Profile

Origin: France

Colour: Grey

Height: 13.2 – 14.2hh

Conformation: A coarse, heavy head, short neck and upright shoulders. They are deep through the girth and have good backs.

Character: Sensible, lively, agile, brave and with great stamina.

Uses: The calm unflappable temperament makes them ideal for teaching every branch of equitation. Their versatility and size also makes them the ideal family pony.

The Camargue Horse is a small rugged intelligent animal renowned throughout France for its strength and versatility. Over the centuries it has survived the extremely harsh environment of the Rhone Delta, exposed to extremes of hot sun and insects in the summer and the cold of the legendary Mistral wind in the winter.

It is an ancient breed and was probably indigenous to the area in prehistoric times. However, like most ancient breeds its early origins are impossible to state definitively. Certainly, it bears a strong resemblance to cave drawings at Lascaux and Niaux dated c.15000BC. In terms of proportion, it also relates to the remains of prehistoric horses found at Solutre during the 19th century, which are estimated to be as much as 50,000 years old.

The breed is probably best known throughout the world for its colour, but in fact the foals are born black or brown, with only a white star. The famous white coat does not start to develop until after their first year.

Camargue Horses are very similar to Lipizzaner Horses, but smaller, standing at around 13.2 - 14.2hh. They have large heads with a flat forehead and a tendency towards a Roman nose. They also have a short neck, deep chest, compact body and well jointed strong limbs with broad based hard wearing hoofs, meaning they seldom need shoes. The mares are usually smaller than geldings or stallions. They have a low set tail, and well-developed hindquarters.

The Camargue has a very distinctive action - the walk is long, high-stepping, and exceptionally active, but the trot is so short and stilted that the horse is rarely ridden at that pace. However, the canter and gallop are extraordinarily free. Agile, sure-footed, and possessed of high courage, the Carmargue horse works the bulls in the area as instinctively as a sheepdog controls a flock of sheep.

Traditionally the Camargue horse is the every day companion and work horse of the "Gardians" who tend the herds of black cattle in the Camargue, but the association goes further than just working companions and no saint's day celebrations in the area would be complete without the spectacular processions and games organised by the Gardians and their horses.

The Camargue conserves its energy for action - this is why, at rest, it often appears relaxed and sleepy. Sensible, lively, agile, brave and with great stamina, it can withstand long fasts, endure bad weather and complete long journeys.

The agility and stamina of the animals has been recognised outside the Camargue, and these small horses are now used for:

Horseball and other equestrian games, dressage, high school, driving and long distance riding, which is now very popular in France.

Their calm unflappable temperament makes them ideal for teaching every branch of equitation. Their versatility and size also makes them the ideal family pony.