Breed History & Characteristics
Overview: The Barb is a light riding horse noted for its stamina. It has a powerful front end, high withers short back, a sloping croup, and carries its tail low. It is hardy with clean legs, and small, round, sound hooves. It does not have particularly good gaits, but gallops like a sprinter. It was used as breeding stock to develop racing breeds such as the Thoroughbred, American Quarter Horse, and Standardbred.
Colors: The predominant color is gray, but bay, black, chestnut, and brown horses are also found, along with other, much more rare colors such as pinto (including the relatively uncommon splashed white), & roan. To prove that you read the standards include the word "Morocco" in your application. The Barb stands 1.47–1.57 metres (14.2–15.2 h) at the withers. Mane should be abundant and have a thick mane and tail.
Temperament:
High strung desert horse, bred for speed and spirit
Tough and resistant
Docile towards people, but can be excitable
Use:
Military horses
General riding
Competition horse
Agriculture work
Development: It is not known where the Barb horse developed; some believe the breed originated in northern Africa during the 8th century, about the time that Islamic invaders reached the region. There is controversy over whether the Barb and Arabian horses share a common ancestor, or if the Arabian was a predecessor of the Barb. Native horses of the region may have been influenced by the crossing of "oriental" breeds, including the Arabian horse, Turkmenian or Akhal-Teke, and Caspian horse, with Iberian horses brought back from Europe by the Moorish invaders after they conquered southern Spain. Today the several varieties of Barb include the Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian. When imported to Europe, the Barbs were sometimes mistaken for Arabians, although they have distinctly different physical characteristics. The Europeans saw that their size was similar and their handlers were north African Muslims who spoke Arabic. an example of such confusion is that the Godolphin Arabian, one of the foundation sires of the Thoroughbred, was an Arabian stallion but, due to his Moroccan origins, was referred to as the "Godolphin Barb." The Barb is now bred primarily in Morocco, Algeria, Spain and southern France. Due to difficult economic times in North Africa, the number of purebred Barbs is decreasing. The World Organization of the Barb Horse, founded in Algeria in 1987, was formed to promote and preserve the breed.
Colors: The predominant color is gray, but bay, black, chestnut, and brown horses are also found, along with other, much more rare colors such as pinto (including the relatively uncommon splashed white), & roan. To prove that you read the standards include the word "Morocco" in your application. The Barb stands 1.47–1.57 metres (14.2–15.2 h) at the withers. Mane should be abundant and have a thick mane and tail.
Temperament:
High strung desert horse, bred for speed and spirit
Tough and resistant
Docile towards people, but can be excitable
Use:
Military horses
General riding
Competition horse
Agriculture work
Development: It is not known where the Barb horse developed; some believe the breed originated in northern Africa during the 8th century, about the time that Islamic invaders reached the region. There is controversy over whether the Barb and Arabian horses share a common ancestor, or if the Arabian was a predecessor of the Barb. Native horses of the region may have been influenced by the crossing of "oriental" breeds, including the Arabian horse, Turkmenian or Akhal-Teke, and Caspian horse, with Iberian horses brought back from Europe by the Moorish invaders after they conquered southern Spain. Today the several varieties of Barb include the Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian. When imported to Europe, the Barbs were sometimes mistaken for Arabians, although they have distinctly different physical characteristics. The Europeans saw that their size was similar and their handlers were north African Muslims who spoke Arabic. an example of such confusion is that the Godolphin Arabian, one of the foundation sires of the Thoroughbred, was an Arabian stallion but, due to his Moroccan origins, was referred to as the "Godolphin Barb." The Barb is now bred primarily in Morocco, Algeria, Spain and southern France. Due to difficult economic times in North Africa, the number of purebred Barbs is decreasing. The World Organization of the Barb Horse, founded in Algeria in 1987, was formed to promote and preserve the breed.