Moroccan horse barb | Facts & Information

Origin

Barb horses are also known as Berber or Barbary, and are native to the coastal areas of North Africa, including Morocco and the northern areas of Algeria and Libya.

The Barb breed can be found even in the south of the African continent, in countries such as Cameroon and Nigeria.

The Barb is considered to be the second founding race in the world, after the Arab race. There is no current evidence of the breed's ancestors, but the theory suggests that it originated from wild horses that lived on the coast and managed to survive the Ice Age.

In the seventh and eighth centuries, during the conquests of the Ottoman Empire, the horses of the Barb and Arabic breeds were crossed, resulting in the barb breed known today. However, there are not many similarities between Barb and Arab.

The Barb has influenced many other breeds, and when Muslim armies invaded Spain in the eighth century, the blood of this breed mixed with that of Spanish horses, known as Andalusians.

Barb also influenced the Thoroughbred, when many specimens of this breed were exported to the Royal Stables in England for crossbreeding and for the creation of racehorses.

Barb also influenced the Irish Connemara, the famous white horse from the Camargue, but also some types of Mustang.

Moroccan Barb Appearance

Moderna Barb is the traditional horse of the Spahi Knights and is very common in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

They may not be the ones of the beautiful horses, but they are recognized and appreciated for their darzenia, energy and temperament.

Barb is a desert Horse and can survive on minimal water and food and, above all, is extremely fast over short distances.

Moroccan Barb Behavior

The great endurance it has exemplifies its influence on Spanish horse breeds.

Originating in the deserts of North Africa, the horse played an important role in the lives of the people of North Africa.

The horse's energy and qualities can be seen in many breeds such as Thoroughbred, Connemara pony, Criollo, etc.