Letea forest horse - Equus ferus f. caballus

Letea forest horse refers to a population of feral horse found in and around Letea Forest, located in the Danube Delta, between the Sulina and Chilia branches of Danube.

This horsebreed is currently a topic of discussion. In 2002, some of these horses were captured and transported to Italy and slaughtered. Some organizations objected the removal, holding that the horses had value in being adapted to the location and possessing natural social behavior. Another push for removal and slaughter began in 2009, but horses cannot be currently removed from the area because a number of animals carry equine infectious anemia. Therefore, according to Romanian regulation, they are not allowed to be taken out of the quarantine area. Currently, there is an ongoing project, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature, seeking to find a way to remove these horses. While some organizations object to total removal and advocate for some animals to remain, others are attempting to find a different preserve for the horses to liverelated to transportation to slaughterhouses. Scientist are discussing the possibilities that these horses are in fact not feral but wild breeds. More research has to be done to get a clear answer.

It is apparent that the Letea forest horse represents an autochtonous horse or ecotype, perfectly adapted to the local circumstances showing wild natural behaviour.

Their overal coat colors (bay and black) conform to the study carried out by Ludwig et al (2009) and to the coat colors of other primitive horse breeds like the Exmoor, Garrano, Pottoko, Retuerta, Hucul (Hutzul). Within the horse also some agauti gene can be seen expressed in a lighter muzzle in certain individuals.

Recent research confirmed that the horses are related to the Hucul family to some extend. Eastern influences are to be expected as well, since the Danube Delta borders the Budjak steppe. The Budjak steppe is the western most extention of the central Asian steppe complex and untill the 12th century AD, Kulans (clearly Asiatic) were present on those steppes as well. In dry times, it is to be expected that herds of animals migrated to or found refuge in the Danube delta complex.

Letea horses foraging

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The total population is somewhere between 4000 and 5000 animals, which makes the population genetically viable.

Sources like Sebastian Münster in the 16th century and David Fröhlich in the 17th century give descriptions of wild horses in Romania, with long manes. This means they should not be confused with the Tarpan of the Ukrainian steppes as described by Gmelini. The Tarpan in 18th and 19th century sources is described as a transitional animal between the Takhi and feralized horses or some other form of horses.

Herd of Letea horses

It is apparent that the Letea forest horse represents an ecotype that is more ancient than 1989. Before 1989, the Letea horses lived in a semi-feral state, just like the Exmoor pony, Pottoka, Garrano,etcetera. The villagers took horses when needed. They were dedomesticated to a fairly large extend to begin with and have been further dedomesticated since the last 22 years. Even a Turkish map from the 18th century talks about wild horses in the same region.

The Romanian Authorities do not recognize the worth of the Letea horse and seem to be bend on removing the horse ecotype out of the region.

• Letea wild horses
  website describing the threats of horses being transported and sold for meat production

• Mustangs
• About colours and manes

• Legal aspects of (Re-)introduction of large herbivores

• Large herbivores on the move
• Status report 2007 of the large herbivores of the palaeartic