The Majesty of the Horse: An Illustrated History. Tamsin Pickeral
its extravagant appearance and movement, and as a trotter for use in short trotting races. Despite its earlier popularity, however, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a fashion arose for the often lighter-framed European warmblood breeds that were bred for sporting events such as dressage and jumping, and the Friesian gradually started to disappear from the international stage, though it retained importance in Friesland. Significantly, today the Friesian horse can be seen competing in dressage events and competitive driving, as well as show jumping and showing.
The Friesian’s agricultural role in its homeland was jeopardized by the development and use of larger, stronger draft breeds such as the Bovenlanders and Dutch Draft (from the turn of the twentieth century), and suddenly the numbers of Friesians began to decline. To combat this, breeders bred their horses to be stouter and more draftlike, but this resulted in a loss of their elegance and quality. Simultaneously, there was a decline in breed standard, since the horses were increasingly bred specifically as trotters and started to lose some of their fine and versatile qualities. In 1879 the first studbook was opened for the breed to try to rectify the situation, but by 1913 only three stallions were left in Friesland. The situation rallied somewhat during World War II when there was a demand for the horses for use on the land to save on fuel costs. After the war, though, and in line with the increasing use of machinery on farms, breed numbers again dropped. Farmers were unable to sustain horses for pleasure uses, and the Friesian horse became somewhat redundant. The situation began to change during the 1960s, when a group of dedicated Friesian enthusiasts set about promoting the breed and restoring it to its former glory in both quality and numbers.
Breed numbers are greatly improved today, and Friesians are much admired internationally, particularly in the British Isles and North America. Unique in appearance, they are bred to always be jet black now (though chestnut and brown used to occur) and have a magnificent aspect.
ARIÈGEOIS
PREHISTORIC – FRANCE, SPAIN – UNCOMMON
HEIGHT
13–14.3 h.h.
APPEARANCE
A small, high-quality head, broad across the forehead and tapering to a fine muzzle. Short, muscular neck, broad chest, well-developed hindquarters, and sound limbs. Sometimes slightly long in the back, and, like many mountain breeds, often cow hocked, though this does not affect their movement.
COLOR
A very distinctive black.
APTITUDE
Riding, light draft, agricultural use, packing
THIS GORGEOUS MOUNTAIN BREED OF PONY evolved in the remote Ariège region of southwest France along the eastern edge of the Pyrenees on the border with Spain, specifically between the French county of Rousillon and Spanish Catalonia. Both the breed and the region take their name from the Ariège River, which wends its way down through the Pyrenees and north into France. It is a place of great beauty, but also one notable for the severity of its winters; as a result, the Ariègeois has developed into an extremely hardy pony.
Typical of mountain breeds, the ponies are incredibly sure-footed and able to traverse the rocky and often icy terrain with ease. Like other breeds that evolved in harsh environments, the Ariègeois is also able to exist on meager rations, picking its way through the mountain forage and maintaining body condition where less hardy breeds would fail. The breed is also notably resistant to disease and sports a weather-resistant coat similar to British native pony breeds; the Ariègeois has much in common with the British Dales and Fell pony of the English Pennines, both in appearance and constitution. The ponies also bear more than a passing resemblance to the magnificent Friesian horse of the northern Netherlands, and it is fair to assume that these breeds might have evolved from similar primitive roots.
Evidence suggests that the Ariègeois has lived in its mountain home since prehistoric times. Most striking in this respect are the cave paintings found in the Niaux Cave at the heart of the Ariège in the Vicdessos Valley. These breathtaking painted images depict horses that bear a great similarity to the Ariègeois, but there are also images similar to the Camargue horse, which lives to the north and east of the Ariège. Most distinctive in these images is the Ariègeois’ winter coat and characteristic long whiskery beard, which the horses still grow every year.
The first documented evidence of the Ariègeois dates from Roman times to their description by Caesar (100 B.C.E.–15 B.C.E.) in his Commentaries on the Gallic War. The Gauls were renowned horsemen and breeders, and had improved many of their native stock through selective breeding—certainly with Spanish stock and possibly horses of Oriental origin—and there can be little doubt that this would have extended to the mountain-bred Ariègeois. The breed was heavily influenced early in its history with horses of Oriental or Eastern blood, though even today this blood continues to have an influence; as recently as 1971, Arabian blood was introduced to improve the breed’s quality. With the arrival of the Romans it is likely that the Ariègeois would also have been crossed to heavier, larger Roman-bred horses used for draft and war, increasing their size somewhat.
Over the centuries, the Ariègeois has lost some of its original qualities through persistent crossbreeding, particularly to heavier draft breeds such as the Percheron and Breton. Despite this, the Ariègeois remains a highly attractive and useful animal and is still in widespread use in the agricultural mountain communities of its home area. The ponies work on the steep hillside fields, plowing, harrowing, seeding, and harvesting, and they are able to access areas unsuitable for mechanized vehicles. They are also used for packing (though less so now than traditionally), driving, hauling minerals and timber, and riding. Historically, the Ariègeois was also used for smuggling goods across the Spanish border. They are intelligent and quiet ponies, making them great for children and nervous riders.
CAMARGUE
PREHISTORIC – FRANCE – UNCOMMON
HEIGHT
13.1–14 h.h.
APPEARANCE
Tends toward an upright shoulder, with a large head and a short, thick, muscular neck. Well-defined withers, a short, muscular back, and a deep, wide chest. Legs and feet are strong and robust, with wide hooves adapted to the wetness of their home, but so hard that they are rarely shod. A surprisingly long-striding, smooth walk and “armchair” canter.
COLOR
Gray
APTITUDE
Riding, working livestock
THERE ARE FEW SIGHTS QUITE SO MAGICAL as that of the shimmering white Camargue horses galloping through the saltwater marshes of their home in the Rhône Delta in southern France. Appearing suddenly on the horizon mirrored in the waters and amid streams of foam and clouds of hot breath, these tough, unique horses leave a lasting impression on any visitor lucky enough to see them. They are one of the very few horse breeds to still live a semi-feral existence, roaming across the harsh, unforgiving landscape of their home in small manades, or herds. Camargues are born brown or black but mature into their characteristic pure white, a color that accentuates their aura of mystery when they are glimpsed against the wild landscape. The process of changing coat color varies from horse to horse, but it is gradual and can take up to four years or more.
The Camargue is an ancient breed whose roots feasibly trace back into prehistory and to the horse remains found at Solutré. This extraordinary rocky outcrop is far in the south of Burgundy and was discovered to be a Paleolithic site in the nineteenth century. Many hundreds of horse skeletons