Sicilian wild horses

 

 

They are called "Sanfratellani" for San Fratello, a town at the foot of the Nebrodi Mountains in eastern Sicily. 

 

The "Sanfratellano" horse is identified now the province of Messina.

 

In winter and spring, this is one of Sicily's greener regions, a rugged landscape of seasonal streams, high woodlands and grasslands. The perfect place for grazing.

 

 

 

 

These horses are quite versatile, adapting well to a variety of climates and conditions.

 

Adults are robust, with an average withers height of around 158 centimetres.

 

There are two types of Sicilian horses, those from the east are of a higher quality and lighter than the inland types, which are in turn slightly more robust.

 

But are they "wild horses" in the truest sense? Perhaps not in the way that American mustangs are wild. In the realm of conjecture, however, we may observe that the Sanfratellano could live quite comfortably in Sicily were its island uninhabited by man. That could be said of many creatures.