There's always a debate about whether or not this breed is the Basuto Pony or the Basuto Horse. And though it's small, the Basuto is not a pony. Why? Because its temperament and conformation make it a horse. A pony's body length will exceed its height at the withers, and this is not the case for the stocky and somewhat stout Basuto Horse.

The Basuto boasts a large and heavy head atop its long and somewhat slender neck. The hindquarters are muscular and its short legs are tough with hard hooves making it perfect for the hilly terrain of the area. The horse is usually chestnut, brown, bay or gray and will sometimes display white markings. The Basuto is also known for having straight shoulders, which would make it a good choice as a harness horse.

That said, the Basuto is used mostly for saddle riding, trekking, and as a a popular polo horse in southern Africa. After years of racing through the rocky hills of Lesotho, the region formally known as Basutoland, the Basuto has developed into a surefooted and confident horse capable of speed and agility.

The Basuto hails from Lesotho, but its roots go much further. Horses first came to South Africa with the Dutch East India Trading Company in 1653. The breeds are unknown, but they're believed to be Arabian and Barb descendants brought from the Island of Java. These horses were the original founders of the Cape Horse and the Basuto, which can be specifically dated as a breed from about 1830.

Over the years, the Cape Horse was refined with injections of Thoroughbred and Arabian blood, but the Basuto remained stockier. The breed went into decline after massive exportation to other African countries and decimation during the Boer Wars, but there are ongoing efforts to reestablish the breed through strict and properly recorded breeding practices.

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Basuto - Horses for Sale