Pottoks are small horses,
similar to the wild horses you can see painted on the walls of the Magdalenian
Caves in the Dordogne. They always used to live freely in the hills of the Basque country,
either side of the Pyrenees . After a lot of cross-breeding, aimed at increasing their value,
they were at grave risk of becoming genetically polluted. A handful of breeders got together
to form the 'Association Nationale du Pottok de type originel' ( the 'National Association
for the original Pottok type') and they made an inventory of all animals that conformed to
the ancient type (about 100 mares and only 2 stallions).
By an amazing chance, a 26 year-old stallion was found, you could say
hidden away, on the 'Ferme Conservatoire.' The Pottok breeders recognised him as one of the
best stallions of the type and, what is more, he carried a store of 26 year-old genes. A mare
was bought by the 'Conservatoire des Races d'Aquitaine', in order to try to propagate, and
the stallion was loaned to the Basque country for a mating season. Today, that stallion has
5 male descendants.