The last European wild horse breed of which there were two sub-species: the Forest Tarpan and the Steppe Tarpan. The Tarpan is the best known representative of european wild horse breeds. In western Europe it became extinct in 50 BC und disappeared from central Europe around 1200 AD. A small population survived until the 18th century in north eastern Poland. The last recorded individual was killed in Königsberg, Lithuania in 1814.

Koniks, a Polish horse breed harbour a lot of genetic material which can be traced back to the forest Tarpan, and efforts are being made to breed 'back' an animal closely resembling the original Tarpan.