The Gotland Pony has lived in the wild for centuries, and possibly for millenniums, which has made them very sturdy animals. They are known for their stamina, which enables them to trot for days on end. Gotlands average 11.2 to 13 hands at the withers. They have a light and elegant conformation, with pronounced withers, a long back, and a sloping croup. The Gotland s legs are very strong with hard feed.
Common colors are dun and bay, although all colors are possible.
For a Gotland to be pedigreed, it must not be albino, roan or piebald. Known as the Russ in Swedish, the Gotland Pony has made its home on the Lojsta moor on the island of Gotland for thousands of years. They are believed to be of the same type from which fossil remains dating to 3000B.C. have been found. Pony comes from a legal document from the 13th century, which mentions the wild horses of Gotland. Starting in the mid-19th century, many Gotland Ponies were sold to countries such as England, Germany and Belgium where they were used for mining and other hard labor.