Region: Languedoc-Roussillon / Provence border

The History of the Camargue Horses
The home of the famous Camargue horse stretches from the Rhone River to the Med on the Languedoc-Rousillon/Provence border. The Parc Regional de Camargue is full of Flamingos, cattle egrets, storks and herons. Flamingos fly above your head as you splash through the waters of Lake Vaccares, canter on the beach, gaze at rice fields and wild herds of black bulls which the ‘French Cowboys’ herd.

If you love horses you will love the Camargue – it’s not uncommon for locals to spend an entire day on horseback; get married on horseback, or even go to church on horseback!

The Camargue Horses
The little white horses were originally thought to have originated from the Saracen armies that fought over this piece of France in the 8th Century, but looking at there conformation one can tell that there really is no similarity except in hands, 13.2 - 14.2 h.h. No, these magical little animals more than likely originate from the solutrean horse from around 50,000 B.C.

These horses have evolved in a rugged and unforgiving environment and since the late 70’s the breed quality is protected by French law and recorded in a stud book.

In order to qualify for this stud book the ponies must be bred outside and be foaled outside of there own free will. Every year the breeders round them up and brand according to the year they were born, before branding the government representative must see the foal suckling from its mother as proof of parentage.

The Black Bulls
The local cowboys round up the famous black bulls from the area - where the Bull is King. The Bull is celebrated in many festivals all throughout the Year. But don’t worry, the bull is not harmed in Languedoc Bull fights.

During a free fight the raseteurs (bull fighters) have to remove a small red rag, called the "cocarde", from the bull. They have a hook to cut the cords tying the cocarde to the animal. These are taken off in sequence too make the game more exciting.

Once the game is over the bulls are released down the streets of the town and herded back to the pastures.

Photography by kind permission of Dr Sue Baker, Exmoor Pony specialist (See Exmoor Pony Editorial section for the Exmoor Pony Society film, Discovering Exmoor Ponies)