Albania

Bordered by Montenegro and Kosovo to the north and Greece to the south, Albania also benefits from the Adriatic coast to the west and the Ionian Sea to the south-west. Albania was once part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia, Macedonia and Moesia Superior but after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following the Balkan Wars, Albania declared independence in 1912.

70% of Albania is mountainous, with much of it rugged and inaccessible. Over 30% of the country is forested and very rich in flora, with over 3,000 different species of plants, many of which have medicinal purposes. Albanian forests are still home to a plethora of animals and birds, including brown bear, grey wolf, wild boar and the golden eagle - the national symbol of Albania.

The Albanian horse is small and similar to other Balkan breeds - there are two main types - a mountain horse and lowland or Myzeqeja horse. Before the communist era the Albanian horse had a good reputation for stamina and endurance, but there is no strict stud book and inter-breeding between the two types has blurred the lines. Arab blood was introduced in 1904 as well as some Haflinger and Nonius. Until recently the horse was still the principal mode of transport and was essential to the economy - horses were still used by the Albanian military until 1974! Nowadays the Albanian horse is used more often as a pack animal rather than a riding horse but they are still the ideal mount for trips into the mountains.