[heyheygirl101]

Range Trotters are the result of crossbreeding Orlov Trotters, Finnhorses, Welsh Cobs (section C & D) and Hanoverians. Later crosses of Quarter Horses, Paint and Appaloosas to gain color and to give a boost to their hardiness.With a height average of 13-15 hands, they're a hardy breed with characteristics for various disciplines.

Created for use as work, carriage and leisure riding horses originally, they now serve as long-distance range horses, such as work with Park Rangers and mounted officers.

Willing and eager personalities, most are quickly trained to be bombproof and therefore trusted mounts in all lines of work; some are being seen in local show jumping competitions, others are notably used in therapeutic sessions for their calm temperaments. Harness races and endurance trials are common for the breed, as they are able to sustain an extended trot without tire. Cross-Country competitions see some of the taller Trotters, but due to their cob lineage this is still uncommon.

Despite the variety of competitions and work these horses are being seen in, they are still famously skilled as endurance racers. Many competitors have chosen Range Trotters due to their tireless work ethic, as well as the ease in which they can be trained. Many have become champions in endurance trials, and they have quickly become a sought after breed for their natural ability.

HAPPY EARTH DAY 2024!
This Unicorn is here to help you celebrate and may or may not have some magical properties about them.
To win this Trotter help them decide which extinct species to bring back to life!
(Minimum 50 words, fun facts about the species help the Unicorn make decisions)
End Date: April 30, 2024

Username: Starwindrider
Show Name: NAS Breath of the Wild
Barn Name: Terra

Gender: Mare
Height: 15 hh
Eye Color: Gaia's Blessing (Green & Blue Heterochromia)
Phenotype: Cream Champagne Olive Chaetodon Irish Tobiano w/ Eye Glow
Genotype: ee/aa/CrCr/ChCh/Olvolv/CtCt/Itoito +Eye glow
*Mane & Tail Dye Cannot Pass*
*Painted Hooves Cannot Pass*

[MazBourne]

Username: MazBourne
Show Name: SR Thylacine Garden
Barn Name: Taz
Gender: stallion
Height: 15hh
Halter Color: artists choice please
Prompt: I would absolutely LOVE to have the Thylacine brought back to life (as much as I love Quaggas, I think the tazzy tiger is much more unique as a species and crucial to the Tasmanian eco system). The thylacine is such a unique looking creature and I really do hope somehow there is a small pocket of live tigers somewhere in this world, and if not I would absolutely love to see them brought back to life.

Fun fact - the Thylacine was the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times, and yes, with them being marsupials they had a pouch, though theirs was backwards opening (apparently the males had one too but only partial opening) and their litter size was up to four, which were dependent on their mother until they were at least half the full grown size!

[Starwindrider]

Username: Starwindrider
Show Name: NAS Breath of the Wild
Barn Name: Terra
Gender: Mare
Height: 15hh
Halter Color: Matching her mane
Prompt:
I'd like to propose the baiji, or the Yangtze River Dolphin, native to the Yangtze River in China. It is, to date, the first dolphin species to be driven to extinction by humanity. The last known baiji died in 2002.

The baiji is also culturally significant, especially to local fishermen and boatmen. A tale in Chinese folklore talks about a beautiful young girl who lived with her stepfather on the banks of the Yangtze River. He was evil, and a greedy man out for his own self-interest. One day, he took the girl on a boat, intending to sell her on the market. But she freed herself by plunging into the river, whereupon a big storm came and sank the boat. After the storm had thus settled, people saw a beautiful dolphin swimming – the incarnation of the girl – which became known as the "Goddess of the Yangtze". The baiji, in the region of Yangtze, is regarded as a symbol of peace and prosperity. (From Wikipedia, edited to omit some sections)

I would love to have the baiji brought back to life, because of how important it is to the lives and culture of a group of people. It is also the only species in the Lipotes genus, marking its uniqueness. However, I'd also hope that the Yangtze will be changed into a more habitable area for the baiji, as industrialisation in China was part of the reason why they went extinct.

[odi]

Username: odi
Show Name: ODI Heaven Is A Place On Earth
Barn Name: Gaia
Gender: Mare
Height: 13.1hh
Halter Color: cyan
Prompt: the thylacine has always been very, very special to me. as i've gotten older, my interest has only grown. when the thylacine, also known as the tasmanian tiger, died due to oppressive human practices (such as hunting and the introduction of competitive species), the tasmanian devil also suffered, almost going extinct due to a skin condition that spread like wildfire. without the thylacines to hunt the sick and weak devils, these weaker individuals were allowed to reproduce and spread their illness, leading to the inevitable suffering that the tasmanian devils had to endure. thylacines were unique in their structure and role in the ecosystem; they're famous for their jaw, which legend says could "unhinge" into a wide, gaping smile. i still have hope for the thylacines... i can only cross my fingers and wish that i'll be alive to see their comeback. to meet one would be an ultimate blessing.

[Baobabel]

Username: Baobabel
Show Name: Infinite Wisdom
Barn Name: Erudite
Gender: Stallion
Height: 13.1hh
Halter Color: Matching eyes!
Prompt: Oof, so many species (especially in the last 50-100yrs). I think I'd bring back the Gastric-brooding frog. Amphibians are often overlooked because they're not as cute. This one in particular was so unique, it was like the marsupial of the frog world, except even weirder! There were only 2 known species in this genus, both of which are now extinct. There were the ONLY known frog species to incubate offspring in their stomach! After external fertilization, the mom would swallow the eggs. The eggs had a substance that essentially stop acid production in the stomach. The mom would go without eating the whole time. The eggs (then tadpoles, then young frogs) would remain in the stomach until they were fully developed young frogs. These species likely went extinct due to a (human) introduced fungi that likely decimated the population along with altered water quality, fires, weed invasion, and introduction of feral pigs.
Scientists do have some genetic material and are trying to bring this species back to life.

[Aizaka]

Username: Aizaka
Show Name: Protector Of The Forest
Barn Name: Neekwech (from what I found means 'grizzly bear' in the Yurok language, a native tribe from California.
If I'm wrong, please tell me.)
Gender: Female
Height: 15 hh
Halter Color: Your choice, I like the blue/green/ teal accents, but not sure what would look best.
Prompt:

One hundred years ago, in 1924, was the last sighting of the California Grizzly Bear. The California Grizzly is a subspecies of the Grizzly Bear, though an article from the San Francisco Chronicle mentioned that research suggest there is little difference. It was estimated that there were as many as 10,000 bears before the Gold Rush.

According to an article from La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, that species of grizzly went extinct so quickly there are few specimens left to examine of what they were like. The Smithsonian Magazine suggests here that articles of the time may have only included the largest bears (around 2,000 pounds) and that many were similar in size to other species of grizzly today (around 440 pounds). (Though that thinking may be led by the fact of very few specimens (aka hide and bones) to compare with.) They suggest that the California Grizzly had a diet of mostly plants, but with the changing landscape that came with humans they found more protein in livestock. Though the article suggest that the bears still had a mostly plant-based diet, it led to an excuse to hunt the bears.

Along with interesting facts, this article from Extinctanimals.org mentions there have been attempts to bring other species of grizzly bears back to California since it "still holds a great habitat for 500 grizzly bears.". But according to an article from Cowboy State Daily, published February of this year, a "reintroduction is just not realistic" due to lack of food, space and the threat to ranchers who are already dealing with the reintroduction of other predators.

Whether grizzly bears are brought back to California or not, it remains that the species that lived there 100 years ago is now extinct. To bring them back would likely require that other species be brought back as well as enough land that they not need human intervention to prevent inbreeding. It is one more in the thousands of species that have been lost to extinction, and another reminder to help those that are currently endangered and need our help.

[heyheygirl101]

Username: Starwindrider
Show Name: NAS Breath of the Wild
Barn Name: Terra
Gender: Mare
Height: 15hh
Halter Color: Matching her mane
Prompt:
I'd like to propose the baiji, or the Yangtze River Dolphin, native to the Yangtze River in China. It is, to date, the first dolphin species to be driven to extinction by humanity. The last known baiji died in 2002.
-snip-

Congrats!
This is actually one of the species I would love to find away to bring back as well!
HM to Baobabel for teaching me about a new species I had no idea about ^-^

[Starwindrider]

Aww thank you heyhey!! I am honoured :>>