Animals

The Bardigiano is a mid-sized pony breed, developed from Middle Ages Gaulish war ponies. A good all-purpose breed, these ponies have performed in areas that range from farm work to competitive driving to riding. Development in the Italian mountains produced a robust, hardy breed. They are also used extensively for pony trekking.

The Bardigiano is based on ancient stock and is probably related to the Abellinum breed of Roman times, to which the Haflinger and Avelignese can also be attributed.

The Bardigiano developed over the years in the Northern Appenine region of Italy, and is especially adapted to its rough mountainous habitat. The breed is mostly bay, black or brown and stand up to 13 hands high.

Bardigianos are useful and attractive ponies and, as with all mountain breeds, they are very tough and enduring, as well as extremely sure-footed. The have good, quiet temperaments, making them excellent for trekking and as children’s ponies.

Due to their robust frame and build, they are also suitable for farm work, light draft work and for packing.

In appearance they have fine pony heads of oriental type, with intelligent eyes and alert ears. They are very muscular through the neck, which is thickset and arched, and has an abundance of mane.
The shoulders can be upright, but are immensely powerful. They have short backs, with rounded barrels and muscular hindquarters. Their legs are generally short and strong with broad joints, short cannon bones, and very hard hooves. They are mostly bay in color, but can also be black or brown, with minimal white markings. These ponies can stand up to 13 hh.