The Skypiros saddlehorse is a breed of horse registered under the Skypiros Saddlehorse Stockbook, a stockbook of high-grade riding horses from the Skypiros Isles. It is a riding horse bred for comfort, reliability and friendly temperament. Not usually a performance horse and certainly not made to be a warhorse, the Skypiros saddlehorse has a unique, stretchy and smooth gait that makes it much more comfortable to ride over long distances.
History
Horses were introduced to Skypiros sometime during late Middle History through trade routes. As farmland began to expand with new growth over the many mountains and into the valleys, people needed reliable mounts that could take them on long, arduous journeys while remaining comfortable and easy enough for children and inexperienced riders in the family to handle over rocky terrain. Horses in Skypiros were slowly shaped by these conditions, and in 10,007 SA, a group of passionate horse breeders founded the Skypiros Saddlehorse Stockbook. They sent out fliers across the archipelagos, asking for farmers and nobles alike to bring their best horse stock for inspection and acceptance into the studbook. Today, only the best of the breed are accepted, and these high-quality horses are shipped and exported across the world to wealthy folk who want a smooth ride on a flashy steed.
Description
Skypiros saddlehorses are flashy, tall horses with smooth legs and a sleek coat that gives them a very streamlined appearance. Though many colours exist in their genetic pool, only black or grey (on black) horses are registerable. White markings are allowed, but they should not resemble pinto markings, and horses with excessive white will be rejected from the rigorous studbook.
Breeding goals call for a horse that has a trademark, smooth and elegant walk and trot. This is supported by powerful shoulders and hips, and long legs. The horses usually do not require shoeing, and are not usually shod in Skypiros as breeders take pride in their healthy feet and ability to handle stony, rough terrain. Outside of their home country, many registered horses are shod by owner preference and to accentuate their wealth with flashy, shiny shoes. Their tails must always be docked (a mid-length dock or a short dock are both permitted) and their manes should not be worn long.
Standing between 15 and 16hh, they are not so tall as to prevent small riders from mounting them. They are very quiet in disposition, and hence rarely have the fire or energy to be sporthorses or be effective as courier horses. It makes them fantastic family pets to those who can afford them, and allows for comfort and style while riding sidesaddle or travelling between towns.
Health
Incredibly fit, long-lived horses, the Skypiros Saddlehorse Studblook standards keep the breed healthy and strong, and most horses see ages into their late 30s and early 40s. With strong legs and backs, and well developed muscle, they are not particularly prone to injury and with good care they rarely run into issues.
Value
Standard riding horses can be priced anywhere between 50-75GP in Sedia. Depending on her breeding a fit Skypiros Saddlehorse mare can sell from anywhere between 200-300GP, and a stallion of quality blood can easily sell for 400GP at auction. In Virias, they are known to be priced even higher.
Notable Horses
Birchwood's Filigree
Birchwood's Filigree, also known by her handlers as "Phillis", was the oldest horse known to date under documentation by the
The Starkeepers. A grey mare owned by Birchwood Park Stud in Southern Sedia, she was said to have been 55 years old at the time of her death. She was said to have been fit and healthy at the time she died, and unfortunately died during a freak accident when a pack of roaming dogs spooked her out of her field and into the path of an oncoming train.
Orchid
A grey Skypiros Saddlehorse colt named "Orchid" owned by an unnamed Veridian travelling circus is mentioned multiple times in the childhood diaries and of the 14yo Princess Rhiannon Askell. From records, it appears that she convinced her parents to buy her the horse after seeing him perform in the circus. It seemed she owned the horse until her untimely death at the age of 18yo. Her bereaved mother, unable to look at the horse, released it into the snow where it was never seen again. It is unlikely he survived in the Sedian wilderness, even with his acclimation to the cold in the circius.
Pavlos
A small, black stallion that served in the Skypiros fire response department from 12,980 to 13,010 as a water-carrying steed for 30 years before his retirement. Despite his noble heritage, he was donated from a deceased estate as a 3yo, and proved to be an incredibly loyal, fearless and hard worker. Credited with being incredibly brave, stories tell of Pavlos walking into burning houses carrying bags of water on his back, and then carrying out unconscious victims as well. He is memorialised as a taxidermised mount at The Skypiros Museum of Natural History to this day.
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