Ethiopian horses

Ethiopian horses

Country of origin	Ethiopia
Distribution	regional
Use	riding driving packhorse agricultural work
Equus ferus caballus

Ethiopian horses or Abyssinian horses (Amharic: ፈረስ; transliteration: färäs) are those breeds or types found in Ethiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia. In 2004, there were about 2.8 million horses in Ethiopia, more than half the horse population on the African continent. In 2012 the horses of Ethiopia were characterised into eight distinct breeds or types with different regional distributions, including a gravely-endangered feral population of the Kundudo; in 2025 these eight were reported to DAD-IS as recognised breeds.

Breeds

Ethiopian gelding brought to Europe circa 1900 by Henri, Prince d'Orléans; from C.G. Wrangel: Die Rassen des Pferdes, 1909

Horses from Ethiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, were in the past described as a single type, the "Abyssinian Horse" or "Ethiopian Horse", of variable size, colour and conformation. In 1997 two distinct types, the Oromo and Dongola, were described. Morphological research published in 2012 characterised eight distinct breeds or types with different regional distributions. In 2007 no population data was available to the FAO, and no assessment of conservation status was made.

Eight distinct breeds or regional types of horse are found in Ethiopia.

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian type or breed is found mostly in the northern part of Ethiopia, particularly in the Semien Mountains in the area of Gondar, in the Amhara Region. It is poorly conformed, sway-backed and heavy in the belly. It is much used in agricultural work.

Bale

The Bale breed or type has poor conformation, with a heavy belly and sway back. It is found in highland areas of the Bale Zone of the Oromia Region, in the southern part of the country.

Borana

The Borana is a lowland breed kept by the pastoral Borana Oromo people, particularly in the area of the city of Megga in southern Ethiopia. It is of good conformation, is always bay, and is not used for draught work.

Horro

The Horro or Horo breed is a poorly-conformed agricultural horse from the Horo area of western Oromia Region, in the west of Ethiopia.

Kafa

The Kafa is a well-conformed and robust breed from the rain-forests of Sheka and Keffa zones of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region.

Kundudo

The Kundudo is a gravely-endangered population of feral horses, of unknown origin, from the area of the Kundudo plateau near the city of Harar, in the Misraq Hararghe zone of Oromia.

Ogaden

The Somali, Ogaden or Wilwal is a well-conformed breed from the Somali Region of Ethiopia (the traditional Ogaden), and is concentrated in the area of the city of Jijiga.

Selale

The Selale is a good breed of riding horse from the Shewa area of central Ethiopia named for the historical province of Selale.

Gallery

• Ethiopian breeds
• 
  Abyssinian
• 
  Bale
• 
  Kundudo
• 
  Selale

Use and culture

Ploughing with horses in northern Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. About three-quarters of all farms are more than one and a half days' walk from an all-weather road. Horses, mules and donkeys are essential to transport and horses are extensively used for transport, traction and agricultural work such as ploughing. Some breeds, in some areas, are used mainly for riding.

Engraving from the 1800s captioned "Abyssinian Warfare"

Equestrian culture in Ethiopia is one of the oldest in the continent of Africa. Horses were likely introduced to the Ethiopian highlands from the Nile valley during the second half of the 2nd millennium BC. At some point people learned to breed donkeys, introduced from the Arabian Penninsula, and horse to produce mules (which would become a common mode of transport in mountainous areas). Equestrians, horse warriors, and cavalry contingents in Ethiopia were called feresinya (Amharic: ፈረስኛ), sharing a common Semitic root with the middle eastern furusiyya (knighthood). Thus, in both Senterej and Shatranj the piece equivalent to knight was named feresenya and faras (Arabic: فرس; horse).

The majority of horses were named for their coat color or temperament. The first named horse in the region's history was that of Amda Seyon I in his royal chronicle "The Glorious Victories." This would set the groundwork for the horse name, a noble title in Imperial Ethiopia, The Oromo, however, initially had no horses and would aquire them well into their expansion from Somalis. Later descriptions of Ethiopia state "The kings and nobilities of the country were reported to have strong and beautiful horses which were used not only to travel from one area to another but also for warfare purposes during territorial expansion and the fight against rebels and for hunting activities." During the Gondarine period the castles were constructed with adjacent stables and lion cages. In relation to the utilization of horses by (earlier) Ethiopians, Augustus Blandy Wylde asserts that "the war horses used by the upper classes are consistently well kept and some of them are very fine animals."

Traditional northern tack and embroidered robe

The Ethiopian riding style involves a unique approach characterized by single rein control, often without a bit, and mounting from the right side (unlike most others). Traditionally, warriors in Northeast Africa wore circular shields strapped to their forearm with weapons carried on the same side as their dominant hand. This left the shield hand open to steer the horse. Rugged terrain and varying altitudes required riders to be fit and adaptable, and these horses do not follow the same signals as their European-trained counterparts.

Ethiopian horse tack is made of leather and wool, resembling those of the Sahel and Arabia, with metal disk ornaments running along the forehead, breast collar, and croup. Traditional saddles are colorful with depictions of lions on the blankets. Historically, single-toe stirrups similar to those found in ancient India were used. Horses are commonplace in Ethiopian Orthodox holiday celebrations and the Awi people are known for having hosted a horse festival in Gojjam since the 1940s. Likewise, depictions of horses in Ethiopian art are very common, particularly that of Saint George.

See also

• List of African horse breeds
• Media related to Horses of Ethiopia at Wikimedia Commons