Both the Arabian and Barb have strains native to Algeria. In fact they are the only two breeds found in the country, aside from their handsome cousin, the Algerian Arabian-Berber.
A Little Backstory
Horses have been in the region for a very long time. There are many myths surrounding the origins of both breeds and probably every country where they are native would tell you they tamed them first. A combination of the two breeds isn’t often found outside of their native lands, but in their territory it is a common practice. It does seem that each breed has dominant traits which tend to cancel each other out. However centuries of breeding is likely to solve those problems.
Of the two, Barb seems to rule supreme in Algeria and probably Arabian blood is added for refinement of the more robust Barb frame. Their offspring tend to be larger and more robust than pure Arabians, with slightly finer features.
What Makes Them Special
Both of these heavyweight types are considered grandfathers for many modern breeds today. The combination of their bloodlines must obviously be done carefully to produce progeny which exhibits the best traits of each breed. Algerian breeders seemed to have solved the problem, the crosses found in their country resemble stout Arabians, with the robust body of Barb types with the fine facial features of Arabian blood. The dedication to their effort has provided amazing results. To learn more about the breed, be sure to check out the Algerian Arabian-Berber breed page.
Quick Facts
Native to Algeria.
There doesn’t appear to be an official studbook kept.
They are listed in the DAD-IS and the most recent population data was in 1992 when there were 32000 animals.