# Zorse



## Rockey (Mar 4, 2009)

Anyone know about these? http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1347755&share_this=Y
I'm just very curious as to the temperment and behavior of a zebra/horse cross. Anyone ever seen one? Or had experience with one?


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## trashcore (Feb 22, 2009)

I've heard of them, never seen one, but heard of them.
But I believe a lot of the pictures out there of 'Zorses' are probably photo shopping job. Some are probably legit, but not all of them, haha.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

yeah id be wary of 'zorses'. the only time ive ever heard of them being advertised is when they have been photoshopped. a true zorse would be worth a lot and probably sold privately rather than on a public website. JMO though


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## Mariya1234 (Apr 13, 2009)

A zorse or zebrula is a zebropoid, specifically the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Zorse's are real, but I wouldn't get one. This is coming from working in a zoo though. Zebra's are skittish, aggressive, and tempermental...I wouldn't want to try and train one

They are usually VERY expensive though. The ones you see on Craigslist or whatever are generally a scam.


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

i dont know anything about them. I do know they are real because we learned about them in biology. They look pretty cool though! =]


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## KenyiGirl (Apr 10, 2009)

Are they sterile like most mules?


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## CheyAut (Nov 26, 2008)

^^^ Yup


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## close2prfct (Mar 9, 2009)

There was a ranch here in OK that purchased a young zebra stallion for the purpose of breeding zorses, however I don't believe they still have him. They had done a lot of research I remember reading everything they had posted. Like Spastic said, according to this they are very temperamental and can be very difficult to train. The breeding age is different also males are upwards of 5 years old before breeding while typical horses can and often do breed at a much younger age. Stud fees can be anywhere from 5k to who knows, I believe they had theirs at around 5000 and had paid 10k for him.


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## BraideeMyBaby (Aug 22, 2008)

that one looks real but i wouldnt buy it for one second, if that was a real zorse it would etheir be really really expensive or if the seller was a real gueinus and wouldnt have it for sale and would breed it


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I think they're cool looking....I would never want one though lol


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

They have to be very careful when training a Zorse...they can still have the skittish and tempermental temperment of a Zebra. I wouldnt want one...some people just want something that is "out there" and "unusual..." I will stay with my Curlies


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## kksnowy (Apr 8, 2009)

Be wary but they do pop up from time to time. Can be skittish but mostly act like a mule. Very sure footed in the mountains. Only concern is co-existing with horses. They can be aggressive to horses and are sold cheap sometimes when they get this way. My neighbor had 2 that they used for packing. Weird and tempermental but surefooted is all I can say!!!!


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## cherriebark (Apr 9, 2008)

You can't breed them. Horses, donkeys and zebras have different numbers of chromosomes, so that when you try to interbreed them the resulting offspring can't produce viable gametes. Zorses and pet zebras are not often riding horses, they are more often lawn ornaments for the stupidly wealthy. Kind of like fancy cows and pigs that have absolutely no use whatsoever. I had a neighbor who had one, it was eye-catching but useless. There is a good reason that zebras were never domesticated as pack or riding animals, they do not have a suitable temperment for human use. 

Here's a genuine photo of Lord Walter Rothschild and his zebra-drawn cart.










A sterile zebra/donkey cross










Great jumping zebras!










A typical zorse










Eclyse, the famous German pinto zorse


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## Countrygal892000 (Apr 17, 2009)

I chatted with a man who actually owned a Zorse. He could ride it and said that is was a sweet horse. it was a cross between a QH and a Zebra. It was beautiful. I don't know if I would actually want one , knowing the attitudes of Zebras im not sure how their personalitys would turn out... I think he got something rare


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

A local 'zoo' near us had a zebra for a while - very very tempramental, and this one could be downright NASTY. Steer clear. Try a mule if you want something different. They're great & super smart.


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## Brumby (Nov 5, 2008)

Yes, I have heard of them. But I don't know why you would want one. Besides maybe a novelty thing... I guess that would be kinda fun..


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

That jumping zebra made my mouth hurt.


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I hear they make great jumpers. I don't know how that works, since they're so small, but they are pretty cute if nothing else.


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## KenyiGirl (Apr 10, 2009)

That german pinto zorse is beautiful! I tend to think zorses are not that attractive, but that coloring is so intriuging! He really stands out...


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## orangetictac (Nov 4, 2008)

I think the zebra / donkey cross was pretty cute looking....but for some unexplainable reason I've always wanted a donkey...*shrug* dunno why...lol


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## ponyhorse (Apr 25, 2009)

i agree they're cool, but i still wouldn't get one. Zebras are skittish and tempermental, and i doubt many people have tried training them before, so you'd be walking in new territory, so to speak


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## BarneyBabby (Nov 18, 2008)

We had a girl at our barn that owned two! One was tempermental like a mare.......erg mares......

but the other one was sweet as pie! She said she bought them at one of the auctions thirty mins away from here. She bought them both together for 2000. I would doubt that auction wouldnt tell them. I have see 30 something ostridges, zebras, a dingo, a beaver, etc. there for sale. 

I would love to own one!


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## zebraowner (May 17, 2009)

I had 2 WONDERFUL zorses for many years. One was a great trail and pack animal, the other one was a little stand-offish and we never really did anything with her. Zorses do NOT cost much money, I've bought and sold them from $50. to $2500. just depends on how much training they've had and other factors just like horses; size conformation, disposition etc., these photos are of my precious "Marbles".


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

How smart are they compared to a regular horse? More donkey/mule like?


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## HorseOfCourse (Jul 20, 2009)

I've heard that zorses can be awesome if trained right and I've even seen a zebra for sale that they dress up and can stand on its back that was totally legit. Liek most other animals, everything depends on how they are raised and trained.


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## AspiringJen (Jul 27, 2009)

*Zebras*

Not sure about a zorse but the trainer who broke my halter mare to ride years ago had a zebra. While she was a wester pleasure trainer her passion was trick training. Her zebra was beautiful but every time I went to visit my mare during her training, I couldn't get the zebra to come to me. He seems to only have bonded with the trainer. Every time I went up to visit, I would have my son with me who was 4 years old at the time. My trainer would always get the zebra out and put on a mini show for my son! I was a neat experience but I can't see myself ever having a zebra or a zorse. LOL! I'll stick to my paints! :lol:

Jen
http://*aspiringjen*.*blogspot*.com 
*Please click daily on a few of the sponsor links...it helps me! *


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## kpotts13 (Jul 30, 2009)

there is one that lives in the barn that my friend boards at! he is stubborn and really really agressive towards people! he's ok with the other horses and animals around but not people! I wouldnt recommend it!


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## zebraowner (May 17, 2009)

Hey Jen, would that trainer happen to ne located in Florida? Sylvia Rice?


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

I think they're awesome to look at, by far one of God's coolest creatures.

Here's more, courtesy of Wikipedia:

A zorse or zebroid, specifically the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horsemare. The rarer reverse pairing is sometimes called a horbra (or hebra). Like most other hybrids, the zorse is sterile. 
The zorse is a strong animal with traces from both its parents.
James Cossar Ewart crossed a zebra stallion with horse and pony mares in order to investigate the theory of telegony, or paternal impression. Cossar Ewart used Arabian mares. Similar experiments were carried out by the US Government and reported in "Genetics in Relation to Agriculture" by E.B. Babcock and R.E. Clausen, and in "The Science of Life" by H.G. Wells, J. Huxley and G.P. Wells (c.1929).
Zorses are bred in Africa and used for trekking on Mount Kenya.


Coloration

Zorses combine the zebra striping overlaid on colored areas of the hybrid's coat. Zorses are most often bred using solid color horses. If the horse parent is piebald (black and white) or skewbald (other color and white) (these are known in the USA as paint/pinto) the zorse may inherit the dominant de-pigmentation genes for white patches, it is understood that Tobiano (the most common white modifier found in the horse) directly interacts with the Zorse coat to give the white markings. Only the non-depigmented areas will have Zebra striping, resulting in a zorse with white patches and striped patches. This effect is seen in the zebroid Eclyse (a hebra rather than a zorse) born in Stukenbrock, Germany in 2007 to a zebra mare called _Eclipse_ and a stallion called _Ulysses_.

Zorses and humans

Zorses are preferred over zebras for riding and draught for several reasons, although they are still not as easily handled as horses and should not be ridden or purchased by novices. Their more horselike shape, particularly in the shoulder region, makes it easier to obtain harness that fits correctly.
Zebras, being wild animals, and not domesticated like horses and donkeys, pass on their wild animal traits to their offspring. Zebras, while not usually very large, are extremely strong and aggressive. Similarly, zorses have a strong temperament and can be aggressive.


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