Yes, but only in zoos and controlled reserves. The only extant species of ancient wild horses, which for thousands of years inhabited the Earth, is Przewalski’s horse (Equus przewalski). It inhabited the isolated mountains of Mongolia, Asia, and was only discovered around 1870 by Russian explorer Nikolai Przewalski. Unlike other breeds, which were tamed more than 5,000 years ago, this animal has never been domesticated. Compared to the common horse, Przewalski’s is shorter – it measures between 1.22 and 1.47 meters in height against 1.50 to 1.60 meters for other species. In the middle of the 20th century, this extremely rare animal was almost decimated by hunters interested in its meat, but European preservation groups managed to avoid the worst. An agreement between environmental organizations, led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Cévennes National Park, in the south of France, created the Takh project – a Mongolian word that means exactly “wild horse”.
Thanks to the project, hundreds of Przewalski’s horses were taken to the French park, where they are kept in an area of 300 hectares, without the slightest contact with humans and in the most natural conditions possible. The intention of the environmentalists is to one day be able to reintroduce them into their natural habitat.