 Lac La Croix mare | |
| Other names | LLCIP, Lac La Croix Indigenous pony, Lac La Croix Indian pony, Ojibwe pony, bebezhigooganzhii, mishdatim |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Traits | |
| Height |
|
| Colour | Any solid color except white or cream dilutions |
The Ojibwe Horse, also known as the Lac La Croix Indian Pony (bebezhigooganzhii, mishdatim) and Lac La Croix “Indian” or “Indigenous” pony is a semi-feral Canadian horse breed developed by the Ojibwe people. The population became critically low; and, by 1977, only four mares remained. To preserve the breed, these mares were crossed with Spanish Mustang stallions. The modern breed name derives from the Lac La Croix First Nation of Ontario, where the horses were last found in the wild. Historically, the breed was also found in Minnesota.
Today, it remains a critically endangered breed; there are about 200 horses located in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia in Canada, as well as Minnesota and Wisconsin in the United States. The breed registry is maintained by the Ojibwe Horse Society, a registered Canadian not-for-profit.