The Camargue horse, a very rustic animal, lives almost free within the marshes and salworts all round the year. In the "manades" (farms where the horses are bred), there are several brood mares and one stallion; the births occur from April till July in the wild. When the foals are one year old, they are branded, bearing the mark of their owner and separated from their mother.
At the age of three, they are corralled and trained: this is a difficult operation, the "guardians" (cowboys) have to be patient and gain progressively the horses' confidence. They are guided with the technique of neck reining which permits the riders to keep only one hand on the reins. In most of the "manades", only the males are broken in, the mares are bred for reproduction. Camarges are used to manage the bull herds. They also provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the Camargue region on horseback.
Camargue horses thrive in Sea water - they are often called "the horse of the sea" .
The Camargue horse species has been officially recognized by the National Stud Farms since March 17, 1978. It has its Stud-Book and its breeders are gathered in an Association called the A.E.C.R.C (Association des Eleveurs de Chevaux de Race Camargue). (Breeders Association for the Race of the Camargue Horse ).
History:
The Camargue horse is a French horse. The Camargue horse dates from the Stone Age. Its origins are shrouded in mystery. It may be descended from the extinct Soutré horse, whose bones (datinf from 17,000 years ago) have been found in the southeast of France. Horse images in Paleolithic cave paintings at Lascaux provide further evidence of Prehistoric horses in south-western France. Many peoples have settled in the Camargue, including the Celts, Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and Franks. The horses brought with these peoples may well have influenced the Camargue breed over time. Today the breed is strictly protected.
The first traces
First in the wild, the Camargue horse was used as a pack horse and then as a war horse by the Roman legions.
From the 12th to the 19th century
In the 12th century, there were around 300 Camargue horses in Provence.
In 1550, 40,000 Camargue horses were listed. They are grouped into Manades.
Under Louis XIII crossbreeding tests with Norman and Limousin horses were carried out in order to improve the Camargue breed but the results were not conclusive.
The first Camarguais stallions depots were created in 1729.
In 1738 there were 24 Camarguais stallions at the Arles depot.
In 1793 during the Revolution, Camargue horses were requisitioned.
In 1806 the Haras de Provence was reorganized and there were new Camarguais stallions .
Morphology
The Camargue horse has characteristics similar to those of the primitive horses and the Barbe horse .
Cut
The Camarguais horse measures 1.35 to 1.50 m at the withers.
Weight
The Camargue horse generally weighs 300 to 400 kg depending on the sex and size.
Head
The Camargue horse has small ears, abundant hair, a rectilinear muzzle, strong ganaches on an often heavy head.
Neck
The Camargue horse has a strong neck and very thick hair.
Members
The Camargue horse has long and strong limbs. Given their natural environment, Camargue horses have strong hooves.
Dress
The only color admitted by the Camargue horse stud-book is gray. In adulthood, Camargue horses are often called a tord blanc. Camarguais foals are born with a very dark coat.
Since 2003, there are three groups of Camargue horses :
The Camargue
"Refers to horses registered in the Camargue horse studbook, born and identified in the cradle of the breed, belonging to a herd and having received the fire mark before weaning."
Camargue excluding manade
"Refers to animals registered in the Camargue horse studbook, born and identified in the cradle of the breed but not belonging to a herd. "
Camargue outside the cradle
"Refers to animals registered in the Camargue horse studbook, and born outside the cradle of the breed. "
The Camargue horse breed is a protected breed.
The White Horses of the Camargue.
These, as one of the oldest breeds of horse alive, also remind us that there is beauty in nature worth nurturing, and a true partnership to be had, if we allow ourselves the profundity of such a relationship.
Article By K.J. Wetherholt.
References
-www.saintesmaries.com/eng/the-camargue-horse.html
-www.huffpost.com/entry/the-white-horses-of-the-c_b_5302869
-http://futureofthethoroughbred.blogspot.com/2017/02/camargue-horse-breed-history-and.html
-www.hippologie.fr/camargue
-www.languedoc-france.info/07020202_camarguehorses.htm
-www.aecrc.com