The Desert Brumby
Video Provided By: Chris Pollitt
This is a very interesting educational video about Australia’s Wild Horses known as The Desert Brumby. I’m amazed that Wild Horses could even survive in this harsh environment. The dry heart of the Australian continent is a harsh but spectacular landscape. Ancient drought-resistant flora and secret spring fed waters have allowed native animals and indigenous Australians to survive in harmony for thousands of years. Introduced horses are exotic to Australia and have been running free in the central Australian desert for over 150 years. A horse population known as “The Desert Brumby” has survived the frequent and prolonged droughts and has emerged as arguably the toughest horse in the world. The “Desert Brumby” is the story of the survival strategy of these horses in an environment so extreme that only camels would be expected to survive. Follow scientists Chris Pollitt and Brian Hampson as they unlock some of the mysteries of this remarkable equine species. Journey to the dry heart of the Petermann Valley and discover how these horses, some of them day old foals, manage to cover great distances completing mini-migrations between water holes and distant feeding grounds. See how the desert lifestyle alters their hooves into tough, hard capsules ready for long distance travel over harsh, stony ground. Witness the tough central Queensland brumby mare “Christine” take on the desert challenge to only just survive and prove that not just any horse can become a “Desert Brumby”.
