Raising huculs began officially in 1877 on the border of present-day Romania and Ukraine. Although the first herd was founded in 1856 in Lucina, but in 1872 was canceled and then started breeding again from scratch. "The goal was to create a breed horses for the former Austro-Hungarian army, which would serve as a packhorse for mountain artillery. Horses had to bear a considerable burden was therefore selected for breeding sturdier animals, "says Miloslav Jirků from the Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
The emergence of the breed but the horses were involved local farmers and Arabian horses also called. Norica, who came in with the German settlers. After the First World War it was in Czechoslovakia and Haflinger breed. At first glance, the Broncos Hutsuls differ robust body structure or lack of flour color around the nose and into his stomach.
Crosslinking with several breeds of domestic horses, not by experts but the only reason why Hutsuls can not be considered to be the closest descendants of wild horses. Within the framework of breeding were eliminated from further breeding animals are shy or poorly controllable - the ones that have the most preserved wild instincts.
Once in the 50s of the twentieth century army lost about Hucul interest in the breed began to be used for work in the woods. Their breeding in some regions of Europe today is subject to fashion trends, what color is concerned. Especially in Poland, they are due to the growing popularity of so-called "American pony" as purebred Hutsuls also guided brightly colored, dappled horse. Some scientists are trying to preserve the characteristics of wild horses at huculs kept on the Romanian-Ukrainian border. But they also warn that the Hutsuls bred in Central Europe, initially breeding for the Austro-Hungarian army, are a mixture of several breeds of domestic animals of local and indigenous highlanders already have little in common.
"For some huculs have been preserved features of the original wild horses, a strong jaw, small ears, or dorsal stripe. That's why we included this breed to a wider choice for our project Return of the wild horses. After careful analysis, which demonstrated a high degree of crossing huculs with domestic breeds, but not Hutsuls for these purposes nevhodnějším breed, "said Dalibor Dostal.
By Miloslav Jirků authenticity is related not only to respect animals. Effect of domesticated horses may lead to different preferences when choosing food, intensive trampling due to the greater weight of the animals, but also smaller animals' resistance to disease and parasites, or need regular adjustment of hooves and assistance with reproduction. "Even half wild herd is the person responsible, so we can not require year-long stay in the wild without human help from animals that are not on such a regime adapted to long-term, "says Miloslav Jirků. Therefore, the researchers chose for the project Return of wild horses from the English Exmoor horses who are still accustomed to living in the wild and even genetic studies have shown that its appearance and color to match the original wild horses of Europe.
Summary of domestic and foreign sources to study the issue summarizes the Wild Horse and aurochs: key species for the formation of the Czech countryside. At its inception, involved scientists from the Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Charles University and the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Academy of Sciences.
Source: Ekolist.cz
