The Bilgoray, Polish: konik biłgorajski, of south-eastern Poland is a sub-type of the breed influenced by Arab and Thoroughbred blood; it is close to extinction.

It may be used in a wider sense to describe the Polish Konik and other similar breeds, among them the Hucul pony of the Carpathian Mountains, the Polesian of Belarus and the Žemaitukas of Lithuania.

[5] However, genetic studies now contradict the view that the Konik is a surviving form of Eastern European wild horse, commonly called the tarpan, nor is it closely related to them.

[5] While Vetulani's experiments are well-known and widely publicized,[8][9] his stock actually had only a minor influence on the modern Konik population.

[5] The breed has a strong and stocky build, small head with a straight profile, and a neck set low out of the chest.

The Konik has a deep chest, a thick mane, and the hair coat is blue dun, often colloquially called "mouse-gray".

[5] The simultaneous management of Koniks in both barns and reserves made it possible to compare the health and behaviour of the horses under different circumstances.

[5] In Poland, Koniks currently live on nature reserves at Popielno, Roztocze National Park, Stobnica Research Station of the University of Life Sciences in Poznań.

[14] As it is claimed to phenotypically resemble the extinct tarpan,[15] the Konik has also been introduced into nature reserves in other nations.

In order to control the population size, the Province of Flevoland is considering to administer anticonception to the Konik horses.