The Caspian is an ancient breed of small horse rediscovered on the southern shores of the Caspian sea. Small numbers still exist in a semi-feral state in the rice paddies,cotton fields and forests of the remote Elburz mountains (top right).

Evidence that a Caspian type horse existed as early as 3000 B.C. can be found in ancient writings and artifacts. A terracotta plaque from 2nd millennium Mesopotamia showing a small horse ridden with a nose ring can be seen at the British Museum. Kings Ardashir 1 (AD224) and Shapur (AD260) were depicted on stone reliefs with small horses that stood no more than waist high (middle right).

Horses of Caspian type were presented as gifts to King Darius the Great (522-586BC). These horses were depicted on the huge stone relief flanking the staircase in the palace at Persopolis, and on his trilingual royal seal (bottom right).