Bardigiano
| Bardigiano | |
|---|---|
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| Important data | |
| Origin: | Northern Italy |
| Main breeding area: | Italy |
| Distribution: | low |
| Stick measure : | 135-149 cm |
| Colors : | Black horses, dark browns and browns |
| Main application area: | Pack horses and draft horses, tourism (trekking), meat production, riding horses, agricultural work |
The Bardigiano is a mountain horse from the northern Apennines, which got its name from the town of Bardi in the upper Ceno valley .
Background information on horse evaluation and breeding can be found under: Exterior , interior and horse breeding .
Exterior
The Bardigiano has a small head with a straight profile or a slight pike head, small pointed ears, wide-set eyes, large nostrils and a thick head on a strong, well-formed neck, which often has a thick mane on both sides. The shoulders are short and steep, the chest broad and deep. The flat withers goes into a strong, broad and medium-long back, above which a beautifully arched, muscular and broad croup with a deep, lush tail follows. The short, strong and dry limbs stand on large, very hard, black hooves .
The breed-typical color of the Bardigiano goes over the color brown (baio), from light brown (baio ordinario) to almost black (morello maltinto). However, a dark brown (baio oscuro) is preferred for both mares and stallions.
For the entry in the stud book, mares with a height of 135–147 cm are permitted, the stallions must be 140–149 cm.
interior
The Bardigiano is considered a friendly and good-natured but still lively horse. As is typical for mountain horses, the Bardigiano is persistent and fearless, and also very docile.
Breeding history
These mountain horses are native to Italy in the northern Apennines . They got their name after the town of Bardi in the upper Ceno valley. In the times of the Great Migration , Belgian horses are said to have come to northern Italy (Bardi), which are said to form the basis of the breed. The Bardigiano is probably also related to the Avelignese . Later the breed was refined by crossing with an Arabian stallion, the offspring are called Bardarab. This breeding program has now ended.
During the two world wars, the Bardigiani were used to breed mules and Haflinger stallions were crossed, so that hardly any pure-bred foals were born. This significantly reduced the inventory. After the Second World War, other horse breeds were increasingly crossed. This turned out to be a mistake as the breed lost its distinctive looks and strengths. In 1972 a committee for the preservation of the breed was formed and finally managed to breed the old type again. Today the Bardigiani can be found in the area around Parma , in part of Tuscany and in the mountains of Emilia, Liguria and Corsica . In Parma there is also the regional association of breeders, Associazione Provinciale Allevatori , which manages the stud book established in 1977. The stud book was founded after a decree of the then Minister of Agriculture Senator Marcora, whose son is now chairman of the Bardigiano breed association.
While around 180 Bardigiani live in Germany (as of August 2013), around 3300 horses of the breed are listed in Italy as of November 2004. In the Italian Breeding Association, 1650 mares, 120 stallions and 750 one to two year olds are listed among the 650 breeders.
