Horses of Skyros
One of the things that Skyros is famous for are the Skyrian horses, which have lived on the island for thousands of years. The preservation of these beautiful animals has been a great success, and the geolocation of the island has played a role in this, due to its virtual isolation away from the other islands of the Sporades.
The horses have lived alone on Skyros and have not mixed with other breeds of horse, meaning that their unique characteristics have remained unchanged for many years. Similar horses where found all over Greece, though over the years, many have lost their characteristics due to them mixing with other breeds.
Throughout the history of Skyros, the horses have played an important role and were used by farmers for threshing.
The horses would often stay in small groups and would roam free around the southern part, while during the spring and summer months, they would head north to the more populated areas of the island.
Today the horses are no longer used for work, and there are plans that have been put in place to assist with their preservation. There has been funding made available by the E.U. to assist with the preservation program.
There are a number of farms on the island that you can visit allowing you to see these beautiful horses up close and in person. The “Mouries Estate” and the “Katsarelia – Simpson Farm” are two such places where you can see the unique Skyrian horses.
Skyrian Horses - Photo Gallery
