Yonaguni Town Natural Monument Yonaguni Horse
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- Yonaguni Town Natural Monument Yonaguni Horse
The Yonaguni horse is one of eight kinds of horses native to Japan. They have been designated as protected species in Yonaguni Town. Japanese horses originate from the Mongolian highlands. It is said they had been passed on to Japan through the Korean Peninsula since the Kofun era. In the Ryukyu Kingdom Era, Ryukyu horses were presented as tribute to the Ming Dynasty (China).
Yonaguni horses are small at 110 to 120 centimeters in height. However, they have been useful to carry products and cultivate fields. Their leg muscles are firm and their hooves are strong, so they have no need for horseshoes. Their fur color over their whole body is mostly a reddish-brown called bay. On their backs, the fur has a dark-color stripe from their manes to their tails.
Before the war, horses in Okinawa were helpful for carrying and moving. It is said that there were 47,000 horses in Okinawa at their peak. There were riding grounds made in each village, and it seems there was horse racing annually.
Yonaguni horses are small at 110 to 120 centimeters in height. However, they have been useful to carry products and cultivate fields. Their leg muscles are firm and their hooves are strong, so they have no need for horseshoes. Their fur color over their whole body is mostly a reddish-brown called bay. On their backs, the fur has a dark-color stripe from their manes to their tails.
Before the war, horses in Okinawa were helpful for carrying and moving. It is said that there were 47,000 horses in Okinawa at their peak. There were riding grounds made in each village, and it seems there was horse racing annually.