page_title: Mérens horse
section_title: 18th and 19th centuries
hierarchical_section_title: Mérens horse / History / 18th and 19th centuries
context_page_description: The Mérens, Cheval de Mérens or Caballo de Merens, still occasionally referred to by the older name of Ariégeois pony, is a small, rustic horse native to the Pyrenees and Ariégeois mountains of southern France, where the Ariège River flows, and northern Spain, near Andorra. Two general types, a small, light traditional mountain horse and a taller, sportier modern type, are found. Always black in color, Mérens must meet strict physical standards in order to be registered in the stud book. The breed is known for its sure-footedness on mountain terrain, as well as for its endurance, hardiness and docility. The French breed registry organizes regional offices, and partners with other national organizations in Europe to preserve and promote the breed. The organization enforces rigorous selection of breeding stock, with a goal of increasing quality in the breed. In the past, the Mérens was used for farm work, draft work and as pack horses. Today it is mainly used as a saddle horse, although some members of the breed have been successful in carriage driving.
context_section_description: Horses from Ariège were requisitioned for Napoleon's Grand Army during his Russian campaign. They were used mainly to pull artillery, as were most horses of this type from French territory at the beginning of the 19th century. A popular legend has them becoming famous during the crossing of the Berezina River during the Battle of Berezina.
  The Mérens has long been used as a delivery and courier horse, as well as being used by local farmers. It has also been used by the winemakers of Languedoc, gardeners and dock workers, as well as continuing to be used by French armies, who appreciated its endurance. The breed was used in the mines, both under saddle and in harness. It was used by smugglers moving goods through the mountains between France and Spain, mainly carrying wood and minerals, and was known for its endurance and sense of direction.
  Mérens horses were sold at the Tarascon-sur-Ariège  horse fair, and were popular with merchants from the large cities. The breed was sometimes called "Tarasconnais", after the town, and was famous for the high quality of its legs and the ability to survive on poor food. It was used to breed mules, and the Pyrenees mule was derived from a cross between Catalan donkeys and horses of the Breton, Mérens and other breeds. Before World War I, almost 1,000 Pyrenees mules were born annually in the Ariège department. The first breed show was organized in 1872. By the end of the 19th century, horses from the Pyrenees were known for their use as light cavalry. They were praised for their agility, sure-footedness, robust constitutions, and endurance, a result of their semi-feral existence in the Pyrenees mountains.
caption: A painting of Napoleon's crossing of the Berezina, showing the many horses used by the army
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