horses would carry a driver and one or two warriors into battle. However, chariots were used not so much to hurl weapons from, as they were to open gaps in enemy formations. Each chariot was equipped with razor-sharp scythed wheels to plow through foot soldiers and wreak havoc. And so they did, until King Darius was soundly defeated by Alexander the Great in 330 BC. Then the Persian Empire began to crumble and was slowly absorbed … and the little horses beloved by Persian kings fell from grace.
General and Unique Breed Characteristics
Evidence suggests that the Caspian is the most ancient breed of domestic horse today, some 4,000 to 5,000 years old. It has been theorized that the Caspian was utilized by the Mesopotamians around 3,000 BC to develop the Arabian horse. Likely King Darius would be pleased to see his brave horses have changed little in that time.
It is not surprising that such an ancient breed would exhibit several skeletal differences from modern horses; they show marked differences in their teeth, legs, backbone, hooves and skull. Even their hemoglobin clearly shows differences unique from any other breed.
In ancient times, Caspians were as small as 9 hands. Today they average 11 to 12.2 hands and come in all the solid colors – including duns and roans. Recently, the Sabino gene has shown its presence, and Caspians routinely exhibit dorsal stripes, gruella bars, spider webbing and other such primitive markings – patterns that are common even in chestnuts and bays within the breed.
The Caspian exudes grace, nobility and elegance. They have fine heads with tiny ears and muzzles, large eyes and prominent cheekbones and foreheads. They show great breadth in the jaw as well depth in the girth. Shoulders are free flowing, limbs are fine yet strong, and hocks are well angulated - all traits still necessary to negotiate the rugged terrain of their modern day Persian homeland – Iran.
Like the endangered Akhal-Teke of the Central Asian steppes, Caspian’s have fine skin and silky coats, and the hair shafts can appear iridescent in the summer sun. Conformation varies from refined desert to hunter/jumper types, but the Caspian has a third type all its own. Sometimes referred to as the “Steppe” type, it is more primitive altogether, but nonetheless beautiful with a very wide, but short, classic head.
The movement of Caspians has sometimes been likened to that of a deer, in its incredible agility and lightness of foot. Caspians show tremendous suppleness and suspension, like the dancing of fairies, yet they have great endurance and strength, and most amazingly, can often jump as high as a full-sized horse. They can also keep pace with full-sized horses,
except at a flat out gallop.
Temperament and Personality
Although shaped these past dark centuries by survival, Caspians have retained a high degree of tractability. They often bond very strongly to their owners, yet do not lose the spirit of a hot-blooded horse. Even stallions are kind and manageable with proper training if approached with respect and leadership.
Stallions prefer the company of a herd, willing to help raise their foals alongside the mares, and will find contentment even if it is only a bachelor herd where they gladly entertain themselves in play. Caspians also show a strong preference for their own breed and clearly prefer herd life to languishing in longterm stall confinement.
Like most endangered breeds, Caspians are highly intelligent. Their clever minds are meant to be used in work or pleasure; boredom breeds mischief or contempt, and less capable owners may find themselves at the wrong end of their dry sense of humor.
Modern Usage
The small size of the Caspian, its even temperament, and its trainability make it an ideal first pony for children. Whether competing in lead line, 4-H, gymkhana, or the hunter/jumper “A” circuit, the Caspian’s movement, poise, and beauty make it a standout. Their jumping ability is nothing short of phenomenal, as many can jump as high as a full sized horse. Caspians are also very competitive in driving competitions and that’s where adults can get in on the fun! They excel in competitions like scurry, where speed and agility count.
Caspians are also extremely dominant in passing on their incredible good looks and talents when it comes to crossbreeding, and allowing for the increase of height for partbreds is not a problem when bred to Thoroughbreds, Arabians, the larger Welsh sections, or Quarter Horses. The results are usually favorable for generously talented sport horses and ponies.
Modern History
It is hard to believe that a breed once coveted by kings teetered so close to the brink of extinction. Were it not for one woman’s determination, they likely would have passed out of the modern world altogether. When her early census revealed pitifully low numbers, Louise collected as many Caspians as she could find and began a breeding program. In time, conditions brewing in Iran made it increasingly difficult to breed Caspians. Louise realized that to survive, the breed would need bloodlines outside Iran.
Their journey to survive outside their homeland began when the Shah of Iran presented England’s Prince Philip with the chestnut mare Khorshid Kola and the bay stallion Rosham. Several small exportations to Britain, Bermuda, and Australia followed. These would become the lifeblood and foundation stock for the gene pool outside Iran, for soon exportations
were banned when the Shah was deposed and the new government installed. Political unrest and changes in government caused Louise to have her herd confiscated more than once and never returned, and sadly, the bloodlines of those foundation mares and stallions she so carefully nurtured were forever lost to the world.
By the mid-1990s, the future outside Iran brightened and Caspians were finally exported for the first time to America from Britain, followed by some from Australia. Today America harbors nearly half the world’s Caspian population and nearly every bloodline known outside Iran is represented here. It is a precious genetic pool that carries the expectation of responsible stewardship with it.
Current Status – Critical
The Caspian is a living remnant of subspecies Type IV Horse from which the hotblooded breeds descended. Since their rediscovery some 35 years ago, the Caspian has slowly increased from the original estimate of 50 individuals to the 1,200 of today. But they have not managed to come off the critical list yet.
The current future of the Caspian in Iran is uncertain, yet Louise remains loyal to her Caspians, saving them from disease, famine and neglect wherever she is able. She continues to help the Ministry of Jehad manage its nationalized herd, and clings to the hope that more horses will leave Iran to replenish the rest of the world’s tiny population.
Presently there are fewer than 500 Caspians in North America. The Equus Survival Trust lists the Caspian Horse as Critical.
For more information, contact the Trust at its new location: Equus Survival Trust, 10844 Highway 172, West Liberty, Kentucky 41472; 606-522-4009; www.Equus-Survival-Trust.org; EquusSurvivalTrust@yahoo.com.
About the author: Victoria Tollman is the Executive Director of the Equus Survival Trust and a long time member and supporter of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.