Dulmen Horse

The origin of Dulmen Horse is recorded to be in Westphalia, West Germany. The Dulmen is one of the two native pony breeds of Germany. The other was the Senner pony which is now extinct. Both these ponies contributed to the ancestry of the Hanoverian horse. In captivity, it can easily reach 30 years of age. In the following account, you will find plenty of information about this pony.

History of Dulmen Horse

Dulmen’s horse is a pony. Dulmen Pony is the only native pony that has existed to date. The other German pony breed was known to be the Senner pony of the Teutoburg Forest but today, it is considered extinct. The Dulmen is an extremely old breed that was found in the neighborhood of the town of Meerfelder Bruch. It was also found in the area where the presence of ponies has been recognized since the early part of the 14th century. It is not known when the exact origin of this breed took place, although it is expected to have developed from primordial horses and carries some ancient characteristics to date.

The wild herds all across Westphalia were inhabited by these ponies. It was during the 19th century when land witnessed division and separation and the ponies began to lose their natural habitat. Only one wild herd is reported to be left at present. The Duke of Croy owns it and it keeps roaming in around 860 acres of the Meerfelder Bruch. The Dukes of Croy and the Dulmen Pony are known to have a long relationship. The Dukes first helped the herd back in the middle of the 19th century. Surrounded by the Meerfelder Bruch acreage there is a broad variety of diminutive habitats that range from woodland to open moorland.

Physique and Height of Dulmen Pony

In terms of height, it stands at about 12.3hh. You can find Dulmen ponies in almost all colors such as black, brown, and brownish gray which are the most common ones. It has a small square head and tiny ears. Its shoulder is an upright one, short neck, and has poor hindquarters.

The temperament of Dulmen Horse

Dulmen is a self-reliant and hardy pony that possesses great stamina. It is sharp and proves to be obedient and good-natured when you tame it.

Uses of Dulmen Horse

If you provide proper training to your Dulmen pony, it is a very good pony for children. It easily adapts to city life. As a driving pony also, this breed is very useful and was used for working the land. This pony is capable of maintaining its hardiness, even if it is kept in captivity.

Today, the Dulmen pony is also a vanishing breed. The main herd of a hundred mares runs semi-wild in a reserve on the Meerfelder Bruch in Westphalia, where they are said to have been bred for more than six centuries. The Dulmen Ponies are the property of the Duke of Croy and are no longer purebred though having been outcrossed to imported Polish and British pony stallions.

See more: Calabrese Horse