The Dongola or Dongolawi is an African breed of riding horse. It is predominantly of Barb type, though there may have been some Arab influence in the past. It originated in the Dongola province of Sudan, for which it is named. In eastern Africa it is distributed in the northern part of Sudan and in western Eritrea; it is also present in several West African countries including Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic. A number of local West African breeds or types derive from it; they may be regarded as sub-types, or may be reported as separate breeds.
History
Regional variants of the Dongola include:
the West African Dongola in Cameroon and the Central African Republic, usually dark or black with extensive white markings to the legs and sometimes to the belly[4]: 461
the Bahr-el-Ghazal or Dongola breed of the Bahr-el-Ghazalregion of Chad, which stands about 148–152 cm, weighs some 350–400 kg, and is usually dark with extensive white markings to the legs and sometimes to the belly;[5]: 29 [6] it may also be called the Kréda or Ganaston[2]: 404
and the Haoussa or Hausa in northern Nigeria and parts of Niger.[4]: 462
A number of local West African breeds or types derive from cross-breeding Dongola and Barb stock; they may be regarded as sub-types of the Barb or of the Dongola, or may be reported as separate breeds. They include:[4]: 462
in Burkina Faso, the Mossi and, in the northern part of the country, the Yagha or Liptako
in Mali, the Bandiagara or Gondo, a light horse of about 150–152 cm, normally either bay or grey, and the Songhaq or Songhoï[7]
in central Niger, the Djerma, a light horse seen in dark coat colours
in Nigeria, the Nigerian, which stands about 142–147 cm and is used for riding, for light traction and for pack work.
^Breed data sheet: Songhoï / Mali (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2020.
