Fleuve

History

The origins of the horse in Senegal are not documented. The Fleuve derives from Sahel-type horses from the Hodh and Kayes regions of modern-day Mauretania and Mali, to the north of Senegal. Those in turn are descended from Barb horses from the Maghreb countries further to the north. The Fleuve has been described as a "degenerate Barb".

In 1996, Senegal had a horse population of about head, the largest of any West African country. This was a substantial increase from the reported in 1978, and a much greater increase from the population after the Second World War, estimated at barely . Population numbers for the Fleuve are not reported. In 2007 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations did not have data from which to estimate the conservation status of the breed.

Characteristics

The Fleuve is normally grey. It is a well-made horse, with a fine head and slender legs; it is energetic, with lively gaits. Poor examples may be too narrow in the chest, or have insufficient bone in the legs.

Use

Horses play an important part in the social and economic life in Senegal. The Fleuve was once the horse of chieftains; it is now used as a saddle-horse and for horse-racing.

It is also used in cross-breeding: a cross between a Fleuve stallion and an M'Bayar mare gives rise to the type called Foutanké.

References

References

1. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200623201209/http://www.fao.org/3/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources], annex to: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170110125634/http://www.fao.org/3/a-a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn. 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
2. [https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=SEN&specie=Horse&breed=Fleuve&external=1&lang=en Breed data sheet: Fleuve / Senegal (Horse)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
3. J.-P. Dehoux, A. Dieng, A. Buldgen (1996). [https://web.archive.org/web/20250831165101/https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e56d9a85-8d65-444d-a8c2-6231153383e1/content Le cheval Mbayar dans la partie centrale du bassin arachidier sénégalais] (in French). ''Animal Genetic Resources Information''. '''20''': 35–54. Archived 31 August 2025.
4. René Larrat (1947). [https://revues.cirad.fr/index.php/REMVT/article/view/6780 L'élevage du cheval au Sénégal] (in French). ''Revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux''. '''1''' (4): 257–265. {{doi. 10.19182/remvt.6780.
5. Magatte Ndiaye (1978). [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052810/http://www.sist.sn/gsdl/collect/eismv/index/assoc/HASH0ff0.dir/TD78-15.pdf Contribution à l'étude de l'élevage du cheval au Sénégal] (doctoral thesis, in French). Ecole Inter-Etats des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de Dakar. Archived 4 March 2016.
6. [Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles] (2003). [https://web.archive.org/web/20191101064005/http://www.fao.org:80/ag/AGAinfo/programmes/en/genetics/documents/Interlaken/countryreports/Senegal.pdf Rapport national sur l'état des ressources zoogénétiques au Sénégal] (in French); annex to: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170110125634/http://www.fao.org/3/a-a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn. 9789251057629. Archived 1 November 2019.