Camargue Horse

The Camargue is a traditional French breed of working horse native to the Camargue area of the Rhone delta in southern France, spanning parts of the Gard and Bouches-du-Rhone departments, where its ancestors may have lived in the marshes for centuries or longer; its exact origin is unknown. It is always grey, born dark and turning white with age, standing 135 to 150 centimeters and weighing 350 to 500 kilograms, with a compact muscular build, short neck, deep chest, strong limbs and hard hooves suited to marshy ground. It is the traditional mount of the gardians, the region cowherds, used to herd Camargue cattle and for livestock work in wetland terrain, and today is also ridden in traditional abrivado events, long-distance riding, dressage and gardian games.