Naceri ( also called Kitab al-sina) is a famous treatise of hippology drafted about the year 1333, by Abou Bakr Ibn Badr Eddin Ibn al Moundir al Baitar, ordered by the Mamluk sultan An-Nasir Muhammad, also called sultan Ennacer (victorious). The manuscript gives us some nice anecdotes from East Africa.

Taken from: La perfection des deux arts ou traite complet d’hippologie et d’hippiatrie arabes. Traduit de l’arabe d’Abou Bekr ibn Bedr par M. Perron

Vol2

p249

It is that these mounts of mules and horses are heavy going and it shows even in simple and regular pacing. I have been assured that in Abyssinia and the land of the Zindjs the weight of the bit and bridle for mules goes up to about fifty Egyptian Rotl (1). However, I do not see anything superior to the bridle of Nasser invented in our time.

p372

Horses of Rasulid Rulers

…………Belonging to El Moueite…………..El Zindji, the Zindj or Zanzibarien; he was totally black…..

p389

The parallel between races and hors-families gives us the following characteristics: ..................

.....Nr 10: The Zindji or Zanguebar or Muscat horse has a thick body, a bulging neck and chest, small shoulders, a hesitant heart, that is to say, lack of momentum in touching circumstances. Among them there are some in whom the blood appears and it is shining.

Understand and know all these things. God will, I hope so.

Vol3

p366

(1) Egyptian Rotl: Ratl; varying in different regions from about 0.45kg to 2.25 kg.

(2) Makdichou: Mogadishu