This is a Gayo horse. The body size of this mammal is smaller than other types of horses in the world. Maybe the size is almost the same as the Sumbawa horse. But much smaller than the American horse.
Gayo horses are another identity of the Gayo highlands, besides coffee. These animals are often included in traditional horse racing competitions, in local cultural events.
The Gayo Horse population, based on research, has continued to decline since the last few years. One of the original Indonesian horse germplasm is even threatened with extinction in 2037.
According to research conducted by the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), the Gayo Horse is a large pony that has a total reproductive tract length of 48.00 approximately 1.00 cm.
Early November 2021, I had the opportunity to see the Gayo Horse looking for food in the area around Lake Laut Tawar. The horses were left by their owners to contemplate the green grass in the area. The horses seemed unperturbed with temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Unlike me, who had to wear a thick jacket to anticipate the cold that day.
Unfortunately, when I visited this area, no Gayo horse racing event was held. Here are some photos of the Gayo Horse that I took around Lake Laut Tawar, Aceh Tengah, on a short adventure to the land above the clouds yesterday:
For the record, the Gayo highlands are on the island of Sumatra, under the administration of the Aceh government.
Tools: Nikon D300s camera
Located: Lut Tawar Lake, Aceh Tengah