The Tokara Horse is a small and light horse that comes from Japan. It has a large head that is disproportionate to the rest of its body, a wide top, strong hooves, narrow legs and a mane that is very long and thick. All of these physical characteristics give this horse a very unique profile. The breed is commonly chestnut, bay, roan, brown or cremello in color. You will sometimes see white marking on their legs and face and you almost always see a white stripe on their back.

The Tokara Horse is good natured and can adapt well to different environments. They are renowned for their ability to survive with very minimal amounts of food and in extremely harsh weather. Although they are very well suited for riding, these horses can also undertake a wide range of other tasks. They are often used for farming, cart work, and for processing sugarcane.

In the late nineteenth century, 24 native horses were brought from Kikai Shima to Kyushu. The Tokara Horse is the descendant of these 24 horses. It was bred on Tokara Island in Japan and used to be very common throughout the Kagashima area. Unfortunately, the Second World War resulted in a significant decrease in their numbers and it has taken a major effort to preserve this unique breed. They are very rare.

Back to the Horse Breeds Page         Tokara Breeders - Horses for Sale
Tokara - Horses for Sale