What on earth is a Barb?
By mosquito
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8th May 2010 •
16,861 views
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6 comments
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The ‘Barb’ turns up all the time in the origins of some of the most common horse breeds, like Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds, yet most people don’t know what a Barb is or where it comes from, let alone have seen one. Despite being one of the most influential horses on horse breeding today, the Barb itself is often misunderstood.
The name Barb comes from the horse’s origins, the Barbary Coast of North Africa, named for the Berbers, who were the tribe that inhabited these desert coastlines. Great horse breeders, the Berbers bred a horse with great strength, endurance and intelligence, but one that was known for its independent nature.
Because of their desert origins, it is commonly believed that the Barb and the Arab were closely related, or that the Barb somehow influenced the Arabian breed. In reality, it was the Arab that influenced the Barb, but only in a small way. Although Arabian horses were prevalent in some parts of North Africa, the Berbers preferred stronger, more muscular horses, and the Barb and the Arab were rarely crossed.
It is much more likely that the Barbs main ancestors were the ponies of Spain and some native ponies from central Asia, such as the Caspian, the Turkmenian and the Akhal-Teke. So why do the historical records often refer to barbs imported by Europeans or seen by European travelers as Arabs? The explanation seems to relate to their location, and their handlers speaking Arabic. And the mistake goes both ways – some significant Arabians imported to Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, because they came from North African territories, were referred to as Barbs, when the deion had nothing to do with their breeding. You only need to look at a Barb today to notice they appear to have much more in common with Quarter Horses than with Arabians!
Like the Arabian, the Barb’s influence spread quickly, because, like the Arab, it was a favored horse of the Muslim empires that by the 8th century held territories in Spain, and even in southern France. In this way, the barb became an ancestor of the Andalusian and the Lusitano (and therefore the Lippizaner). As the Barb found its way into the stables of Europe’s nobility, even as far away as Henry the 8th in England, it would also reach the colonies of these countries too. This is how the Barn came to influence other breeds like the Paso Fino, the Criollo, the Chincoteague, the Quarter Horse, and even mustangs.
One of the Barb’s famous, but even more rare descendants is the Abaco Barb, which come from the Bahamas. Like the Chincoteague, legend has it that these horses descend from barbs on European ships that sank, and that these horses swam to shore to start a new strain. In reality, it is more likely that the ships actually landed on the islands, and the horses were deliberately raised there. At their height, the Abaco Barbs numbered only 200. Their numbers dropped in the 1960s, and just 3 horses survived from which the herd was rebuilt. Inbreeding and inadequate management has resulted in few foals and many deaths in these horses, and today there are only 6 surviving Abaco Barb, which makes it a candidate for the rarest breed in the world. One of these 6, Capella, is celebrated by a Breyer model.
Today, it is very difficult to find a purebred barb. Even centuries ago, the Berbers looked for horses that would improve their own stock, and cross breeding means the purebred barb is very rare. Purebred Barbs are being bred in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, but it has been difficult for any of these countries to develop an accurate stud book with any longevity. In Europe, France has established a Barb registry and is working to rebuild the breed, and in the US groups are working to develop the Spanish barb, which often comes in paint or roan colors, and the Medicine Hat barb (which has very specific paint markings). These barb strains are quickly developing distinct regional characteristics the French barb shares much of its appearance with the Andalusian, whereas the Spanish Barb in America looks much more like mustangs or a quarter horse, although there is often more than a hint of the Spanish ancestry!
True Barbs are bred in North Africa, and they are very rare indeed. Today’s true Barbs look very similar to their ancient counterparts, being small (13.2 to 14.2 hands), muscular, close coupled, but very fast. They are not known to be particularly elegant horses, but rather strong speedy sprinters with a great deal of hardiness and power. The predominant color is grey, although other colors occur, but never paints or mixed colors in a purebred barb. The French Barb is perhaps the closest to the true Barb outside of North Africa, and the French have been working diligently to restore and improve the breed, and the French barb is a very fine and versatile horse.
Want to know more? Find out about the Abaco barb at www.arkwild.org, the Spanish Barb at www.spanishbarb.com, and the French barb at http://afcb.perso.neuf.fr/
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T W I
Fascinating!
Fascinating!
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May 8, 2010
• 12,691 views
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Little Boots
good ariticle, however, i sumbit an article like this about a breed and i get 20k you get 110k more!
good ariticle, however, i sumbit an article like this about a breed and i get 20k you get 110k more!
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May 8, 2010
• 12,888 views
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weezapony
Great article! hah, Little Boots, those are the total royalties from ALL her articles...I think?
Great article! hah, Little Boots, those are the total royalties from ALL her articles...I think?
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May 8, 2010
• 12,688 views
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halfbrokehorses
they are actually one of my favourite breeds!! lol and also the akhale teke
they are actually one of my favourite breeds!! lol and also the akhale teke
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May 8, 2010
• 12,716 views
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halfbrokehorses
is that a real barb in the picture?? the grey one
is that a real barb in the picture?? the grey one
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May 8, 2010
• 12,716 views
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mosquito
Yes, The dappled grey is a Moroccan Barb stallion that went to France. Oh, and yes, I get 10k pbs just like everyone else, but I've submitted lots of articles...it really adds up!
Yes, The dappled grey is a Moroccan Barb stallion that went to France. Oh, and yes, I get 10k pbs just like everyone else, but I've submitted lots of articles...it really adds up!
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May 8, 2010
• 13,651 views
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