Gotland Russ

The Gotland Russ is one of Europe's oldest horse breeds and Sweden's only native pony breed. For more than 6,000 years, the Gotland Russ has been used as a riding and draft horse.

A horse with a long history

The Russes have been present on Gotland since the Stone Age, and even today there are still semi-wild Russes on certain parts of the island. Although most breeding now takes place on the mainland, Gotland is and remains the most important place for the breed. It's here that the Gotland Russ was shaped and became what it is today.

A semi-wild herd remains

The Lojsta moor on Gotland is home to around 50 semi-wild Russes living in a 600-hectare area. The Russes are given hay in the winter, but apart from that they mostly live away from humans. Twice a year, the herd is gathered and their foals are tagged.

Popular riding horse

Most Gotland Russes are kept as normal horses around Sweden. The Gotland Russ is a small but strong and enduring breed. It's a popular family and riding horse as the breed is friendly, intelligent and cooperative. It's also common and very appreciated in harness racing.

Sold to other countries

The Gotland Russ is a Swedish breed found mainly in Sweden, but it can also found in other countries. As early as the Viking Age, the breed was used as a commodity, and during the 19th century, the small Russes were sold to other countries where they were used as draught animals in coal mines.

Quick facts

Food: Grass but also leaves and undergrowth
Weight: About 250 kg
Height: About 115–130 cm at the withers
Young: 1 foal
Lifespan: Often over 20 years

Gotland Russ is no longer an endangered species

Pastures became farmland

Until the 19th century, there were plenty of Russes left on Gotland. In 1859, the land on Gotland began to be redistributed and forest land was turned into arable land. The natural pastures disappeared and the Gotland Russes, who were not welcome on the arable land, drastically reduced in number.

Saved from extinction

Thanks to a handful of enthusiasts, the breed survived on Gotland and without their efforts, the breed would probably have died out completely. Today, there are around 6,000 Gotland Russes and the breed is no longer considered endangered. However, efforts to preserve the breed and its traits are still ongoing. This is done through controlled and coordinated breeding efforts in a so-called gene bank.

The Russes in Slottskogen are valuable

When the Russes were close to disappearing on Gotland, there were some specimens also on the mainland, mainly here in Slottsskogen and at Skansen in Stockholm. These two strains have been of great value to the breed to avoid inbreeding. The first Gotland Russes came to Slottsskogen in 1923. The park has one of Sweden's oldest studbooks of the breed.

Why is it important to preserve different breeds?

The more diverse breeds with different traits we have, the better equipped we are to face changes and challenges in the future. This reduces the risk of harms such as the spread of diseases or eradications due to environmental changes.

The disappearance of old native breeds is common all over the world. In Sweden, the environmental objective "A rich agricultural landscape" states that we should ensure the long-term preservation of our breeds.

During the summer, you can try riding our horses at the Children's zoo.