• The Kiso horse has inhabited Japan for about one thousand years and has in the past been an indispensable aid for farm use, transportation, and power

• Exact origin of the Kiso and other ancient horse breeds of Japan is uncertain. They took their name from the Kiso region of Nagano Prefecture

• They are believed to be descended from either the plateau horses of Central Asia or the Mongolian horses of the grasslands

• The Kiso horse is medium sized, standing about 13 hands high

• During the Meiji Era, Kiso horses were crossbred with many western breeds and the pure stain virtually disappeared

• The breed is being preserved in the region centering on Kaida mura in Kiso County, Nagano Prefecture

• There are today 117 Kiso horses, which are often seen in processions in local festivals

• They are also used as riding horses