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{{Short description|Indian breed of horse}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox horse 
| name          = Zaniskari 
| image         = 
| image_caption = 
| altname       = {{ubl|Zanskari{{r|ncre}}|Zaskari{{r|edwards|page=197}}|Zanaskari{{r|dad}}|Jhanskar}}
| country       = India
| distribution  = [[Zanskar]] valley of [[Ladakh]]
| use           = {{ubl|[[pack-horse]]|[[riding horse|riding]]|[[polo]]}}
| status        = {{ubl|{{nobreak|[[FAO]] (2007): not at risk{{r|barb|page=61}}}}|[[DAD-IS]] (2022): at risk{{r|dad}}}}
| standard      = [https://web.archive.org/web/20180601000940/http://www.horseindian.com/Zanskari.htm Indigenous Horse Society of India]
| height        = {{ubl|Range: 110–140 cm|Average: 126 cm{{r|agr|page=53}}}}
| weight        = 
| colour        = {{ubl|[[grey (horse)|grey]]|[[bay (horse)|bay]]|brown|[[black (horse)|black]]|[[chestnut (coat)|chestnut]]}}
| note= 
}}

[[File:Zaniskari Horse in Jammu and kashmir.jpg|thumb|Carrying packs of potatoes near the [[Zanskar River]]]]
The '''Zaniskari''' or '''Zanskari''' is a [[horse breed|breed]] of small mountain horse or [[pony]] from [[Ladakh]] in northern India.{{r|ihsi2}} It is named for the [[Zanskar]] valley or region in [[Kargil district]].{{r|guj}} It is similar to the [[Spiti Horse|Spiti]] breed of [[Himachal Pradesh]], but is better adapted to work at high altitude.{{r|ihsi}} Like the Spiti, it shows similarities to the [[Tibetan pony|Tibetan]] breeds living on the other side of the Himalayas in neighbouring Tibet.{{r|edwards|page=197}} It is of medium size, and is often [[gray (horse)|grey]] in colour. The breed is considered endangered, as there are only a few hundred alive today, and a conservation programme has been started at [[Padum, Zanskar]], in the [[Kargil (district)|Kargil]] district of Ladakh.

== History ==

In 1977 the population of Zaniskari horses was estimated at {{val|15,000|–|20,000}}.{{r|dad}} The breed was listed as "not at risk" by the [[FAO]] in 2007.{{r|barb|page=61}} However, it has been endangered by indiscriminate [[cross-breeding]] with other horses and it is thought that only a few hundred pure-bred animals now remain, mainly in the valleys of Ladakh, including the [[Zanskar Gorge]] from which the breed takes its name.{{r|ncre}} The Animal Husbandry Department of Jammu and Kashmir operates a farm at [[Padum]], Zanskar, for the [[selective breeding|breeding]] and [[conservation (ethic)|conservation]] of the breed.{{r|ncre}} The population has declined rapidly due to mechanisation and to increases in the number of roads in its native area. However, the population did not in 2006 show signs of any significant [[genetic bottleneck]].{{r|behl2|page=199}}

In 2013 there were approximately {{val|9700}} of the horses. In 2022 the [[conservation status]] of the breed was listed in [[DAD-IS]] as "at risk/critical maintained", based on a reported population of {{val|346}} animals.{{r|dad}}

A [[genetic analysis]] of five Indian horse breeds in 2007 found the Zaniskari to be [[genetic distance|close]] to the [[Manipuri pony|Manipuri]], [[Spiti Horse|Spiti]] and [[Bhutia Horse|Bhutia]] breeds, and more distant from the [[Marwari horse|Marwari]].{{r|behl|}} A study of all six Indian breeds in 2014 grouped the Zaniskari with the Bhutia, Manipuri and Spiti breeds, and found it to be most closely related to the Spiti.{{r|gupta}}

== Characteristics ==
The Zaniskari is strong, compact and well built, and is particularly adapted to work in the [[Hypoxia (environmental)|hypoxic]] environment of Ladakh.{{r|guj|page=60}} Height is usually between {{convert|120|and|140|cm|hand|abbr=on|0}};{{r|ncre}} [[thorax|thoracic]] circumference is {{convert|55|-|60|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}} and body length about {{convert|38|-|45|in|cm|order=flip|round=5|abbr=on}}. The most usual [[horse coat colour|coat colour]] is [[gray (horse)|grey]]; [[bay (horse)|bay]], brown, [[black (horse)|black]] and [[chestnut (coat)|chestnut]] also occur.{{r|ihsi2}}

== Use ==
The Zaniskari is particularly adapted to work as a [[pack animal]] in the high altitudes and challenging conditions of its native region, which lies between {{val|3,000|and|5,000|u=m}} above sea level, and where temperatures may reach {{val|-40|u=°C}}. It is strong and sure-footed, and has good stamina.{{r|agr|page=57}} The Indian army in Ladakh uses it as a pack-beast. It is also used for [[riding horse|riding]] and for [[polo]].{{r|agr|page=58}}{{-}}

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
{{reflist|45em|refs=

<ref name=agr>A.K. Gupta, S.N. Tandon, Y. Pal, A. Bhardwaj, M. Chauhan (2012). [http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2673t/i2673t00.pdf Phenotypic characterization of Indian equine breeds: a comparative study]. ''Animal Genetic Resources'' (50): 49–58. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{doi|10.1017/S2078633612000094}}</ref>

<ref name=barb>Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources]{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, annex to [ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1250e/a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{ISBN|9789251057629}}. Accessed June 2015.</ref>

<ref name=behl>Rahul Behl, Jyotsna Behl, Neelam Gupta, S.C. Gupta (2007). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal/article/div-classtitlegenetic-relationships-of-five-indian-horse-breeds-using-microsatellite-markersdiv/82859CBF5BDF016EE2BC48B6EA01909E Genetic relationships of five Indian horse breeds using microsatellite markers]. ''Animal'' '''1''' (4):483–488. {{doi|10.1017/S1751731107694178}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

<ref name=behl2>Rahul Behl, Jyotsna Behl, Neelam Gupta, S.C. Gupta, S.P.S. Ahlawat, Mahesh Ragnekar, Z. Ahmed (2006). [http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.485.6056&rep=rep1&type=pdf Genetic characterization of Zanskari breed of horse]. ''Journal of Genetics'' '''85''' (3): 199-203. {{doi|10.1007/bf02935331}}.</ref>

<ref name=dad>[https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ext-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=IND&specie=Horse&breed=Zaniskari%20Pony&lang=en Breed data sheet: Zaniskari Pony / India (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2023.</ref>

<ref name=edwards>Elwyn Hartley Edwards (1994). ''The Encyclopedia of the Horse''. London; New York; Stuttgart; Moscow: Dorling Kindersley. {{ISBN|0751301159}}.</ref>

<ref name=guj>G. S. Gujral (1996). [https://books.google.com/books?&id=h93aAAAAMAAJ ''Changing Perspectives Of Biodiversity Status In The Himalaya'']. New Delhi: British Council Division, British High Commission. {{ISBN|9788190065108}}.</ref>

<ref name=gupta>A.K. Gupta, Mamta Chauhan, Anuradha Bhardwaj, Neelam Gupta, S.C. Gupta, Yash Pal, S.N. Tandon, R.K. Vijh (2014). [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871141314000821 Comparative genetic diversity analysis among six Indian breeds and English Thoroughbred horses]. ''Livestock Science'' '''163''', May 2014, Pages 1–11. {{doi|10.1016/j.livsci.2014.01.028}} {{subscription required}}.</ref>

<ref name=ihsi>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180803215727/http://horseindian.com/indianhorse.htm About Indian Horses]. Indigenous Horse Society of India. Archived 3 August 2018.</ref>

<ref name=ihsi2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180601000940/http://www.horseindian.com/Zanskari.htm Brief on Zanskari Ponies]. Indigenous Horse Society of India. Archived 1 June 2018.</ref>

<ref name=ncre>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170805003553/http://nrce.nic.in/breeds.php Equines in India: Horses: Zanskari Horse]. Indian Council of Agricultural Research: National Research Centre on Equines. Archived 5 August 2017.</ref>

}}

{{Horse breeds of India|state=expanded}}

[[Category:Fauna of Ladakh]]
[[Category:Horse breeds]]
[[Category:Horse breeds originating in India]]