Grey horse running through salty water. Its hooves churn up white foam, and its mane flutters in the wind. This is the camargue, the ghost of the Rhone delta. For centuries, these sturdy, short horses have lived on the edge of land and sea in the French region of Camargue. They have become symbols of Provence like lavender and cypresses. But their existence today depends on humans. How do these semi-wild creatures live? And what is being done to protect them? We tell the story of horses that do not drink fresh water, but graze among salt and wind. Who are the Camargue horses The Camargue horse is one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe. Scientists believe that their ancestors lived here since prehistoric times. These are low-growing horses (1.35-1.50 m at the withers), stocky, with a large head and a thick mane. A unique feature is their color: foals are born black or dark bay, and by the age of 4-7 years become gray, then white. This whiteness helps them reflect sunlight in the hot climate. Camargue horses live in herds (from 10 to 50 heads) over an area of 85,000 hectares — in the delta of the Rhone River, where fresh and salt water mix. They are incredibly hardy: they can go for a long time without fresh water, eat tough saltbush, withstand mosquitoes and heat. History and status For thousands of years, Camargue horses were wild. They were used by local residents (gauchos) for grazing livestock, riding, and traditional bullfighting. In the 20th century, the breed was threatened by the mechanization of agriculture and the drainage of marshes. In 1970, the Regional Natural Park of Camargue (Parc naturel régional de Camargue) was created, where horses were given a protected territory. Today, purebred Camargue horses are under state protection. They are not considered completely wild, but neither are they domesticated in the usual sense. They are semi-wild horses that live freely but are periodically rounded up for examination, vaccination, and the selection ... Read more