island horse island horse island pony type small feral horse found island coast nova_scotia canada small type pony sized horse horse ancestors usually dark color horses released island late eighteenth century soon feral additional horses later transported improve herd breeding stock rounded private use sale slaughter 1950s placed danger extinction canadian government protected horses law feral state 1980s long term herd studies performed genetic analysis conducted concluded herd genetically unique interest horses declared official horse nova_scotia island declared herd legally protected interference humans horses live wildlife park mainland nova scotia herd descended horses removed 1950s characteristics horses remain feral generally stand hands inches males island average kilograms females kilograms available food island limits size offspring horses removed island fed generally larger physically horses resemble spanish horses arched sloping overall short short allow easily sandy rough ground island horses coats tails especially winter tail low set coats dark colours white markings half bays rest distributed chestnut black island horses natural prior protection kept use humans horses known sure island horses feral horse population entirely subject kind interference research considered herd conducted herd numbers animals numbers changing based weather severity population split numerous smaller ranging number ranging approximately square kilometres lack predators older horses die starvation teeth worn lifetime exposure sand tough grass lack food island limits horses size offspring removed island raised better significantly larger history narrow crescent shaped island located approximately kilometres southeast nova scotia kilometres long covered sand dunes grasses bird species plant species found island addition herd feral horses known inhabitants popular legends claim horses swam ashore island introduced 16th century portuguese explorers supported historical genetic evidence reality horses deliberately introduced island 18th century recorded horses brought boston clergyman reverend stolen passing present day horses thought historians scientists descended horses seized british expulsion horses shipments french horses including members norman breeds later crossed horses new_england including spanish boston merchant purchased horses transported island pasture referred small size horse ancestry composed solely horses government nova_scotia established station workers trained horses haul supplies rescue equipment staff recorded stallion taken probably similar type original horses released island horse island identified historic records known survived island breeding stock probably including horses breeding sent island half 19th century hopes improving type horses found island raising price sold mainland 19th early 20th centuries horses periodically rounded kept transported mainland sold frequently slaughter meat primarily dog food late 1950s island horses danger extinction public campaign begun school children save horses canadian shipping act canadian government declared horses fully protected longer able rounded sold law requires people receive written permission feeding interfering having horses island study preservation beginning mid-1980s long term studies begun horses living island documented histories genetic analysis herd performed concluded horses genetically similar light draft breeds found eastern mainland canada differences probably created natural selection genetic drift researchers stated horses genetically diverged breeds deserve special attention conservation interest groups loss island horses damaging genetic diversity canadian horse population loss breed genetic erosion possibility population small number horses study mitochondrial dna published horse found genetically diverse horse populations studied included horse pony breeds feral populations north_america europe study stated horses threat low numbers excessive extreme weather global warming nova scotia legislature declared island horse provincial symbols making official horse nova scotia canadian government created allows protection island horses aside island island horses live wildlife park nova scotia maintains descendants island removed island 1950s
Sable Island horse