M'Bayar

The M'Bayar is a breed of small horse from the historic region of Baol in Senegal, in West Africa.[2] It is the most numerous of the four Senegalese horse breeds,[1]:37 the others being the Fleuve, the Foutanké and the M'Par.[3]:23

M'Bayar
Conservation status[not recognized
Other names
  • Baol
  • Mbayar
  • Poney Mbayar
Country of originSenegal
Traits
Distinguishing features
  • Height: 1.33–1.44 m[1]:37
  • Weight: 201–260 kg[1]:37

History

The origins of the horse in Senegal are not documented.[4]:261 The M'Bayar may either be an autochthonous breed with ancient origins in the area, or may be a descendant of Barb horses from the Maghreb countries to the north.[1]:37 In the twentieth century the breed was influenced by Barb horses imported from Mali, Mauretania and Morocco; the pure-blood Arab and Anglo-Arab stock at the Centre de Recherches Zootechniques of Dahra have also had an influence.[1]:37

In 1996, Senegal had a horse population of about 400,000 head, the largest of any West African country.[1]:36 This was a substantial increase from the 216,000 reported in 1978,[5]:10 and a much greater increase from the population after the Second World War, estimated at barely 30,000.[4]:260 The M'Bayar is the most numerous of the four Senegalese horse breeds.[1]:37

In 2007 the FAO did not have data from which to estimate the conservation status of the M'Bayar breed.[6]:101

Characteristics

The M'Bayar is a small stocky horse, broad in the chest and short in the neck. The legs are strong, but often suffer from cow hocks and other conformational defects. The predominant coat colour is bay, but grey, roan and chestnut are also commonly seen. The M'Bayar is calm and docile, rustic, strong and enduring.[1]:37

Use

Horses play an important part in the social and economic life in Senegal. The M'Bayar is used as a light draught horse, both for transport and for tillage. It is also used for horse-racing. Consumption of horse meat in Senegal is very low, for religious and cultural reasons, but some carcasses are sent to a specialised butcher's shop in Dakar.[1]:51

References
  1. J.-P. Dehoux, A. Dieng, A. Buldgen (1996). Le cheval Mbayar dans la partie centrale du bassin arachidier sénégalais (in French). Animal Genetic Resources Information 20: 35–54.
  2. Breed data sheet: M'Bayar/Senegal. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2016.
  3. [Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles] (2003). Rapport national sur l'état des ressources zoogénétiques au Sénégal (in French); annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed March 2016.
  4. R. Larrat (1947). L'élevage du cheval au Sénégal (in French). Revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux 1 (4): 257–265.
  5. Magatte Ndiaye (1978). Contribution à l'étude de l'élevage du cheval au Sénégal (doctoral thesis, in French). Ecole Inter-Etats des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de Dakar. Accessed March 2016.
  6. Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed March 2016.
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