Full List of African Horse Breeds And Their Origins
There are numerous horse breeds spread out around the globe, and they can differ greatly from one region to another depending on the temperature and type of labor they must perform. Racing horses typically have considerably thinner physiques, while draft horses typically have big, hefty, and muscular bodies that make them outstanding workers.
The mane and hair of Clydesdale and other horses that you frequently encounter in cold climates are thicker and longer. To examine how many breeds there are and how they differ from horses found in other regions of the world, we will now focus on African horses.
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Some of the most fearsome and fascinating animals in the world may be found in Africa. Many people are unaware that Africa is also home to a variety of rare horse breeds.
In Africa, a number of horse breeds were created, some of which are now extinct. Here is a List of Africa’s Horse Breeds And Their Origins
Full List of African Horse Breeds And Their Origins
Name | Origin |
---|---|
Abyssinian | Ethiopia |
Bahr-El-Ghazal | Chad |
Baladi Egyptian | Egypt |
Bandiagara | Mali, Niger |
Barb | Algeria, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia |
Basotho Pony | Lesotho |
Beledougou | Mali |
Bhirum Pony | Nigeria |
Bobo | Burkina Faso |
Boerperd | Botswana, South Africa |
Bornu | Nigeria |
Calvinia | South Africa |
Cape Harness | South Africa |
Cape Horse | South Africa |
Cheval de Nioro | Mali |
Djerma | Niger |
Dombi | Mali |
Dongola | Chad, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan |
English Halbblut Horse | South Africa |
European Warmblood | South Africa |
Fleuve | Senegal |
Fouta | Senegal |
Hamdani | Tunisia |
Hausa | Mali, Niger, Nigeria |
Hodh | Mali, Mauritania |
Koto-Koli Pony | Benin, Togo |
Le poney des Mogods | Tunisia |
M’ Par | Senegal |
M’bayar | Senegal |
Mossi | Burkina Faso |
Namaqua Pony | South Africa |
Namib Horse | South Africa |
Nefza Pony | Tunisia |
Nooitgedachter | Botswana, South Africa |
Poney du Logone | Chad |
SA Miniature Horse | South Africa |
SA Sporting horse | South Africa |
SA Warm Blood | South Africa |
Sahel | Mali |
Somali Pony | Somalia |
Songhoï | Mali |
Sudan Country-Bred | Sudan |
Sulebawa | Nigeria |
Tawleed | Sudan |
Torodi | Niger |
Tswana | Botswana |
Vlaamperd | South Africa |
West African Barb | Algeria, Chad, Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal, Tunisia |
West African Dongola | Central African Republic, Sudan |
West African Pony | Ghana |
Western Sudan Pony | Sudan |
Yagha | Burkina Faso |
1. Abyssinian (Ethiopia)
The Amhara Region, namely the Semien Mountains in the vicinity of Gondar, is where the Abyssinian type or breed is most prevalent in northern Ethiopia. It has weak conformation, a swayback, and a large belly. A lot of agricultural work makes use of it.
2. Dongola (Chad, Eritrea, Mali, Sudan)

The Dongola, also known as the Dongolawi, is a type of African riding horse. It is primarily of Barb origin, though some Arab influence may have existed in the past. It originated in Sudan’s Dongola province, after which it is named. It is found in the northern part of Sudan and western Eritrea in eastern Africa; it is also found in Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic in West Africa.
3. Boerperd (Botswana, South Africa)
Many people believe that the Boerperd is descended from the original Cape horse or the ancient Boer horse. The Kaapse Boerperd Breeders’ Society of South Africa was founded in 1948, and the Boerperd Society of South Africa was founded in 1973.
The Boerperd’s history is divided into two parts. From 1652 to 1836, the first phase involved the breeding of Javan Barb-Arabian crosses with Andalusian and Persian Arabian horses.
4. Nooitgedachter (Botswana, South Africa)

The Nooitgedachter is a South African word. The breed is a cross between the Cape horse and the Basuto pony.
The Basutho Pony Project started the breed in 1951, and because of previous inbreeding, careful breeding was required. This project led to the development of the Nooitgedachter breed. There are only about 400 Nooitgedachter horses in the world.
Nooitgedachter horses are strong and compact, with great stamina and rideability. They range in height from 13.2 to 15 hands and are usually bay, chestnut, or blue roan. They excel at jumping and eventing due to their athleticism.
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5. Vlaamperd (South Africa)
The Vlaamperd is a light draught or harness horse from South Africa that can also be ridden. It was developed in South Africa’s Western Cape region in the early twentieth century through the cross-breeding of local mares with imported European stallions, particularly Friesians. The horses are usually black, but mares can be a dark seal brown color.
6. Fleuve (Senegal)

The Fleuve is a horse breed native to Senegal, West Africa. It gets its name from the French word for “big river,” the Senegal River (French: Fleuve Sénégal). It is one of four Senegalese horse breeds, along with the Foutanké, M’Bayar, and M’Par.
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