Hi Horse Pals ~
Our next highlighted horse is the Barb. I thought it would be fun to highlight this ancient breed which some say may trace back to a group of wild horses that survived the Ice Age making it the oldest horse breed!
Fact #1: The Barb comes from the coastal regions of North Africa, countries such as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and was formerly known as the Barbary Coast. Like the Arabian, the Barb has had a tremendous effect on many horse breeds we see today.
Fact #2: The Barb is a desert horse and known to possess swiftness, incredible endurance, and surefootednes, enabling him to gallop headlong up and down steep ravines that would give most other breeds pause. It is prized for its speed over short distances, and its loyalty and docile attitude.
Fact #3: Throughout the world, Barbs are recognized as critically endangered. Through my research, I found the beautiful Abaco Barbs (see photo below) that live on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. There are only 8 of these beauties left in the world and there is an organization called arkwild.org whose goal is to preserve this breed and make the world aware of its existence.
Fact #4: The Barb is between 14.2 and 15.2 hands and predominantly gray, but can be bay, brown, black or chestnut.
Fact #5: One of the most famous Barb Horses, Roan Barbary belonged to the English King Richard II at the end of the 14th century.