Louros Etoloakarnania. At times of the year when the beach is not crowded, between the sea and the Acheloos estuary, dozens of wild horses find shelter and gallop freely.
The locals claim that they belong to the rare tribe of Pindos. Their mane is light and their gallop rhythmic, characteristics that are also attributed to the horses of Alexander the Great, with which it is assumed that they are related.
Their character is easy and gentle. They are very gentle, calm and obedient. They have high resistance and can withstand difficult conditions without problems, so they are suitable for areas with difficult access and extreme weather conditions
The breed gained great fame during the Greco-Italian war of 1940-41 when the Greek army used it mainly for transport and communications. Unfortunately large populations of the proud horses were exterminated on the battlefields and hardships of war.
For the walkers of the surroundings of Louros, the sight of the wild herds is familiar. They come from horses that were previously abandoned by their owners and due to their great endurance and resilience managed to survive and form wild herds.
These horses live freely in the wider area of the Acheloos river delta. The most famous of these herds are found at the mouth of the Acheloos where they run, get wet from the river’s waters and relieve their thirst. Then they disappear into the slopes and the vast plain.
As the beach of Louros, one of the largest in Greece with a length of 17 kilometers, is also the most popular in the prefecture, in the summer the presence of bathers usually repels them.
In the rest of the seasons, when things are quiet, they roam more comfortably. However, the phenomenon is also found in other regions of Etoloakarnania. In Petalas of Agrinio there are over 500 wild horses!