- Brumby -

Brumbies are feral horses that originated from Australia. They were developed from domestic horses that either escaped or were abandoned around the time of the Australian Gold Rush of 1851. The Brumby is the backbone of a number of different horse types, all of which are feral. They are also likely to include descendants of the Waler Horse, Stock Horses, Anglo-Arabs, Percherons, and some pony breeds, all of which have been interbred.

Because of this background, Brumbies do no have any startlingly uniform characteristics, and vary to the extremes in appearance. The Brumbies naturally formed into herds, and though an extensive amount of breeding and interbreeding, their numbers were dramatically increased, which had a negative effect on farming and agriculture.

This little horse had become so well adapted to the harsh, arid climate and environment of Australia that they were surviving, and unfortunately for the people, thriving at the expense of many native Australian flora and fauna. The fact that they were ruining so many plants became very evident during the drought season. Finally, in the 1960's, systematic and excessive culling was introduced, nearly wiping out the entire Brumby breed.

The barbaric culling, which was carried out using rifles from a helicopter, often resulted in horrific injuries instead of immediate death. This horrendous act produced an international outcry. The numbers of the Brumby breeds are now greatly reduced, but it is still necessary to control the amount of horses. Methods for this purpose have been the subject of great debate.

Unfortunately, the Brumby is virtually useless as a riding horse. This does not help their case with the people. They are, like any other feral animal, incredibly difficult to capture and especially to tame. They have rebellious, willful natures, and because there is no shortage of excellent riding horses in the Stock Horse, the Brumby's use is unnecessary. As they became feral again during the 19th century, their physical characteristics gradually altered as they adapted to life in the wilderness. They naturally became smaller, faster, and much, much more cunning than your usual domestic horse. They are not only enduring, but also extremely tough.

Brumby horses have various conformations, but usually they have heavy heads with short necks and backs, straight shoulders, loping quarters, and strong legs. Their shape is usually pretty poor, although your occasional horse will have some quality, which is a throwback to their Thoroughbred ancestry. This quality usually shows up in the head or face shape. These horses can be any color, and although they tend to be small, their height varies. They stand anywhere between 14 and 15 hands high, but your occasional horse will stand over 15 hands high.

Return to Horse Breeds page