Barb

البربري

The horse of Maghreb horsemen, soul of the tbourida.

Homeland: North Africa (Maghreb)
Height at withers: About 1.47 m to 1.57 m
Common coats: Grey, bay, chestnut, black
Temperament: Docile, courageous, enduring, very close to humans

History & origins

The Barb is the emblematic breed of North Africa. Mount of Numidian horsemen and later of Berber tribes, it accompanied the military and festive history of the Maghreb for centuries. Its hardiness, frugality and heat resistance made it the horse of wide open spaces and long distances.

Exported early to the Iberian Peninsula, the Barb influenced many European breeds and, through them, some breeds of the Americas. In Morocco, it remains inseparable from the tbourida (fantasia), where its speed, courage and ability to stop dead after the charge make it the reference mount of the troops.

Long threatened by the mechanisation of the countryside and uncontrolled crossbreeding, the Barb now benefits from preservation programmes, notably through the World Organization of the Barb Horse, founded in 1987, and the Moroccan stud-book managed by SOREC.

Aptitudes

Tbourida / fantasia
Endurance and trekking
Equestrian shows
Driving

Bloodlines & stud-books

In Morocco, the Barb stud-book is managed by SOREC, which registers births and controls identifications. Breeders distinguish horses by conformation, gaits and aptitude for the tbourida; internationally, the World Organization of the Barb Horse (OMCB) upholds the breed standard. When buying, always request the identification document and, if the horse is registered, its stud-book entry.