Читать книгу The Majesty of the Horse: An Illustrated History - Tamsin Pickeral - Страница 23

HEIGHT

13.1–14 h.h.

APPEARANCE

Tends toward an upright shoulder, with a large head and a short, thick, muscular neck. Well-defined withers, a short, muscular back, and a deep, wide chest. Legs and feet are strong and robust, with wide hooves adapted to the wetness of their home, but so hard that they are rarely shod. A surprisingly long-striding, smooth walk and “armchair” canter.

COLOR

Gray

APTITUDE

Riding, working livestock

THERE ARE FEW SIGHTS QUITE SO MAGICAL as that of the shimmering white Camargue horses galloping through the saltwater marshes of their home in the Rhône Delta in southern France. Appearing suddenly on the horizon mirrored in the waters and amid streams of foam and clouds of hot breath, these tough, unique horses leave a lasting impression on any visitor lucky enough to see them. They are one of the very few horse breeds to still live a semi-feral existence, roaming across the harsh, unforgiving landscape of their home in small manades, or herds. Camargues are born brown or black but mature into their characteristic pure white, a color that accentuates their aura of mystery when they are glimpsed against the wild landscape. The process of changing coat color varies from horse to horse, but it is gradual and can take up to four years or more.

The Camargue is an ancient breed whose roots feasibly trace back into prehistory and to the horse remains found at Solutré. This extraordinary rocky outcrop is far in the south of Burgundy and was discovered to be a Paleolithic site in the nineteenth century. Many hundreds of horse skeletons have been found here along the southern side of the ridge that have been dated between 32,000 and 12,000 years old and bear great similarities to the shape of the Camargue horse. The site is thought to reflect the scene of mass horse slaughter, presumably for meat with a possible further ritual element, that occurred over thousands of years. Further prehistoric links to this special breed can be seen by comparing its likeness to cave paintings at Lascaux, dated to c. 17,000 B.C.E., and also those at Niaux, c. 11,500 B.C.E., both sites in southwestern France.

The Rhône Delta where the Camargue horse lives is enclosed by saltwater marshes, brackish lagoons, sandbars, and coarse reeds in the south, and to the north on the drier land there are vineyards and handkerchief fields of grain. The landscape is battered by the harsh mistral winds, cold and unforgiving, which hurtle down through the Rhône Valley, and baked in the summer months under a scorching sun. It is home to ferocious mosquitoes and flies, which plague the horses, as well as many other species of flora and fauna, including exotic flamingos and wild boar. This untamed, rugged pocket of land is relatively geographically isolated, which has been a contributing factor to the purity of the Camargue horse. The breed is not without outside influences, but these occurred in large part many centuries ago when armies passed through the area on military campaigns. It is likely that the stocky Mongolian horse found its way to the Camargue under warring Indo-Europeans in pre-Christian times, and Greeks, Romans, and Arab peoples passed through the area, presumably bringing their horses with them. The Camargue was highly prized by the Romans, and Julius Caesar wrote of its fine qualities. The strongest external influences on the breed, however, were those of the Barb horse, itself a majestic animal, and Iberian horses. Barbs and Iberian horses were brought into the Camargue during the seventh and eighth centuries by Moorish invaders from the Iberian Peninsula, and the Barb influence is still discernible in the Camargue, particularly in the shape of its head and its proud bearing. Many of the horse-related traditions of the Camargue, especially those of the French cowboys, the gardiens, also still reflect traditions of the Iberian Peninsula introduced by the Moors, including their saddlery with its distinctive metal caged stirrups. Since that time many centuries ago, the Camargue horse has, however, remained almost untouched by other breeds.

The unique and fascinating nature of the Camargue area has led to the development of its own culture, at the heart of which lies the Camargue horse. This is France’s equivalent to the Wild West, where the gardiens live and where they work the fierce, fighting Camargue bulls from the back of their white horses. The bulls, with their long horns, are bred for their highly prized meat, and also for bullfighting and bull running, a sport in which the gardiens excel and in which they must take a cockade from between the bull’s horns. The bulls range largely unchecked across the salt marshes, living alongside the Camargue horses, and are renowned for their feisty nature. The gardiens use the Camargue horse for working and herding the bulls, carrying a long wooden pole—a trident—to help maneuver the animals. Despite its relatively small size (usually 14 hands high or smaller), the Camargue horse demonstrates extraordinary bravery and an innate ability to work the cattle. In a similar way to the American Quarter Horse, the Camargue instinctively follows and tracks cattle, which greatly aids the gardiens.

Such importance is attached to the gardiens in the Camargue that each May they are honored along with their horses by the Fête des Gardiens. During the festivities, the gardiens parade through the streets with their horses before putting on extensive displays of their equestrian skills. The Camargue horse is an integral part of nearly all of the festivals that occur in this region and is used in a number of riding events, including races in which the gardiens jump from horse to horse at a flat gallop—the saut d’un cheval à l’autre—and another in which they must snatch an orange at speed from platters held up by girls standing on the ground.

In large part because of the relative remoteness of the Camargue area and the quiet, isolated life of the gardiens, the Camargue horse remained relatively unknown until the mid-twentieth century. This was to such an extent that the breed was not officially recognized until 1968, when the Association des Eleveurs de Chevaux de Race Camargue was formed to oversee and protect the breed, including organizing annual stallion inspections. Some years before this, however, the Camargue horse had crept slowly into public awareness through the release in 1953 of Crin Blanc (White Mane), a poignant short film by Albert Lamorisse. The film recounts the story of a young boy who tames a wild Camargue stallion he calls White Mane, battling the prejudice of the local ranchers in the process, and ending with boy and horse swimming out to sea. The film, which is beautifully shot on location using local Camargue horses, went on to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Prix Jean Vigo. It was released again in 2007 to critical acclaim and has touched the hearts of children and adults alike through the tender portrayal of the relationship between child and horse.

Despite its upright shoulder, large head, and short, muscular neck, when seen moving across their landscape or working the fierce Camargue bulls, the Camargue horses are breathtaking animals. Any criticism of their conformation must be balanced by an appreciation for their incredible hardiness. The Camargue, a product of its environment, is able to subsist on a meager diet, picking its way through the tough grasses and reeds of the saltwater marshes, existing and thriving where many other breeds of horse would fail. Their legs and feet are strong and robust, with wide hooves adapted to the wetness of their home, but so hard that they are rarely shod. Despite their upright shoulder, the Camargue has a surprisingly long-striding, smooth walk, and typically an “armchair” canter, gliding across the ground effortlessly. The smoothness and comfort of their paces has made them a popular choice for riders wishing to explore the Camargue Regional Park.

The Camargue horse is truly one of the more magical horse breeds, and certainly one of the oldest. Their unique character and the profound importance they still have to the local Camargue area sets them apart from many other breeds, and makes them particularly special. Although there are breeders of Camargue horses outside France, as a breed they will always retain a profound relationship with their original home, the wild and rugged saltwater marshes of the Camargue. It is these waters and the horses’ propensity to gallop through them with characteristic spirit that has led to their being described as “the horses of the sea” and has lent them such a romantic appeal.