Spanish mustangs and endurance

[Laurent Niddam <niddam@usa.net>]

When you refer to Barb, are you making reference to the original barb
from North Africa (in particular from Morocco)?  Those horses were used
in the French army by the Moroccan battalions in the army at the turn of
the century and I was told that the saying at the time was that the
"Barb dies but does not get old."  They were also at the origin of
Spanish breeds.

It may not be the fastest horse around, but it is extremely strong and
endurant.  I went last X-mas through the Sahara Desert in North Africa
on a Barb mare which kept going and going and going, day after day.  We
rode between 50 and 80 kms per day (32 to 50 miles) and after 12 days of
this regimen, she was still in great condition, fresh, strong and ready
to continue (I was not and the friend I started with gave up in the
middle of the journey).  As for the food,
she was fed barley twice a day with straw, not hay, as fodder.  Amazing,
I would not dream of putting my little Arabian stallion through this.

Laurent Niddam
Budapest - Hungary


Original Message:

"Here in Idaho there is a herd of well over 100 Barbs that are
available. I
have worked with a few of them. These horses have led a feral life for
several generations and are untrained. I find them a bit shy of human
but
very fast learners when you gain their trust. Did some endurance with
one
mare (top ten) A bit slower in Pulse recovery, five minutes more than my

well conditioned Arabs at a vet stop, but very fast on the trail.

Any one interested can E-mail me direct.

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID"