Category: Horse Riding

Just as most people are unaware of the presence of brown bears in the Pyrenees, so the existence of two native breeds of horse in the Pyrenees is not widely known. However, for millenia, the rugged mountain environment of the Ariege department of the central Pyrenees has been home to two specific breeds. These are the Merens and the Castillonais horses. Paintings of horses in prehistoric caves appear to resemble these stocky animals. This suggests that they may have been present in the area way back in 13,000 BC! However, in the course of the 20th C both breeds were threatened with extinction as the pure blood lines dwindled. But thanks to concerted local efforts over the past 20 years, populations of both the Merens and the Castillonais horses are once again on a healthy level. The Merens horses of the Pyrenees At first glance you could be forgiven for mistaking the Merens for a British a fell pony. The resemblance is striking with its jet black coat and shaggy mane and fetlocks. However, this small, rustic horse is native to the Pyrenees and in particular to the rugged mountains of the Haute Ariege in the centre of the chain. In days gone by, the Mérens was put to work in areas that could not be accessed by other equipment. Their jobs would include hauling timber, undertaking draft work in mountain mining areas and also pulling ploughs and other equipment in farming communities. Their other main use in the 19th and 20th centuries was as a pack animal. They would transport goods over mountainous routes into Spain and neighbouring valleys where trading took place. Today in some areas they are still used to transport supplies from the valley up to the high mountain refuges. They're much cheaper than a helicopter! ...