Characteristics
Caspian horses generally stand between 100 to 120 cm (39 to 47 in) tall, although better feeding conditions outside of Iran often result in taller specimens. They have a short, fine head with a pronounced forehead, large eyes and short ears. The muzzle is small and the nostrils large and low on the head. Overall the body is slim and graceful, with sloping shoulders, good withers and a high-set tail. The legs and hooves are strong. Caspians are described by Louise Firouz as kind, intelligent and willing. They are spirited but without meanness, and even stallions can be ridden by children. Their gaits are long, and they occasionally exhibit an ambling "single-foot" gait. Despite their small size, they are good jumpers. Although small, they are morphologically and phenotypically horse-like, and were originally referred to as "miniature horses". Now that the word "miniature" is more usually associated with genetically-constructed 'toy' horses, the term is no longer used to describe the Caspian Horse.
The Caspian Horse is extremely hardy, with strong feet that rarely need shoeing unless consistently working on very hard or stony ground. Great length from hip to hock may be a factor in their incredible jumping ability. The usual colours are bay, grey, black, dun or chestnut. A few have white markings on the head and legs. Interestingly, some lack chestnuts or ergots
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