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Last Update: 16 Dec 2010

Riding Holidays | Niger

Horse riding is part of the culture in Niger and there are many horses throughout the country. Most of Niger has desert terrain and along with camel trains horses were the traditional form of transport across this difficult environment. Extremely important to the nomadic tribes for centuries, horses have continued to be bred here and used in everyday life, particularly in racing and general riding.

Most horses in Niger are of Barb or Dongola descent, with Djerma, Hausa and Bozzan horses the most common breeds. Nigerian horses are also popular. Djerma horses are descended from Barb and Dongola horses and have a strong but light build, good stamina and are normally dark in coloration. The ancient town of Zinder in the south of Niger is known for its horse racing events and the annual Ramadan festival where you will see elaborate ceremonial horse displays.

Despite the Niger having a deeply ingrained horse culture, it is a very poor country with little infrastucture and there are no horse riding holidays in Niger. We are always looking for new riding destinations and regularly update the information on this site. If you have information about horse riding in Niger please do contact us.

Niger is located between Nigeria, Algeria and Chad. It is a hot dry country, mainly covered by the Sahara Desert. The very south has a wetter climate and is home to the arable savannah regions along the Niger River. Most people live in the southern cities, while the north is home to nomadic tribes.