Black and white markings may be a pre-historic survival feature

​

The Basque Pottok ponies are listed as a rare and endangered breed of horse - but only the black ponies are considered pure and so the piebald ones are systematically eradicated, sent to slaughter to preserve this ancient European breed.The problem with that, according to ethologist Lucy Rees, is that there is actually no evidence that the piebald ponies are not every bit as primitive and original as their black cousins. In fact, Rees suspects that a piebald pony, painted on the walls of the famous Lascaux cave, was a Pottok pony. In this feature, Lucy Rees presents her arguments for why she thinks piebald Pottokas are worth preserving.