Hokkaido

Pony

The Hokkaido pony is thought to have been brought to Hokkaido from Honshu by fishermen during the Edo period (1600–1867). The fishermen came to Hokkaido in search of herring and the ponies were used for transportation, but were left in Hokkaido when the fishermen returned home in Autumn. The ponies were expected to survive without assistance in a land with very little vegetation and covered with snow throughout the winter, with the exception of bamboo grass found in the mountains. The fishermen would return in spring with new ponies and would also use the surviving ponies. The enduring strength for which the Hokkaido pony is now known is thought to have been developed in this way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaido_Pony