 = Sorraia = 
 
 The Sorraia is a rare breed of horse indigenous to the portion of the Iberian peninsula , in the Sorraia River basin , in Portugal . The Sorraia is known for its primitive features , including a convex profile and dun coloring with primitive markings . Concerning its origins , a theory has been advanced by some authors that the Sorraia is a descendant of primitive horses belonging to the naturally occurring wild fauna of Southern Iberia . Studies are currently ongoing to discover the relationship between the Sorraia and various wild horse types , as well as its relationship with other breeds from the Iberian Peninsula and Northern Africa . 
 Members of the breed are small , but <unk> and well @-@ adapted to harsh conditions . They were occasionally captured and used by native farmers for centuries , and a remnant population of these nearly extinct horses was discovered by a Portuguese zoologist in the early 20th century . Today , the Sorraia has become the focus of preservation efforts , with European scientists leading the way and enthusiasts from several countries forming projects and establishing herds to assist in the re @-@ establishment of this breed from its current endangered status . 
 
 = = Characteristics = = 
 
 The Sorraia breed stands between 14 @.@ 1 and 14 @.@ 3 hands ( 57 and 59 inches , 145 and 150 cm ) high , although some individuals are as small as 12 @.@ 3 hands ( 51 inches , 130 cm ) The head tends to be large , the profile convex , and the ears long . The neck is slender and long , the <unk> high , and the <unk> slightly sloping . The legs are strong , with long <unk> and well @-@ <unk> hooves . These horses have good endurance and are easy keepers , thriving on relatively little <unk> . They have a reputation for being independent of temperament , but <unk> . 
 On adult horses , the lay of the hair can create the appearance of stripes or " barring " on the neck and chest . Also due to the lay of the hair , newborn foals can appear to have stripes all over , reminiscent of zebra stripes . The breed standard refers to this as " hair stroke " . 
 
 = = = Color = = = 
 
 Sorraia are generally dun or a dun variation called <unk> . Dun coloring includes primitive markings such as a black dorsal stripe , black tipped ears , horizontal <unk> on the legs and a dark muzzle area . The dark muzzle area is in contrast to some other dun @-@ colored horse breeds , who have light @-@ colored muzzle areas and <unk> , possibly due to the presence of <unk> genetics . Sorraia horses have bi @-@ colored <unk> and tails with lighter colored hairs that fringe the outside of the longer growing black hair . This is a characteristic shared with other predominantly dun @-@ colored breeds , such as the <unk> horse . <unk> Sorraia occasionally have white markings , although they are rare and <unk> by the breed 's studbook . 
 
 = = <unk> = = 
 
 The relationship between the Sorraia and other breeds remains largely undetermined , as is its relationship to the wild horse subspecies , the Tarpan and the Przewalski 's Horse . The Sorraia originally developed in the southern part of the Iberian <unk> d 'Andrade hypothesized that the Sorraia would be the ancestor of the Southern Iberian breeds . <unk> , scientists place the Sorraia as closely related to the <unk> and the <unk> , but genetic studies using mitochondrial DNA show that the Sorraia forms a cluster that is largely separated from most Iberian breeds . Some evidence links this cluster with <unk> and domestic Mongolian horses . At the same time , one of the maternal lineages is shared with the <unk> . Genetic evidence has not supported an hypothesis that the Sorraia is related to the <unk> horse , an African breed introduced to Iberia by the Moors . 
 Multiple authors have suggested that the Sorraia might be a descendant of the Tarpan based on shared morphological features , principally the typical color of its coat . Other authors simply state that the Sorraia has " evident primitive characteristics " , although they do not refer to a specific ancestor . However , there have been no genetic studies comparing the Sorraia with the Tarpan , and similarity of external morphology is an unreliable measure of <unk> . 
 Genetic studies to date have been inconclusive about the closest relative of the Sorraia . On one hand , studies using mitochondrial DNA showed a relationship with the Przewalski 's Horse , in that Przewalski 's Horse has a unique <unk> ( <unk> ) not found in domestic horses , which differs by just one single nucleotide from one of the major Sorraia <unk> ( <unk> , later <unk> ) . In comparison , genetic distances within the domestic horse are as large as 11 nucleotide differences . However , this relationship with the Przewalski 's Horse was contradicted in another study using <unk> data that showed that the genetic distance between the <unk> 's Horse and the Sorraia was the largest . Such conflicting results can arise when a population passes through a genetic bottleneck , and evidence suggests that the Sorraia , among other rare breeds , has recently passed through a bottleneck , effectively obscuring the position of this breed in the family tree of the domestic horse . Thus , the morphological , physiological , and cultural characteristics of the Sorraia are the subject of continued study to better understand the relationship between various Iberian horse breeds and wild horse subspecies . 
 
 = = History = = 
 
 Although it is known that the Sorraia developed in the southern part of the Iberian peninsula , the breed was isolated and unknown to science until the 20th century . Despite the lack of documentation , attempts have been made to reconstruct its history . <unk> parietal art images in the region depict <unk> with a distinct likeness to the Sorraia , with similar zebra @-@ like markings . Analysis of mtDNA has been performed on Mustangs in the western United States that show similar mtDNA patterns between some Mustangs and the Sorraia breed . Spanish conquistadors took Iberian horses , some of whom closely resembled the modern @-@ day Sorraia , to the Americas in their conquests , probably as pack animals . <unk> between the Sorraia and several North and South American breeds are shown in the dun and <unk> coloring and various physical characteristics . This evidence suggests that the Sorraia , their ancestors , or other horses with similar features , may have had a long history in the Iberian region and a role in the creation of American breeds . 
 Otherwise , the Sorraia breed was lost to history until 1920 , when Portuguese zoologist and paleontologist Dr. Ruy d 'Andrade first encountered the Sorraia horse during a hunting trip in the Portuguese lowlands . This remnant herd of primitive horses had continued to live a wild existence in these lowlands , which were rather inaccessible and had been used as a hunting preserve by Portuguese royalty until the early 1900s . At the time of d 'Andrade 's initial meeting the breed , the horses were ill @-@ regarded by native farmers , although they were considered <unk> native fauna that lived off of the <unk> lands and salt marshes in the local river valleys . For centuries , peasant farmers of the area would occasionally capture the horses and use them for agricultural work , including <unk> grain and herding bulls . 
 In the 1920s and 1930s , as mechanization became more prevalent , both wild and domesticated breeding stock diminished to almost nothing , and d 'Andrade , along with his son Fernando , encouraged the conservation of the breed . In 1937 , d 'Andrade began a small herd of his own with five stallions and seven mares from horses obtained near <unk> , Portugal . All <unk> currently in captivity descend from these original horses obtained by d 'Andrade , and it is believed that the remnant wild herds of the breed died out soon after . These horses were kept in a habitat similar to their native one . In 1975 , two other farms took up the Sorraia 's cause and acquired small herds to help with conservation . In 1976 , three stallions and three mares were imported to Germany from Portugal to begin a sub @-@ population there . In March 2004 , a small breeding herd of Sorraia horses was released on the estate of a private land owner who dedicated a portion of his property so that these horses could live completely wild , as did their ancestors . The refuge created for them is in the Vale de <unk> region of south western Portugal , one of places so named because this is where the Sorraia 's predecessors dwelt . 
 Two Sorraia stallions were imported to the United States in the early 21st century . In 2006 , another Sorraia stallion was imported to Canada where a Sorraia Mustang Preserve has been established on <unk> Island in Ontario . <unk> to existing preservation efforts which work in conjunction with the Sorraia Mustang <unk> , another project by a consortium of <unk> in the United States is attempting to establish a separate network and studbook . These <unk> have gathered Spanish Mustangs that through mtDNA testing show a genetic relationship with the Sorraia and are breeding them according to both <unk> and phenotype in an attempt to help preserve what they are calling the " American Sorraia " . 
 Today , the breed is nearly extinct , with fewer than 200 horses existing as of 2007 , including around 80 breeding mares . The Food and Agriculture Organization considers it to be maintaining critical risk status . The first studbook was published in 2004 , dedicated to maintaining a written record of the <unk> of the Sorraia . <unk> are present mainly in Portugal , with a small population in Germany . While not bred for a specific use , the Sorraia horses are versatile and have been used in herding bulls , <unk> riding and light <unk> . 
 
 = = = Naming = = = 
 
 Dr. Ruy d 'Andrade gave the breed their name of " Sorraia " . D 'Andrade took the name from the Sorraia River in Portugal . The breed had previously been known by the local Portuguese as " <unk> " or " zebra " , due to their markings . In the time of Christopher Columbus , the Sorraia was also known as the Marismeño , but the Sorraia and the Marismeño have evolved into two different breeds over time . Today , the name Marismeño refers to a population of <unk> horses living in <unk> Natural Park in Spain . 
 
 