Camargue Horse

Looks how to spot one

compact and rugged

Camargue horses have a short neck, deep chest, compact body, well-jointed strong limbs, and a full mane and tail. Their hooves are broad and adapted to wet marshland, rarely needing shoes.13

Personality what they are like

Camargue horses are calm at rest but lively and agile when asked to work. They are intelligent, brave, and have a 'been there, done that' attitude, making them tractable and reliable partners.24

Daily activity how busy a day looks

They need regular exercise and thrive on work such as herding, trail riding, endurance riding, dressage, or eventing. Their natural lifestyle involves grazing over large areas, so they benefit from turnout in spacious paddocks.35

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

They provide much of their own grooming within the herd. When handled, regular grooming builds trust. Hooves should be cleaned and trimmed regularly; they rarely need shoes due to their naturally tough, broad hooves.2

Home where they are happiest

Camargue horses are extremely hardy and do not require shelter; they are comfortable in extreme heat, cold, humidity, and wind. They are best kept in semi-feral conditions on large, natural pastures with access to marshland or dry ground. Their lifestyle is protected and should mimic their native environment.23

Food basics what goes in the bowl

They subsist on a diet of reeds, samphire, dried grass, and goosefoot. In captivity, they do best on a grass-based diet with continuous grazing to mimic their natural feeding pattern. Rich diets can cause health problems.2

Company who they like around

Camargue horses are social animals that live in herds called manades. They thrive in the company of other horses and are traditionally raised in semi-feral groups. They are not suitable for solitary keeping.13

The story where it all began

The Camargue is one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe, living wild for thousands of years in the harsh wetlands of the Rhône delta in southern France. Its origins are unknown, but it may descend from the Stone Age Solutré horse and share ancestry with Iberian horses. The breed was admired by Julius Caesar and Napoleon. Traditionally, Camargue horses are the mounts of the gardians, who herd the black Camargue bulls. A studbook was established in the 1970s to preserve the breed, and registered foals must be born outdoors and reared naturally. Today, many still live semi-feral in protected areas like the Camargue National Park.135

Recognised by the official bits

French government

Studbook established between 1976 and 1978; breed officially recognised in 19783