M'Par
{{Short description|Breed of horse}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{use list-defined references|date=March 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox horse breed
| name = M'Par
| image =
| image_caption =
| image_alt =
| features = {{ubl|{{nobreak|Height: 1.25–1.35 m{{r|mag|page=16}}}}}}
| altname = {{ubl|Mpar | Cayor |Cheval du Cayor}}
| nickname =
| country = Senegal
| group1 =
| std1 =
| group2 =
| std2 =
| group3 =
| std3 =
| group4 =
| std4 =
| group5 =
| std5 =
| group6 =
| std6 =
| status = not recognized|extinct
| note =
}}
The M'Par or Mpar is a breed of small horse from the historic region of Cayor in Senegal, in West Africa.{{r|geo|page=253}} It may for that reason be called the {{langx|fr|Cheval de Cayor|italic=no}}. It is the smallest of the four Senegalese horse breeds,{{r|larrat|page=263}} the others being the M'Bayar, the Fleuve and the Foutanké.{{r|sen|page=23}}
History
The origins of the horse in Senegal are not documented.{{r|larrat|page=261}} According to some authors, including Georges Doutressoulle, the M'Par may be an autochthonous breed with ancient origins in the area;{{r|mag|page=4}} others such as René Larrat see the horses of Senegal as descendants of Barb horses from the Maghreb countries to the north.{{r|larrat|page=261}}
In 1996, Senegal had a horse population of about 400,000 head, the largest of any West African country.{{r|dehoux|page=36}} This was a substantial increase from the 216,000 reported in 1978,{{r|mag|page=10}} and a much greater increase from the population after the Second World War, estimated at barely 30,000.{{r|larrat|page=260}} Population numbers for the M'Par are not reported.{{r|dad}} In 2007 the FAO did not have data from which to estimate the conservation status of the M'Par breed.{{r|barb|page=101}}
The M'Par is gradually being assimilated into the much larger M'Bayar population, and is at risk of extinction.{{r|dehoux|page=37}}
Characteristics
The M'Par is a small horse or pony. It is generally of poor conformation, heavy-headed, too long in the back, thin-legged, flat-chested and often with defective conformation of the legs. In compensation for these defects, it has exceptional qualities of endurance and rusticity.{{r|larrat|page=263}}
Use
Horses play an important part in the social and economic life in Senegal. The M'Par is used as a light draught horse. Because of its small size it is able to pull only light carts and fiacres.{{r|mag|page=16}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
}}
{{Horse breeds of Africa}}