In its wild state, the Camargue horse is found only in southeastern France. It is believed to be descended from prehistoric horses that lived during the Paleolithic period, 17,000 years ago. Because of its small size, the Camargue horse could be more accurately described as a pony. The Camargue is an ancient breed that is believed to have been crossbred with other breeds, particularly Arabian horses.

HABITAT

The wild Camargue hors is found only on the watery plains and salt marshes of southeastern France. The region is bleak and cold in winter and intensely hot in summer, but the hardy Camargue horse may have descended from prehistoric horses that lived farther north. Bones of the Solutre horses, dating from the Paleolithic period (17 000 years ago), were discovered there. And the many horse images in Paleolithic cave paintings at Lascaux give evidence of Prehistoric horses in south-western France.

FOOD & FEEDING

The horse is a herbivore (plant eater). Its teeth are specially adapted for eating grasses and herbs: incisors (cutting teeth) tear the plants, and premolars (grinding teeth) behind the incisors chew the meal. In spring the Camargue horse also grazes on an indigenous (native to the region) plant called "samphire," as well as on the tender new shoots of the tall reeds.

In winter the Camargue hors must survive on dried grass and on goosefoot, a tough plant that most other grazing animals cannot eat. The horse's behavior is affected by the amount of food available. When food is scarce, the Camargue horse may graze for as long as 22 hours a day. When food is plentiful, it grazes only at dawn and dusk.

BREEDING

The Camargue horse lives and breeds in herds that roam. In some herds, dominant stallions force out young males, which form their own bachelor herds. Once they are mature and strong enough, the young makes try to win a herd of mares for themselves. The stallions fight one another with their hooves and teeth. Mares come into season once a year, usually in late spring. The foal is born 11 to 13 months later in the sprint. A mare does not necessarily breed every year that she mates.

HORSE & MAN

The Camargue horse is the traditional mount of the farm workers, or ranch hands, of the Camargue region, called "guardians." The guardians are responsible for rounding up the wild black bulls that graze on the land. There is also an annual roundup of the horses to inspect and brand the newborn foals. The Camargue horse is also bred and used by many riding stables in the region. Once the horse is accustomed to arider and saddle, it makes an excellent and reliable mount. Its sure-footedness makes it ideal for riding over hazardous terrain. The foal stays close to its mother for its first few months, and she guards it aggressively. If the mare becomes pregnant the following year, the foal is weaned after 10 months. But if she does not become pregnant, the foal suckles for up to two years.

KEY FACTS

	Size

Height: 13-14.2 hands high (1 hand = 4in.)

	Breeding

Sexual Maturity: Female, 18 months. Male, 1-2 years.

Mating: Late spring

Gestation:11-13 Months

No. of young:1.

	Lifestyle

Habit: Sociable; lives in small, free-ranging herds.

Diet: Ground vegetation: leafy grasses, herbs, and plants.

Call: Ranges from a soft whinny to a shrill piercing cry.

Lifespan:20-25 years.

DID YOU KNOW? The only truly wild horse today is the Mongolian wild horse, or Prezewalski's horse, which lives in small numbers in Central Asia. All others are feral; that is, they are descendants of once-domesticated horses. There are approximately 30 separate herds of Camargue horses in existence today. One year of a horse's life is roughly equal to there years for a person. Any horse shorter than 14.2 hands is considered a pony. One exception is the miniature horse, the South American Falabella, which is only about seven hands high. Although it is an ancient species, the Camargue horse was not officially recognized as a breed until 1967.

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