The Horses Of The Sahel: Dongola, Barb And Local Types

Sahel horses are small, hardy types descended mainly from Barb and Dongola stock, and the names used for them overlap. Written evidence on Nigerian types is thin, mostly descriptive and in places contradictory.

Barb and Dongola

A book chapter on African horse resources describes the Barb as a North African type, averaging 152.2 cm at the withers and about 409.9 kg, known for endurance and tolerance of arid conditions. It describes the Dongola as an eastern type from Sudan and Eritrea, 152 to 155 cm, with a convex profile and long, thin legs. Wikipedia gives 152 to 157 cm. The two disagree on status. The chapter says the Dongola is nearly extinct in its native regions after crossing with Arab and Barb horses. Wikipedia lists it as not at risk.

Nigerian and Sahel types

The chapter lists several small breeds with Barb ancestry across Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. A zoology writer says the Nigerian horse arose when Barbs were taken south. They give its height as 14 to 14.2 hands, with powerful shoulders and lightly built hindquarters. Regional names include the Bornu of north-eastern Nigeria and the Hausa of northern Nigeria and Niger. The Fulani horse is described as small, hardy and highly variable in colour. Barb-related horses have also been widely crossed with Arabs, which blurs older type descriptions. Whether these are separate breeds or strains of the Dongola is not settled in the sources.

What we do not know

I found no retrieved source giving performance, fertility or DNA diversity figures for Nigerian horses, and none for polo use. The Dongola is described as tending to be reddish, though bay and black are common. Africa held 7,412,943 horses in 2021, but that count says nothing about type or quality. Descriptions of local horses are often general and may blend several populations.

What this means for the programme

The programme is in formation. It crosses Sahel mares with thoroughbred sires, using frozen semen. It uses microchip identification, DNA parentage testing, veterinary screening and a written start record. No ponies are for sale and no results are claimed yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Dongola horse? A type named after a region of Sudan, with a convex profile. It is found in Sudan and Eritrea and reported across parts of West and Central Africa.

Are Nigerian horses Barbs? They are described as arising from Barb animals taken south. Some sources also link local West African types to Dongola and Barb crosses.

Are Hausa and Bornu horses separate breeds? Unclear. One source says such regional types may be strains of the Dongola or distinct breeds.