Senegal

Located on the western side of the African continent, Senegal almost entirely surrounds The Gambia on its north, south and eastern borders. As in many parts of the continent, horsepower still makes up an essential part of daily life. The country is home to more than 500,000 horses, many of which are used to transport locals, tourists, goods and materials through the busy streets.

 

Training initiative:

 

With the recent conclusion of our programme in The Gambia, we investigated Senegal as a potential project country.

 

In July 2008, we then undertook a feasibility study to establish the condition of the horses in districts in and around Dakar. It was clear that there was a desperate need for help from horseowners, many of whom were dependent on their horses for income.

 

We often observed foot problems among the working horse population, caused by traditional shoeing practices; local farriers were making shoes from reinforced steel and trimming the foot to fit the shoe. Generally, the carts in Senegal were of an average standard, although the harness used was often in disrepair and caused severe injuries.

 

World Horse Welfare started a training project in Senegal in 2009, training a total of 10 farriers and 10 saddlers. The project will run for a total of five years.