Originally, the “Barb horses”, Berber in this case, was used for war by the Moorish, Numidians, the Carthaginians, and by Julius Caesar to conquer Gaules. This horse shone during centuries and particularly in 1870, in the middle of the Frensh-german war disaster. But it’ s singularly at the time of the first world war 1914-1918, in Macedonia, where it will bring the proof of its exceptional qualities. And more recently the German army will open the doors of Moscow with Barbs requisitioned in Tunisia by Rommel.

When the “Barbs” berber horses put an end to the war 1914-1918

Called horse of Barbary by the Romains authors there is more than 2000 years, the Barb was always breed in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and for a long time in France. Physically very enduring and supporting without sorrow all the deprivations, it very early left the countries of the cradle of race to radiate in Italy, Spain and France under the saddle of badly known warriors, therefore designated under the name of Barbares who was pareillement allotted to the barbs .(JPG) According to several assumptions, one advances that its admission in North Africa dates from the second millennium before JC, but some bones going back to 4000 years and more were discovered in layers in Algeria. Let us add to that the cave paintings and engravings representing the horses which were discovered in Hoggar, Tassili and in Kabylia.

One believes that the Libyan inaugurated the tradition of the chariot games in honour of the drivers of chariot, in particular female which gave rise to the myth of Athena (Tineiht, become Neith in Egypt, Athena in Greece and Minerva in Rome), goddess of the war and the reason at the same time symbolized by the victorious girl at the chariot games.

In all cases, in North Africa, the horse forms integral part of human life, in all its history. Strabon (58 before JC, 25 after JC) reported in its writings how the Numidian riders of North Africa rode their horses “sans brake”: without harnessing, without enrennement, without bit, which is remarkable. Only sometimes a cord around the neck could be used to slow down or direct some horses. “Since 1550, in Venice a book containing a chapter”The description of Africa“speak about the barbs” These horses are called in Italy : Barberi, and it is thus in all Europe, because they come from “Barbaria”. They are species born in the country… ". This country is North Africa. One remembers that king Louis imported stallions from Barbaria for his Xaintonge and Auvergne provinces.

The barb has an exceptional mental, calm and explosive at the same time. Lymphatic at rest, it bubbles as one requests it, it’ s a false cold temperament combined with a true intelligence.

With its legendary energy, it is always very simple to canalize from the rich littoral plains, from the mountains, the high plateaus and the Northern limit of the Sahara. Well even if it has never been systematically written on this subject, several anatomical publications specify that the barb only has five lumbar vertebrae instead of six like the other horses. Only five mobile lumbar vertebrae gives the advantage to less tire the muscles to support a load. That doesn’ t perturbs the flexibility of the back, quite to the contrary since the muscles do not paralyse. This anatomical characteristic of the majority of the Barbs plays a great part in their endurance. Enduring, sober, frugal, resistant to all the climatic variations, the Barb stallion remains the outdoors and leisure horse by excellence, dreamed mounting for equestrian tourism and endurance. One will find it rather brown red and gray in Tunisia, rather gray in Algeria, rather gray and bai in Morocco with all the alternatives of these families of dress. It is always effective and pleasant to ride. Rather small, cylindrical and hard shoes, a croup “en pupitre”, a short neck, the Barb has morphology of a carrying and effective horse. The Barb is at the origin of the elaboration of the Pure Race Spanish, but also of the English Thoroughbred. It indeed gave rise to Godolphin Arabian which was the leader of one of the more extraordinary filiations of English Thoroughbred.

One finds the Barb in all the territory of Tamazgha, from where it arrived by foot to France through Spain and later by boat to Sète and Marseilles.

In antiquity, it already rich Italy by boat, France and the Mediterranean islands. Very appreciated in the Southeast of France where it comes first, it is still breed in number like in Uzès and Annecy. Its wide breeding from North-western to south-eastern axis and gained todays Brittany, Flandres like the Artois region and the Northeast. The fantasia symbol of warlike virtuosity, made famous for the work of the French painter Delacroix, ensures authentic continuity of a military equestrian tradition. Simulation of traditional military action at the XIX century, it would reproduce the glorious attacks of the Berbers military tactic. Today, the load of fighting replaced the crossbow. Fantasia remains one of the most estimated horse demonstrations in North Africa. In Algeria 140 traditional equestrian associations perpetuate Fantasia. In Morocco nearly 1 000 troupes and nearly 15 000 horses take part in the contests organized by the national stud farms at the occasion of the local or national festivals. The barb played an important role in Western Europe, in particular in England starting from XVI century. It is to Henri VIII, the contemporary of Francois the 1st and Charles Quint, that Prince DE Mantoue offered several mares of this race which were put at the reproduction with the Stud farm of Eltham. The European courses used Neapolitan horses and Andalusian who lent themselves well to raising. The Barb, outdoors horse by nature, appeared able to compete with them on their own grounds, as his natural balance was good.

Also Henri VIII, then its successors, multiplied this horse in British Islands. Olivier Cromwell, even opposed to horse races, practised breeding, and had mares Barbs witch he made cover by the stallion of the General Fairfax, famous as the “Morocco Barb”. In 1650, after the reestablishment of monarchy, Charles II sent his riders to buy other north African mares: they are the famous “Royal Mares and Barb Mares”. The Barb continue to feed the equitation schools. The duke of Newcastle, famoous author of the “New method and Extraordinary Invention to breed horses” express all regards to this race: he says to us that the Barb is its preferred horse, he gives him this preference “for the model, the force, his pleasant naturalness and his docility.”

In France, it’ s concerning the king Henri III that we quote for the first time and on the most level, the barb. It’ s indeed by riding a Barb that he left Krakow, where he was then king of Poland, to regain Paris, when the death of his brother Charles IX, in 1574, left him the throne of France.

But Henri IV will be the first French sovereign that really get interested with the barbs and their breeding. Antoine de Pluvinel, Master of the King’s horses had discovered this race in Italy and introduced it into the stables of the king : he employed several Barbs in his Equestrian Academy, and it’ s on a Barb called “Le Bonnitte” that he made equestrian education of the future Louis XIII.

In “Le Royal” manège; he was the author, several engravings represent “Le Bonnitte”. The horse master spoke about it in these terms : “It’s the best drawn up horse of the Christendom, and it is the paragon of all the horses of horse-gear of the world, as well by its beauty, as to go perfectly, willingly, until down and bending. One finds much nerve in him and lightness as well; it succeeds perfectly with the raised paces and lasts a long time. With no doubt, the famous Henri IV’s white horse was a Barb !”.

Under Louis XIV many Barbs mares bought to Moulay Ismail are put at the reproduction at the royal Stud farm of Saint-Leger in the Yvelines. Jacques II, king of England, continue the policy of his brother Charles II, and buy to Mr Curwen two Barbe stallions which the sultan of Morocco had offered to Louis XIV, and which his legitimate son, the Count of Toulouse had inherited: it is the “Curwen Bay Barb” and the “Toulouse Barb”.

In 1731, the Bey of Tunis offers to the young king Louis XV, eight Barbs stallions; he separates from Scham, stallion bai, with a powerful neck, which after much of vicissitudes will be bought by Lord Godolphin ;he will become “Godolphin Barb” and will produce with the excellent Roxana an extraordinary descent of which one of the best racehorses : “Lath”. Will be born then, from the same father, Cade, Regulus and many others.

It’ s the fundamental qualities of the Barbs which made it possible to rise the English Thoroughbred. The pedigrees of Matchem, Herod and Eclipse bring the proof from there. The Barb is not disputed in the “horse history”, the large horse expert who was Ephrem Houel speaks about it in these terms : “the Barb has more size than the Arab, it has the head a little longer. Its chest is splendid, its members are strong and nervous, its unit is marvellous of grace and elegance. It has the sure foot, the fast race and yields nevertheless easily with the most complicated work of the horse-gear.”A few years later, the General Daumas, wrote in his admirable work “Les Chevaux du Sahara” : “If the Barb don’t have rounded contours, the beauty of his plastic harmony, the elegance of the Arab horse, one can say that its stopped and vigorous lines reveal undeniable qualities.”

The war of 14-18 was the years of died and sufferings ; the French people paid more than the others in Europe for freedom. In this period as in 1870, it’s the African Cavalry and its barb which saved the honour of the troops with horse. It offered to France the last victory of the war : Uskub (Skoplje - Macedonia) ; September 29, 1918. It was the most beautiful ( with capitulation of the enemy). This light cavalry had the best saddle horse of the war troops. After the rupture of the Germano-Bulgarian front by infantry in Dropopoljé, the brigade of the African Cavalry is launched on the enemy backs, September 21 at the evening, by the general. It is made up of African hunters and the Moroccan walking regiment of Spahis: 2 000 barbs horses. Uskub objective, rail junction behind the face. The brigade will reach the Danube where the general Armistice will stop it less than 50 days later. But the incredible was, September 26-27-28, 1918, the raid, through of these 2 000 horses through the mountains of Macedonia, culminating at 2 000 meters. By this master peace of infiltration on the backs, this light cavalry invests and took Uskub the 29 without damage. The retirement of the German army was cut, they will capitulate. This same day (29) Bulgaria requires the Armistice. The Jouinot-Gambetta General wrote “Our barbs are admirable (to climb) the terrible slope”. By anticipation of its strategic operation, it had gathered and prepared this cavalry in the area of Monastir in Tunisia. These horses were produced in the horse establishments of North Africa.

Well beyond the genealogical bookkeeping, the Belgian studbook intends to preserve, defend and promote the barb and to gather all those, stockbreeders, riders or simply in love with the barbs, which impassion themselves for this race. Officially recognized in 2002 by Barb World Organisation(OMCB), the Barb Belgian Association manages in Belgium the stud-book of the pure barb in close cooperation with the Belgian Horse Confederation. Haoussa Larzac is the First Barbe mare to obtain an international title. She also obtains the bronze medal into individual under the saddle of Sunny Demedy. She celebrates thus the splendid season 2003 of the barbs in endurance races. El Shagar Al Shatane arrived second with Montcuq under the saddle of Pierre Olivier. Splendid race of William Mosconi who obtains on Giorgio de Mosc (pure Barb) the second place on CEN of Le Pertre. On the national finales young Uzès horses,it’ s in fact 100 % barbs who qualify themselves. The Barbe race is the only one to obtain such a success

The Belgium Barb Championship is a breeding contest organized by the ASBL, Belgian Barb Association and is governed by those rules. The championship includes a model and gait contest and share an expertise of stallions allowed to public ride in the Belgian studbook of the barb. Non-profit Barb Belgian Organization, ABCB.

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