The Altai is a horse

Horse

The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...

 breed developed in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia.

Characteristics

The Altai has a head with a slightly dished profile, set on a relatively short neck. They have a strong back, a well-developed croup, and short cannon bones

Equine forelimb anatomy

The equine forelimb of the horse is attached to the trunk of the animal by purely muscular connections...

. They stand an average of 13.2 - 13.3 hands high, and their coat colors are chestnut

Chestnut (coat)

Chestnut is a hair coat color of horses consisting of a reddish-to-brown coat with a mane and tail the same or lighter in color than the coat. Genetically and visually, chestnut is characterized by the absolute absence of true black hairs...

, bay, black

Black (horse)

Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...

, gray

Gray (horse)

Gray or grey is a coat color of horses characterized by progressive silvering of the colored hairs of the coat. Most gray horses have black skin and dark eyes; unlike many depigmentation genes, gray does not affect skin or eye color Their adult hair coat is white, dappled, or white intermingled...

, and sometimes leopard spotted.

Crossing Altais with other breeds usually results in larger, stronger horses that still retain the healthiness and easy management of the Altai. In the past, the Altai has been crossed with Lithuanian, Russian

Russian Heavy Draft

The Russian Heavy Draft is a draft horse developed in the Soviet Union, that was officially registered in 1952.- Characteristics :The Russian Heavy Draft is usually short and muscular, with thick manes and tails and legs that are lightly feathered. This breed is known for having excellent traction...

, and Soviet Heavy Draft

Soviet Heavy Draft

The Soviet Heavy Draft is a breed of draft horse, originating in Russia at the end of the 19th century. The modern breed became established by the 1940s.-History:...

 horses.

Breed history

The Altai has been influenced significantly by the harsh climate in which it was developed and the need for survival on only year-round pasture grazing. They were bred for the characteristics most needed by the mountain tribesmen and nomads, including strong cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular and skeletal systems

Horse anatomy

Equine anatomy refers to the gross and microscopic anatomy of horses and other equids, including donkeys, and zebras. While all anatomical features of equids are described in the same terms as for other animals by the International Committee on Veterinary Gross Anatomical Nomenclature in the book...

. They are also surefooted over steep mountain trails.