The Caspian Horse Society of the Americas
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Caspian Horse; an introduction to a rare, elegant and 5000 year old breed of horse.
From Caspian.org, Horse Art Collection and Kristull Ranch:
"On the shores of the Caspian Sea in Northern Iran there exists a breed of small pony which I have never seen described in books, and which is practically unknown outside its own territory."
-- Louise Firouz, 1965
Reliefs at Persepolis
"In 1965 Louise Firouz went on an expedition on horseback, searching for small ponies to be ridden by children at her riding school, when she happened upon small horses in the mountainous regions south of the Caspian Sea. At first glance they appeared somewhat rough from lack of nourishment. However, upon close inspection, these horses showed distinctive characteristics similar to the ancient artifacts she was familiar with. They had the same large protruding eyes, a prominent jaw, large nostrils, a dished head and a high tail set."
"During this first trip Louise rescued 3 horses, which were dubbed Caspians. The former owners of these misused, over-worked horses had no idea of the ancient breeds' near extinction!"
of agility and they are superb jumpers. Caspians are browsers as opposed to grazers."
"Mrs. Firouz purchased seven mares and six stallions to form the foundation stock for a private breeding center in Iran. She used modern genetic testing to maintain a wide variety of genes in her herd to ensure the continued diversity of the captive breeding stock. She also began the first research into the history of this ancient breed."
"Working with modern genetic methods, she was able to establish that none of these horses were lineal relations of the European horses and DNA studies proved they were all part of the same unique gene pool and were all purebred Caspian horses."
"This ancient central Asian horse once coveted by Persian Kings, is making a comeback from the brink of near extinction."
One woman's quest to save the Caspian Horse
A documentary featuring the American lady's quest in saving the breed has been shown many times on the national TV channels. She speaks fluent Farsi and is living in Iran, often called upon to assist in management of a breeding program.
"Caspians are highly intelligent and alert, yet they have maintained a great deal of tractability and a strong interest in bonding with humans without losing the prized spirit of a hot-blooded breed. The overall impression of a Caspian should be one of elegance, grace, fluidity, and nobility."
"The Caspian has great intelligence and courage. They learn very quickly. They are extremely curious and very people friendly. The Caspian is affectionate towards its owner and very entertaining for spectators. They are notorious for stealing hearts away! When turned out in a field of other breeds of horses, they will most often prefer to graze or mate with their own kind...maybe the reason for their intact survival?"
