Horse
Pronunciation:
ah-drah-VEE-dah
Breed Description:
The Andravida breed of horse was developed in Greece early in the 20th century, although its ancestry is very old. It is also called the "Ilia" (from the region from which it comes), the "Eleia", or the "Greek horse". It is a light draft breed, suitable for riding. The Andravida breed of horse is now nearly extinct, although a herdbook was established in 1995 when the sire Pegasus produced fifty healthy offspring which were dispersed to breeders throughout western Greece to provide a foundation. Today fanciers in Greece still work to save the breed. The Andravida breed of horse is a large horse. Its heavy musculature, deep chest and strong legs define it as a draft horse, but it has traditionally been used for riding as well, particularly as a cavalry horse. The Andravida breed of horse is usually a dark bay color, although it is occasionally found in chestnut or lighter. Many Andravidas have white markings on their heads, which is acceptable. Today the few Andravidas are sometimes seen in competition, mainly in show jumping and racing.
Height:
Averages from 14.2 to 16 hands, or from 58" to 64" at the withers.
Origin:
The Andravida breed of horse type is first mentioned in the documentation of the horses used in the Athenian cavalry in the 4th century BC. In the 7th century AD it is documented as the breed still commonly used in the Greek cavalry. From the 13th to 15th centuries the Andravida breed of horse was crossed with the Arabian and thus further developed as a cavalry horse. At this time it became popular in the cavalry of the Greek army and that of the French as well.
The Greek army used the Andravida breed of horse as the cavalry horse of choice until the early 20th century. It is believed that the breed faces extinction primarily because custom dictated that it was traditionally bred exclusively in the Ilia region of western Greece, and because the cavalry horse fell out of use with the coming of mechanized military transportation. 