haha excuse the messy handwriting please XD this is a small species with not much activity planned except for the occasional adopts and customs. they are a wild breed and should either be kept wild or on reserves, as they are harder to domesticate than your average zebra and quite a smaller equine than what your average human should be riding.
History
African Brush Zetlands are a relatively old, yet common subspecies of the zetland, hybrids born from zebra and shetland pony pairings. Back in the 1800's british and scottish sailors brought healthy shetland ponies to africa in an attempt to create what is known as the minature horse. Unfortunately, many a ship were brought to their end by storms, sharp cliff faces and disease, leaving many of the ponies to escape and find their way into africa's unfamiliar landscape. Not used to the new conditions, it was not uncommon to find many ponies starved or captured. But yet, over the years the few herds left began to produce stronger offspring, more resistant and stronger, intelligent, and their coats began to adapt as well. It was over 200 years before scientists discovered how exactly they adapted. The wild shetland ponies had bred with zebras, and despite the numerous born sterile hybrids, many individuals were found to actually be fertile. They roamed wild with both zebra and pony and grew to form what is now known as its own subspecies, quagga-like, yet unique, and named the African Brush Zetland.
Herd Life
There are two types of stallion Zetlands, the Juvenile males, and the Patriarchs. Patriarch Zetlands are rare, often sport fine bears, and are usually over the age of twelve. Patriarch Zetlands often run their own harem or band together with other Patriarchs and juveniles to support a herd which consists of several families, either mating with one mare for a majority of his life or having a small harem inside the herd. Yet, there have been many occasions were several juvenile bachelors have stolen small herds or harems and raised and protected the band together.
There are also two types of mares. Juvenile mares and Matriarchs. Like Patriarchs, mares with this title are over the age of twelve, are often seen with a wool coat, and run a harem or herd families alongside the Patriarch. Though They may band together and dominate their own harem of outside mares, fillies, and stallions, or stay with one mate for a majority of her life in a large herd.
Types
african brush zetlands stand 11hh to 14.2hh.
bald - common - devoid of any mane or forelock // dominant
half roached - common - crested mane with a roached line // dominant
zebroid - uncommon - features a full, upright mane and forelock // recessive
unicorn/male -very rare - half roached yet with a fine beard // recessive
wool/female -very rare - maneless, features a wooly pelt // recessive
Coloration
True to their history, African Brush Zetlands show an extreme variation in the coats and patterns. They've gone unnoticed for so long because they blend in, be it with a herd of zebras, giraffes, elephants, snakes, or antelopes you can find a Zetland with a coat close to it. Yet they still feature regular horse patterns as well, and their patterns remain de-saturated and natural colored. We've found out that white cancels any markings, barring, natural, anything where color would of been.
What gives Zetlands a quagga-like appearance though, are their stripes and barring crossing their faces, and sometimes legs and neck. It's very rare to see a zetland with stripes that go pass their midsection.
History
African Brush Zetlands are a relatively old, yet common subspecies of the zetland, hybrids born from zebra and shetland pony pairings. Back in the 1800's british and scottish sailors brought healthy shetland ponies to africa in an attempt to create what is known as the minature horse. Unfortunately, many a ship were brought to their end by storms, sharp cliff faces and disease, leaving many of the ponies to escape and find their way into africa's unfamiliar landscape. Not used to the new conditions, it was not uncommon to find many ponies starved or captured. But yet, over the years the few herds left began to produce stronger offspring, more resistant and stronger, intelligent, and their coats began to adapt as well. It was over 200 years before scientists discovered how exactly they adapted. The wild shetland ponies had bred with zebras, and despite the numerous born sterile hybrids, many individuals were found to actually be fertile. They roamed wild with both zebra and pony and grew to form what is now known as its own subspecies, quagga-like, yet unique, and named the African Brush Zetland.
Herd Life
There are two types of stallion Zetlands, the Juvenile males, and the Patriarchs. Patriarch Zetlands are rare, often sport fine bears, and are usually over the age of twelve. Patriarch Zetlands often run their own harem or band together with other Patriarchs and juveniles to support a herd which consists of several families, either mating with one mare for a majority of his life or having a small harem inside the herd. Yet, there have been many occasions were several juvenile bachelors have stolen small herds or harems and raised and protected the band together.
There are also two types of mares. Juvenile mares and Matriarchs. Like Patriarchs, mares with this title are over the age of twelve, are often seen with a wool coat, and run a harem or herd families alongside the Patriarch. Though They may band together and dominate their own harem of outside mares, fillies, and stallions, or stay with one mate for a majority of her life in a large herd.
Types
african brush zetlands stand 11hh to 14.2hh.
bald - common - devoid of any mane or forelock // dominant
half roached - common - crested mane with a roached line // dominant
zebroid - uncommon - features a full, upright mane and forelock // recessive
unicorn/male -very rare - half roached yet with a fine beard // recessive
wool/female -very rare - maneless, features a wooly pelt // recessive
Coloration
True to their history, African Brush Zetlands show an extreme variation in the coats and patterns. They've gone unnoticed for so long because they blend in, be it with a herd of zebras, giraffes, elephants, snakes, or antelopes you can find a Zetland with a coat close to it. Yet they still feature regular horse patterns as well, and their patterns remain de-saturated and natural colored. We've found out that white cancels any markings, barring, natural, anything where color would of been.
What gives Zetlands a quagga-like appearance though, are their stripes and barring crossing their faces, and sometimes legs and neck. It's very rare to see a zetland with stripes that go pass their midsection.
