Wild Horses on the Giara di Gesturi

The Giara di Gesturi (Sa Jara Manna in Sardanian) is a high plateau in Sardinia and a natural reserve (Parco Regionale della Giara) with wild life and a little extensive pastoral agriculture. Small rocks lie scattered on the flat ground interspersed with Macchia. There are small cork oaks, weather beaten. And now and then you may watch the small wild horses, the cavallini della Giara (Cuaddeddu de sa Jara in Sardinian).

The Giara della Gesturi has an altitude of approximately 550m and is only accessible via a few openings [1]. It's formed by basalt and there are some depressions (paulis in Sadinian) which store water, so wild can thrive throughout the dry summers. You will also find some Nuraghi there; Su Nuraxi di Barumini lies only a few kilometres south of the Giara di Gesturi.

There are about 700 heads of the cavallini della giara (Cuaddeddu de sa Jara in Sardinian). Though they might look like ponies, they are considered as horses. The reason for the small size is thought to be the harsh environment. The origins of this horse type is uncertain, but it is speculated that „it may have been brought into the island of Sardinia by the Phoenicians or by the Greeks in the 5th or 4th century BC“. Today there is nearly no use of the Giara horse by humans. Before the summer drought, the horses are herded together, counted and some of them are used to regulate the population. Some are killed for meat (“serve as meat suppliers”). In 1996 the "XXV Comunità Montana della Giara" was founded torepresent the interests of the wild horses and take care of the conservation of this species.

You will also see cattle on the Giara di Gesturi. At some points they are fed (hay) and the cavallini della Giara also feed there. They even don't fear the bulls (actually not the bulls hot for a fight).

Links and Notes:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giara_di_Gesturi
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giara_horse and https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giara-Pferd


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