Albanians are a small and stocky breed of horse, ideal for long distance uses and their origin can be traced to the Balkan peninsula. There are actually two types of Albanian horse, the Mountain breed and the Plains breed (also known as the Myzeqea). There are a few differences between the two varieties, but the Albanians have been heavily interbred, so there is little means for distinction between the two.

The small stocky stature of the Albanian horse has made it perfect for endurance applications, and navigating difficult terrain. Historically, this has made the Albanian a preferred choice for transportation - ideally for pulling a wagon or carriage.

The Albanian horse breed has been targeted by horse breeders, and mixed with several other breeds of horses in an attempt to improve the horse’s usefulness for agriculture related applications.

Common coat colors for the Albanian include chestnut, black and gray. The mountain Albanian typically stands at about 12.2 hands and the plains Albanian stands at about 13.2 hands.

Below is a video of Robin Hanbury-Tenison with his Albanian horse:

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