The Albanian ( sq, Kali Shqiptar, italic=no) is the only indigenous
horse breed in
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...
. It is a small horse, and similar to other
Balkan horses. Two types are distinguished, a mountain type and a lowland type, which may be called "Myzeqeja" after the lowland
Myzeqeja
The Myzeqe (; sq-definite, Myzeqeja; rup, Muzachia) is a plain in the Western Lowlands of Albania. The Myzeqe is the largest and widest plain, measured by area, in the Lowlands.
Location
The Myzeqe plain is a large alluvial plain traversed by t ...
region.
History
Before the
communist era in Albania, the Albanian horse had a good reputation for endurance and stamina. From 1904
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
stock was used for cross-breeding;
Haflinger and
Nonius stock was later used.
Use
The horse was until recently the principal means of transport in the country, which had no tractors: it was thus essential to the national economy. Horses were used by the Albanian military until 1974. The Albanian horse is used almost exclusively in
harness
A harness is a looped restraint or support. Specifically, it may refer to one of the following harness types:
* Bondage harness
* Child harness
* Climbing harness
* Dog harness
* Pet harness
* Five-point harness
* Horse harness
* Parrot harness ...
or as a
pack animal, and only occasionally for
riding.
References
Horse breeds
Horse breeds originating in Albania
{{Horse-breed-stub