The Esperia is a rare Italian pony breed known locally for its black coat.

Origins:
The Esperia Pony is named after Baron Ambrogio Roselli di Esperia, who developed it in the 19th century, by selectively breeding the local ponies and crossing them with Arabian horses.

Ever since they were created, Esperia Ponies were kept outdoors all year long, in feral or semi-feral conditions. While roaming the Aurunci and Ausoni Mountains, the ponies gradually adapted to survive on little food and water, and how to graze safely on the steep mountainous terrain. They developed the hardiness and sure-footedness required to survive in the mountains without any assistance, and became easy-keepers.

The Esperia today:
The Esperia Pony was officially recognized as a breed in 1962. Today, Esperia Ponies serve as mounts for children and young riders who need a horse for recreational riding and sport events.

Conformation:
Esperia Ponies have a short head with a straight profile, prominent withers, a sloping croup, slender legs, and an overall light build.

Performance metrics:
The following are the: range, average, (SD), and MOE of performance metrics of ordered Esperia Ponies in Horse Isle (not bred ones). In rare cases, horses might have metrics outside of the range. Breeders can produce horses that are beyond this range.

Speed: 14.2-15.3, 14.7 (0.3), 0.05.
Sprint: 46-58, 51 (3), 0.53.

Accel: 0.92-1.10, 1.00 (0.04), 0.01.
Decel: 0.85-1.02, 0.94 (0.03), 0.01.

Jump: 4.98-5.24, 5.13 (0.05), 0.01.
Pull: 1.58-2.09, 1.82 (0.11), 0.02.

Turning: 47.47-61.80, 54.76 (3.13), 0.61.
Reverse: 2.3-3.0, 2.7 (0.1), 0.02.

Stamina: 45.35-49.71, 47.93 (0.89), 0.18.
Reaction: 0.67-0.77, 0.72 (0.02), 0.00.

Coats & Height:
Esperia Ponies always have a solid black coat which usually lacks white markings, although white markings do occur rarely on the face or lower legs.

Height: 13hh to 13.3hh.