Photo: Wild Camargue Horses France

Wild Camargue horses of France grazing in the high grass.

The Camargue in France is a marshy river delta at the mouth of the Rhone river as it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. In 1972 the area became a national park and nature reserve. The Parc Regional de Camargue covers 820 square kilometers.Camargue horses are a very distinctive breed. They are not as large as other horses, in fact they only grow to around 14 hands high, and could almost be classed as ponies. The Camargue horses are semi-wild, allowed to roam freely, never needing to be stabled whatever the weather.They are one of the oldest breeds of horses and can be traced back to the prehistoric age. When the horses are born they are either black or dark brown, as they get older their hides become lighter in colour until around four years old they are almost white.The Camargue horses of France are used to round up the bulls on the reserve. The men who ride them for these round-ups are called gardians, they wear black hats and carry tridents. ... continue below the picture...

... Camargue Horses and foal, Equus caballus, in Plaine de la Camargue, Parc Naturel Regional de Camargue, Camargue, Bouches du Rhone, Provence, France, Europe.