Jump to content

Sorraia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Montanabw (talk | contribs) at 20:37, 6 February 2009 (→Color: Added a wikilink). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Sorraia
A Sorraia stallion
Conservation statusDOM
Country of originIndigenous to the southwestern Iberian peninsula, today present mainly in Portugal and Germany
Traits
Distinguishing featuresLean, leggy conformation, good withers, slim neck, convex profile; grulla or dun, typically without white markings

The Sorraia is a breed of horse indigenous to a region on the Iberian peninsula known today as Portugal. It is a small breed, but hardy and well-adapted to harsh conditions. The Sorraia is known for its primitive features, including dun coloring and primitive markings, as well as a convex profile. Its origins are thought to be ancient, with a theory advanced by authors who have studied this breed that the Sorraia is a descendent of primitive horses that were part of the naturally occurring wild fauna of Southern Iberia. Studies are currently ongoing to discover the relationship between the Sorraia and various wild horse types, as well as its relationship with other breeds from the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Africa.

Members of the breed were occasionally captured and used by native farmers for centuries, and a remnant population of these nearly extinct horses was discovered by a Portuguese zoologist in the early 20th century. Today, the Sorraia has become the focus of preservation efforts, with European scientists leading the way and enthusiasts from several countries forming projects and establishing herds to assist in the re-establishment of this breed from its current endangered status.

Characteristics

Foal with hair stroke

The Sorraia breed stands between 14.1 and 14.3 hands high (57 to 59 inches (145 to 150 cm)), although some individuals are as small as 12.3 hands high (51 inches (130 cm)).[1] The head tends to be large, the profile convex, and the ears long.[2] The neck is slender and long, the withers high, and the croup slightly sloping. The legs are strong, with long pasterns and well-proportioned hooves. They have good endurance and are frugal horses. They have a reputation for being independent of temperament, but tractable.[3]

On adult horses, the lay of the hair can create the appearance of stripes or "barring" on the neck and chest. Also due to the lay of the hair, newborn foals can appear to have stripes all over, reminiscent of zebra stripes. The breed standard refers to this as "hair stroke".[4]

A Sorraia stallion showing the convex profile for which the breed is known.

Color

Sorraia are generally dun or a dun variation called grullo. Dun coloring includes primitive markings such as a black dorsal stripe, black tipped ears, horizontal striping on the legs and a dark muzzle area.[5] The dark muzzle area is in contrast to some other dun-colored horse breeds, who have light-colored muzzle areas and underbellies, possibly due to the presence of pangare genetics.[6] Sorraia horses have bi-colored manes and tails with lighter colored hairs that fringe the outside of the longer growing black hair.[4] This is a characteristic shared with other predominantly dun-colored breeds, such as the Fjord horse.[7] Purebred Sorraia occasionally have white markings, although they are rare and undesired by the breed's studbook.[4]

Evolution and taxonomy

The relationship between the Sorraia and other breeds remains largely unknown, as does its relationship to other ancient horses, such as the Tarpan and the Przewalski's Horse. The Sorraia originally developed in the southern part of the Iberian peninsula.[8] They have been shown to be related to southern Iberian breeds, such as the Lusitano and Andalusian breeds (including the Carthusian strain of Andalusian), and morphologically differentiated from some northern Iberian breeds, such as the Garrano, Asturcon and Pottok.[9] They were originally thought to be related to the Barb horse, an African breed that was introduced to Iberia by the Moors,[10] but this is currently thought to be untrue.[9] A number of research studies using the mtDNA of the Sorraia have documented that it possesses a unique phylogenetic cluster distinct from other Iberian horses, the implications of which are the subject of continued exploration in conjunction with morphological, physiological, and cultural characteristics to better understand the relatedness of equine breeds.[11][12]

Multiple authors have stated that the Sorraia was likely a descendant of the Tarpan, although they provided no evidence other than shared morphological features.[3][2][13] Other authors agree that the Sorraia has "evident primitive characteristics", although they do not refer to a specific ancestor.[5] Genetic studies to date have been inconclusive about the closest relative of the Sorraia. In one study, mitochondrial DNA showed a close relationship with the Przewalski's Horse,[11] while another study using microsatellite data showed exactly the opposite.[14] These conflicting analyses are the result of extreme genetic bottlenecking of rare breeds such as the Sorraia and Przewalski's Horse.[11] There have been no genetic studies to evaluate the Sorraia's relationship with the Tarpan, and morphological similarity is known to be an unreliable measure of relatedness.[9]

History

Although it is known that the Sorraia developed in the southern part of the Iberian peninsula,[15] the breed was isolated and unknown to science until the 20th century. Despite the lack of documentation, attempts have been made to reconstruct its history. Paleolithic parietal art images in the region depict equines with a distinct likeness to the Sorraia, with similar zebra-like markings.[16][17]. Analysis of mtDNA has been performed on Mustangs in the western United States that show similar mtDNA patterns between some Mustangs and the Sorraia breed.[10] Spanish conquistadors took Iberian horses, some of whom closely resembled the modern-day Sorraia, to the Americas in their conquests,[10] probably as pack animals.[2] Similarities between the Sorraia and several North and South American breeds are shown in the dun and grullo coloring and various physical characteristics. This evidence suggests that the Sorraia, or ancestors with similar features, may have a long history in the Iberian region and played a role in the creation of American breeds.[10]

Otherwise, the Sorraia breed was lost to history until 1920, when Portuguese zoologist and paleontologist Dr. Ruy d'Andrade first encountered the Sorraia horse during a hunting trip in the Portuguese lowlands. This remnant herd of primitive horses had continued to live a wild existence in these lowlands, which were rather inaccessible and had been used as a hunting preserve by Portuguese royalty until the early 1900s.[18] At the time of d'Andrade's initial meeting the breed, the horses were ill-regarded by native farmers, although they were considered hardy native fauna that lived off of the uncultivated lands and salt marshes in the local river valleys. For centuries, peasant farmers of the area would occasionally capture the horses and use them for agricultural work, including threshing grain and herding bulls.[19]

In the 1920s and 1930s, as mechanization became more prevalent, both wild and domesticated breeding stock diminished to almost nothing, and d'Andrade, along with his son Fernando, encouraged the conservation of the breed.[13] In 1937, d'Andrade began a small herd of his own with five stallions and seven mares from horses obtained near Coruche, Portugal. All Sorraias currently in captivity descend from these original horses obtained by d'Andrade, and it is believed that the remnant wild herds of the breed died out soon after.[11][20] These horses were kept in a habitat similar to their native one.[13] In 1975, two other farms took up the Sorraia's cause and acquired small herds to help with conservation. In 1976, three stallions and three mares were imported to Germany from Portugal to begin a sub-population there.[5] In March of 2004, a small breeding herd of Sorraia horses was released on the estate of a private land owner who dedicated a portion of his property so that these horses could live completely wild, as did their ancestors. The refuge created for them is in the Vale de Zebro region of south western Portugal, one of places so named because this is where the Sorraia's predecessors dwelt.[21]

A Kiger Mustang mare of Sorraia phenotype used as a foundation broodmare on Manitoulin Island in Ontario

Two Sorraia stallions were imported to the United States in the early 2000s. In 2006, another Sorraia stallion made his way to North America, this time to Canada where a Sorraia Mustang Preserve has been established on Manitoulin Island in Ontario.[21] Unrelated to existing preservation efforts which work in conjunction with the Sorraia Mustang Studbook,[4] a project has been conceived by a consortium of breeders in the United States that is attempting to establish a separate network and studbook. These breeders have gathered Spanish Mustangs that through mtDNA testing show a genetic relationship with the Sorraia and are breeding them according to both genotype and phenotype in an attempt to help preserve what they are calling the "American Sorraia".[22]

Today, the breed is present mainly in Portugal,[9] with a small population in Germany.[2] While not bred for a specific use, the Sorraia horses are versatile and have been used in herding bulls, dressage riding and light harness.[21] The breed is nearly extinct, with less than 200 horses existing as of 2007, including around 80 breeding mares. The Food and Agriculture Organization considers it to be maintaining critical risk status. The first studbook was published in 2004, dedicated to maintaining a written record of the bloodlines of the Sorraia.[20]

Naming

Dr. Ruy d'Andrade gave the breed their name of "Sorraia"[18]. D'Andrade took the name from the Sorraia River in Portugal.[3] The breed had previously been known by the local Portuguese as "zebro" or "zebra", due to their markings.[21]I n the time of Christopher Columbus, the Sorraia was also known as the Marismeño,[23] but the Sorraia and the Marismeño have evolved into two different breeds over time. Today, the name Marismeño refers to a population of semiferal horses living in Doñana Natural Park in Spain.[9]

References

  1. ^ Cordeiro, Arsénio Raposo and Ruy d'Andrade (1997). Lusitano Horse - Son of the Wind. Lisboa: Edicoes Inapa. p. 74. ISBN 9728387202.
  2. ^ a b c d Hendricks, Bonnie (2007). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds (Paperback ed.). University of Oklahoma Press. p. 384-385. ISBN 9780806138848.
  3. ^ a b c Bongianni, Maurizio (editor) (1988). Simon & Schuster's Guide to Horses and Ponies. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc. p. 154. ISBN 0671660683. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Oelke, Hardy. "Sorraia Characteristics:SMS Standard of Perfection". Sorraia Mustang Studbook. Hardy Oelke. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
  5. ^ a b c Luís, Christina, E. Gus Cothran, and Maria do Mar Oom (2007). "Inbreeding and Genetic Structure in the Endangered Sorraia Horse Breed: Implications for its Conservation and Management". Journal of Heredity. 98 (3): 232-237. doi:10.1093/jhered/esm009. Retrieved 2008-12-19.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Sponenberg, Dan Phillip (2003). Equine Color Genetics. Blackwell Publishing. p. 29, 38. ISBN 081380759X.
  7. ^ "Breed Standard". Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry. Retrieved 2008-12-30.
  8. ^ Cordeiro, Arsénio Raposo and Ruy d'Andrade (1997). Lusitano Horse - Son of the Wind. Lisboa: Edicoes Inapa. p. 70. ISBN 9728387202.
  9. ^ a b c d e Royo, L.J., I. Álvarez, A. Beja-Pereira, A. Molina, I. Fernández, J. Jordana, E. Gómez, J. P. Gutiérrez, and F. Goyache (2005). "The Origins of Iberian Horses Assessed via Mitochondrial DNA". Journal of Heredity. 96 (6): 663-669. doi:10.1093/jhered/esi116. Retrieved 2008-12-15.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ a b c d "Sorraia". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  11. ^ a b c d Jansen, Thomas, Peter Forster, Marsha A. Levine, Hardy Oelke, Matthew Hurles, Colin Renfrew, Jürgen Weber, and Klaus Olek (August 6, 2002). "Mitochondrial DNA and the origins of the domestic horse". Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 99 (16): 10905-10910. doi:10.1073/pnas.152330099. Retrieved 2008-12-18.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Luís, C, Bastos-Silveira, C., Costa-Ferreira, J., Cothran, E.G., Oom, M.M. (December 2006). "A lost Sorraia maternal lineage found in the Lusitano horse breed". Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. 123 (6): 399-402. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0388.2006.00612.x. Retrieved 2008-12-28.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b c Edwards, Elwyn Hartley (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Horse (1st American ed.). New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley. p. 104-105. ISBN 1564586146.
  14. ^ Aberle, Kerstin S. (2004). "Domestication of the horse: results based on microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers". Arch. Tierz., Dummerstorf. 6: 517–535. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Cordeiro, Arsénio Raposo and Ruy d'Andrade (1997). Lusitano Horse - Son of the Wind. Lisboa: Edicoes Inapa. p. 70. ISBN 9728387202.
  16. ^ Loch, Sylvia (1986). The Royal Horse of Europe. London: J.A. Allen. p. 37. ISBN 0-85131-422-8.
  17. ^ Gonzaga, P. (2004). A History of the Horse Vol. 1, The Iberian Horse From Ice Age to Antiquity. London: J.A. Allen. p. 87. ISBN 0851318673.
  18. ^ a b Oelke, Hardy. "The Sorraia Horse". Equiworld. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  19. ^ Cordeiro, Arsénio Raposo and Ruy d'Andrade (1997). Lusitano Horse - Son of the Wind. Lisboa: Edicoes Inapa. p. 68. ISBN 9728387202.
  20. ^ a b Luis, C., R. Jurar, M.M. Oom and E.G. Cothran (2007). "Genetic diversity and relationships of Portuguese and other horse breeds based on protein and microsatellite loci variation" (PDF). Animal Genetics. 38: 20-27. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01545.x. Retrieved 2008-12-12.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ a b c d Oelke, Hardy. "The Sorraia Horse, General Information". Sorraia Folheto Informativo. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  22. ^ "American Sorraia Horse Breed Project Standards". American Heritage Horse Association. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  23. ^ Oelke, Hardy (1997). Born Survivors on the Eve of Extinction. Wipperfürth, Germany: Kierdorf Verlag. p. 58, 62. ISBN 3-89118-096-9.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sorraia.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sorraia&oldid=268987127"