Intro
Ridden and celebrated by the Kanuri people whose tribal lands included parts of Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Cameroon, the Bornu Horse (sometimes called Kanuri Horse) is still a bit of a mystery. Although they are one of the four breeds that have been unofficially identified in the country.
Origins
These horses are thought to be descendants of warrior mounts used by the Kanuri tribes. This fact makes them both easy to recognize and extremely difficult at the same time. Legend says that Kanuri warriors were unique because they used silver (or perhaps even gold) armor on their horses. Today their armor is no less stylish, although perhaps more fabric and sparkle than actual heavy metals. This makes them relatively easy to recognize when it comes to cerimonial dress. On the flip side, the armor covers their animals almost entirely, so it is difficult to distinguish features or conformation of the horse itself.
It is likely they are of Barb ancestry, although it’s possible that Arabian blood was introduced at some point. Nigeria keeps no central studbooks and breeding is not controlled, so they probably vary in bloodlines and conformation. From the images we’ve seen, they do seem to favor pinto white patterns and in Nigeria stallions are seen as a symbol of status.
Features
Average height 14-15.3 hands
Physique
Conformation typical of animals with Barb influence
Traditional Colors
All colors
Temperament
High energy mounts
Use
Riding
Transportation
Ceremonial
More Images
