The renowned Basotho Pony

by Peter Millin

“If thou hast sorrow, Tell it to thy saddlebow And ride thee singing forth” – An Arab proverb

Why quote this Arab proverb? Simply because the Basotho Pony evolved largely from Arabian and Oriental Arab blood stock. Why refer to the “renowned” Basotho Pony? RW Thornton (former director of agriculture in Basutoland) tells us in his booklet The Origin and History of the Basuto Pony (1936) that:

“There is no doubt that the Basotho Pony, like the once famous Cape Horse, became a definite and well-established type due to its ­origin. Its confirmation, character, paces, ­action and high powers of endurance were typical of its Eastern ancestor. In the case of the Basotho Pony, certain characteristics became accentuated due to the nature of the country in which it was bred and the manner in which it was handled by its owners.

Basutoland is the most mountainous and coldest part of South Africa. The Basotho are fast and fearless riders, but may be described as poor horse masters: shelter and food other than that supplied by nature, were seldom considered. Horses were ridden hard over precipitous ground. This treatment, together with climatic and topographical conditions, tended to increase and accentuate its inherited characteristics: the small size and endurance of these animals, which were already fearless and surefooted – the most fearless and surefooted of any known breed or type.”

Breed description
There is no formal “breed description” of these mountain ponies. They are not considered to be a breed, but a special type of animal that evolved in the harsh conditions of the ­Basutoland ­mountains. It still retains it ­valuable qualities and conformation. It is somewhat thick-set with short legs and extremely hard hoofs, has easy paces, is surefooted, kindly, good mannered, intelligent and has a fair turn of speed. They stood about 14 hands high (56 inches).

But horses are not indigenous to South ­Africa. So how then did the Basotho acquire and develop such fine mounts? The Dutch East India Company first introduced horses to South Africa. Simon van der Stel imported Arab stallions directly from Persia in 1689. In Van Riebeek’s time every homebound ship from the East was expected to transport two horses to the Cape.

Horse breeding in the Cape continued for decades using mainly Arab and ­Oriental ­stallions, and so the famous Cape saddle horse, developed. Cape Horses were bought as remounts for the war in Crimea where they took part in the charge of the Light Brigade.

As people moved northwards, so they took their horses with them. Many fine ­animals were stolen from farmers in the Northern Cape. In any event, the Griquas and Korannas had good horses of the Cape type. Marauding bands of these people attacked the Basotho, were repulsed and lost many of their horses. Moshesh was presented with a horse that had been stolen from a farm in Dordrecht. He sat on this horse and used a wooden crutch on each side to help keep his balance!

He was quick to see the value of horses and encouraged their acquisition from ­cross-border raids with Boer farmers who had settled in what is now the Free State. By about 1870 it is said that perhaps 90% of the nation were mounted.

Distressingly, the Basotho do not seem to have had a definite breeding policy and it seems likely that they did not realise the true value of their horses. It is the very nature of these wonderful ponies that led to their ­eventual deterioration. Many were sold out of the country so that an export business took place to South Africa and beyond.

During the Anglo Boer War, the British and the Boers bought horses, mainly stallions, in large numbers. Then during the Herero ­Rebellion in German South West Africa in about 1904, the Germans bought up so many stallions (many of which were castrated), that only inferior stock was left in Basutoland.

This loss of so many good horses over a short period of time, is the main factor ­leading to the deterioration of the ­Basotho Pony. Other ­factors are that the Basotho’s love for racing meant that they often ­introduced poor ­thoroughbred stock as wages when they ­returned home from working on ­European farms. As the ­grazing ­deteriorated due to ­overstocking, senecio plants spread. This caused the death of many animals due to ­senecio poisoning and even malnutrition.

Introducing the Arab
As early as 1902 and before, government ­officials were alarmed at this deterioration and Arab stallions were introduced to stand at stud. This policy continued for many years and had a beneficial effect. Some thoroughbreds were also imported and it is a moot point as to whether this was a good or bad thing. One thoroughbred in particular, named Landing, was imported in 1932 and his progeny was outstanding and much sought after.

In spite of this rather depressing story, let it be said that even given that the true type no longer exists, horses in Lesotho today are still incredibly tough and surefooted. They seem to have inherited a natural tendency to amble and triple. Horses are used as pack animals and for riding purposes. To fully appreciate the nature of these horses, one must see them in action over the incredibly rough and steep mountain tracks.

By 1952 all the Government stallions were Thoroughbreds, with the exception of ­Donaguala (Nigerian) Raschid and ­Tigo-Tigo (South African), which were good Arab types, but not registered. In 1953 Capt ­Graham Young of Cape Town presented a fine Arab stallion to the Lesotho government. ­According to ­Thornton, this stallion, silver Eagle, was bred by GC Kock of ­Deelfontein in 1939.

His dam was Nightingale. She was by ­Silver Thrush out of Amsha. She was taken to ­England by RS Clark and later brought to South Africa by Kock. She was beleived to have been a Jilfah Sitam al Bulad. Silver Eagle's sire was Shagya XXV-12, born at the Babolna Stud in Hungary on 5 May 1933 and imported into South Africa in 1937.

A pure Arab mare was introduced and a number of half- and three-quarter-bred mares were acquired, as were some better type ­Basotho mares. About 40 “livestock ­centres” were created at strategic places all over ­Basutoland and at each one of these one or two stallions stood to which the Basotho could bring their mares for servicing.

In 1978 the Irish Government instituted, by agreement with the Lesotho government, a ­scientific breeding programme aimed at ­breeding a small, compact pony suited to ­Lesotho conditions. Carefully selected ­specimens of the Connemara (Ireland) Arab and Nooitgedacht breeds were introduced and crossed with selected Basotho mares. This ­programme must bring about a marked ­beneficial effect on the horses in Lesotho – but whether they can get back to the original ­Basuto Pony type remains to be seen.

An interesting incident that illustrates the toughness of Basotho horses is that ­specimens were trekked from Lesotho through Africa, the Middle East, across Europe to Munich, to arrive in time for the Olympic Games in 1972. These two ponies are still honoured in Germany.

I was once trekking in a remote area of the Mokhotlong district of Lesotho. I saw two horsemen riding towards me. Limping behind them was a ragged herd boy. I was told they were taking him to a medical clinic some ­distance away, because he had “broken his leg” (I imagine it was very badly sprained). On enquiring how it came about that they were riding and yet the injured boy had to limp along as best he could, they replied: ”Oh, ­because he hasn’t got a horse!”

Khotso! Pula!­

About the author Peter Millin joined the colonial ­government in Basutoland (Lesotho) in 1954 as an ­agricultural and livestock officer and spent about 12 years there. "I have always been interested in and loved horses and so tried to find out what I could from the 'old timers'. I do not claim to be an 'expert' myself. In those days there were no roads suitable for ­motor cars in the mountain areas, so all our work up there was done on horseback with mules to carry our equipment. Sometimes we spent two or three weeks travelling with horse and mule, and ­camping out to do our work. This consisted mainly of sheep and wool ­improvement; establishment of grass strips on the ­contour to control erosion, and ­establishing grazing control measures among the Basotho people. I am proud of the fact that I was able to contribute to the contoured grass strips which you will see even in the remotest areas of the ­Basutoland mountains. "It occurs to me that some of your ­readers might be interested to read about the use of equines under these very ­rugged conditions in a bygone age.” SAH