A fourth race of horses in Portugal was officially recognized .
The Pony of the Terceira was finally recognized as an indigenous breed. Gone are 14 years of field work carried out by the scientists at the Biotechnology Center of the Azores, Artur Machado, who led the whole process, taking the official request itself been done for about two years, to the General Directorate of Food and Veterinary of Breed of Indigenous Equines. Initially a survey was made of the animals on the island, after a group that corresponded to the typical features of the Pony of Terceira was chosen before recognition being asked there was an increase of animals selected.
Currently there are 118 specimens according to the census of the researcher, in the University of the Azores are only 54 and six were exported to the continent as an attempt to disclose the race.
What distinguishes the Pony of the Terceira as a breed is the fact that morphologically resembles a horse, but has the size of a pony, which makes it ideal for teaching riding horse in young people, although it is always used the populations of the island of Terceira to transport supplies and people and used inthe past for farming .
