Albanian horse

Albanian
	Horses near Shishtavec, in Kukës County
	Ploughing near Zapo village
Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk
Other names	Albanian: Kali shqiptar
Country of origin	Albania
Use	pack; harness; riding;
Traits
Weight	Male: average 304 kg (670 lb); Female: average 260 kg (570 lb);
Height	mountain type: 127–130 cm (12.2–12.3 h); Myzeqeja type: 132–142 cm (13.0–14.0 h); ; Male: average 140 cm (13.3 h); Female: average 136 cm (13.2 h);
Colour	dark colours or grey
	Equus ferus caballus;

The Albanian (Albanian: Kali Shqiptar) is the only indigenous horse breed in Albania. It is a small horse, and similar to other Balkan horses. Two types are distinguished, a mountain type and a lowland type, which may be called "Myzeqeja" after the lowland Myzeqeja region.^[4]^: 11^[2]^: 433

History

Before the communist era in Albania, the Albanian horse had a good reputation for endurance and stamina. From 1904 Arab stock was used for cross-breeding;^[4]^: 11 Haflinger and Nonius stock was later used.^[2]^: 433

Use

The horse was until recently the principal means of transport in the country, which had no tractors: it was thus essential to the national economy. Horses were used by the Albanian military until 1974. The Albanian horse is used almost exclusively in harness or as a pack animal, and only occasionally for riding.^[4]^: 11

References

^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Breed data sheet: Comune / Albania (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c Robin Hanbury-Tenison (2009). Land of eagles: riding through Europe's forgotten country. London; New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9781441641274.

[barb-1] Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.

[cabi-2] Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.

[dad-3] Breed data sheet: Comune / Albania (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.

[robin-4] Robin Hanbury-Tenison (2009). Land of eagles: riding through Europe's forgotten country. London; New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9781441641274.

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