Alternative Name
Eleia, Ilia
Basic Info
The most important part of the Andravida's appearance is that it is a large, strong horse. Its height ranges from fourteen to sixteen hands, with most of the horses at the upper end of the scale. It has a deep, muscular breast and powerful legs that make it a useful draft horse. The head is regular with no remarkable characteristics. The coloration is generally shades of brown, with red or blonde being slightly less common. Many of the show horses of the breed have white markings on the head or sides, and these are considered perfectly acceptable.
Health
N/A
Habitat
Western Greece
Behavior
The Greek army continued to use the Andravida as cavalry horses until modern times, with a fresh supply of these horses coming regularly from Ilia. More recently, they have also been used as show horses, particularly in racing, jumping, and showing. The newest development in the history of the Andravida may in fact save the breed from extinction. In the early 90s, the Andravida stallion Pegasus sired nearly fifty healthy colts, which were sent to breeders throughout western Greece. This led to the establishment of the official Andravida herdbook. However, its numbers are still scarce, and the likelihood that the Andravida will pull itself out of extinction is slight.
Origin
Greece
History
The Andravida originates in Greece in the region of Ilia. The Andravida was created from crossing the native stock with Anglo-Norman in the early 20th century. The breed was then bred with Nonius stallions after the 1920s. This breed of horse is almost extinct. Also known as:Eleia, Ilia
Common Foods
grass