The Tolfetano or Cavallo Tolfetano is a breed of horse from the northern part of the

Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region of Italy. It is indigenous to the

Monti della Tolfa The Monti della Tolfa (or Tolfa Mountains) are a volcanic group in the Anti-Apennines of the northern part of the Lazio region of Central Italy. They are bounded by the Tyrrhenian Sea coast to the west, by the Monti Sabatini to the east, and by t ...

range of hills which lie within the Maremma Laziale, and which give the breed its name. The harsh terrain and limited resources of the area are thought to have contributed to the resistant and frugal nature of the breed. The Tolfetano is one of the fifteen indigenous horse "breeds of limited distribution" recognised by the AIA, the Italian breeders' association. At the end of 2008 it was present in 15 Italian provinces, with a total registered population of 1085.

History

The horse is thought to represent the original version of the better known "

Maremmano The Maremmano is a breed of horse originating in the Maremma area of Tuscany and northern Lazio in Italy. Traditionally a hardy working horse used by the ''Butteri'' for livestock management, it is today principally a saddle horse. Extensive cr ...

", before the introduction of

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

blood in the Maremmano breed. According to some the Tolfetano derives from

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

n horses that found their way into

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

following the hordes of

Bulgarian Bulgarian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria * Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group * Bulgarian language, a Slavic language * Bulgarian alphabet * A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria * Bul ...

invaders who accompanied the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the '' History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 an ...

in their conquest of the northern half of Italy. According to others it originated as a mixture of indigenous horses, barb horses and Spanish horses. Whatever the origin the Tolfetano of today is a working horse, the favorite mounts of the local cowboys (called " Butteri" in Italian) in the " Maremma Laziale".

Characteristics

The Tolfetano's physique is stockier than its Maremmano cousin and is well-suited to carry weight. Most Tolfetanos stand to and have a

cannon bone Good conformation in the limbs leads to improved movement and decreased likelihood of injuries. Large differences in bone structure and size can be found in horses used for different activities, but correct conformation remains relatively simil ...

circumference of .

References

External links

Tolfetano national Horse Society

Tolfetano Horse Association

Tolfetano Stallion
Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Italy {{Horse-breed-stub

History

Characteristics

See also

References

External links