Fleuve

The Fleuve is a breed of horse from Senegal, in West Africa. Its name is the French word for "big river"; it is named for the Senegal River. It is one of four Senegalese horse breeds, the others being the Foutanké, the M'Bayar and the M'Par. 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 400,000 head, the largest of any West African country. This was a substantial increase from the 216,000 reported in 1978, and a much greater increase from the population after the Second World War, estimated at barely 30,000. Population numbers for the Fleuve are not reported. In 2007 the FAO did not have data from which to estimate the conservation status of the breed.