Bosnian Mountain Horses

We would love to tell you more about this special horse breed.

Bosnian Mountain Horses

A stable horse in body and mind

Small, strong, and with a fantastic temperament. These are the characteristics of the Bosnian Mountain Horse (BMH). For over 2,000 years, the Bosnian Mountain Horse has served as a transport horse for the people of the Balkans. They are intelligent, have great stamina, and are easy to maintain.

But the horses' biggest secret is hidden deep inside, where these horses look just a little bit different.

Bosnian mountain horse, paardenras, zefanja vermeulen, equinestudies,

BMH

A 'primitive' breed

While researching the disappearing Nugal Ligament Lamellea in horses and equines, Zefanja first learned about the Bosnian Mountain Horse (BMH) in Slovenia. This ancestral horse descends from the Tarpan and is estimated that only 350 horses of this breed are still living in the world. This officially classifies the breed as a “endangered horse.”

IN 2016...

Zefanja met the founder of the BMH studbook in Slovenia. Zefanja was fascinated by his story and wanted to see a BMH on the dissection table to see this breed from the inside out. Of course, that wasn’t easy considering the breed is endangered.

IN 2017...

We were able to travel to Slovenia with a team including Sharon May-Davis and Tanja de Bode.

There they were able to do the dissection on a horse and indeed the BMH turned out to be what we call a ‘primitive breed’.

LATER IN 2017...

Zefanja and Tanja had promised the founder of the studbook that if the BMH was indeed a primitive, they would help him with the breeding program. And so it happened: in November 2017, no fewer than eight Bosnian Mountain Horses came to the Netherlands…

NOWADAYS

In the meantime, Zefanja has already bred many Bosnian Mountain Horses and thus contributed to the preservation of this special breed.

Op dit moment heeft ze acht paarden bij haar thuis staan die studenten leren over de anatomie en biomechanica van paarden.

What makes this breed so special?

We're often asked what makes the Bosnian Mountain Horse (BMH) so unique. The essence lies in their primitive characteristics. They descend directly from the Tarpan, a progenitor horse, and are a mix of Przewalski and Mountain horses.

These horses are very compact and well-built. They have an anatomy that allows for natural and smooth movement. Because of their stable build, you often see that they also have a stable temperament. They communicate clearly and naturally, which we humans can learn a lot from.

Therefore, it is of great value to preserve this breed.

Bosnian mountain horse, paardenras, zefanja vermeulen, equinestudies,

Why have your own breeding farm?

My own breeding farm allows me to let students experience theory directly in practice. They can sense a healthy system and see correct movement in all stages of the horse’s life, from foal to adult. It’s a unique, living learning experience that is incredibly valuable for the students.

– Zefanja Vermeulen

Why have your own breeding farm?

My own breeding farm allows me to let students experience theory directly in practice. They can sense a healthy system and see correct movement in all stages of the horse’s life, from foal to adult. It’s a unique, living learning experience that is incredibly valuable for the students.

– Zefanja Vermeulen

Bosnian mountain horse, paardenras, zefanja vermeulen, equinestudies,

Podcast about Mrki

This podcast features the remarkable Bosnian Mountain Horse, Mrki.

Mrki is more than just a horse; he's the herd's "uncle." He can sense when something's wrong with one of the horses and takes care of them accordingly.

In the podcast, Zefanja shares more about her philosophy on horse ownership and what she does with her horses. Curious about Mrki's story and how her horses live? Then be sure to listen to this episode!