South African Equine Populations

South Africa is home to a variety of equids, according to an article by Alan Guthrie published in the 2010 Australian Veterinary Association/New Zealand Veterinary Association conference proceedings. The use of horses, mules, and donkeys for agricultural work peaked about a century ago when there were more than a million of these animals in the country. A decrease in equine population followed mechanization of farming, but a recent swell of interest in sport horses has brought the number back to around 300,000.

Three species of zebra totaling around 50,000 are also present, as are African donkeys which are more resistant than horses to African horse sickness (AHS). While an effective vaccine exists, unprotected horses that contract AHS have a mortality rate approaching 95%.

Other equine diseases in South Africa include dourine, piroplasmosis, rhinopneumonitis, mange, rabies, anthrax, and West Nile fever. Several diseases found among horse populations in other parts of the world—glanders, equine viral arteritis, equine influenza, contagious equine metritis, horse pox, surra, and others—have either never been introduced to South Africa, or have been totally eradicated.