Yakutian horse

야쿠트말

The Yakutian horse is a small, sturdy breed from Sakha (Yakutia) in Russia. With its thick winter coat it lives outdoors all year, digging through snow for grass even at temperatures below minus 60 °C.

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At a glance

Class: Mammals
Lives in: Sakha (Yakutia), Russia
Diet: Plant eater (herbivore)
Habitat: forests, grasslands

Quick answers

Where does the Yakutian horse live?

It lives in forests, grasslands. On the globe you can find it near Sakha (Yakutia), Russia.

What does the Yakutian horse eat?

Its diet: plant eater (herbivore).

The Yakutian horse is a small, sturdy breed from Sakha, also known as Yakutia, in Siberia, Russia. It is a little larger than the Mongolian horse, and about 136 to 140 centimetres at the shoulder.

It is famous for coping with one of the coldest climates on Earth, where temperatures range from +38 to about -70 degrees Celsius, and winter may last eight months. It can find and graze on plants under deep snow and live without shelter. Local herders keep them unstabled all year, which is why they are so tough. It looks a lot like other northern ponies, with a thick mane and heavy coat.

Where did it come from?

The horses seem to descend from domestic horses brought by the Yakut people when they migrated into the region from the 13th century. They are not descended from the wild horses that lived in the area in Neolithic times.

They have been in Siberia for roughly 800 years. In the Southern type, stallions are about 135 centimetres at the withers.

Built for winter

The coat is thick, 8 to 15 centimetres long. It looks like other northern breeds such as the Shetland pony, Fjord horse and Icelandic horse, with a thick mane and a sturdy body.

The most prized Northern type is bay, grey or light dun, often with a dark stripe down its back and zebra-like stripes on its legs. The largest Southern type is a cross with other breeds and is common in central Yakutia.

Fun facts

Yakutian horses live outdoors all year in Siberia and survive winters colder than −60 °C.
It lives outdoors all year in Siberia.
Its winter coat can be 8 to 15 cm long.
It digs through snow to find grass.