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White horses and black bulls are an integral part of the Rhône delta's image. But for a long time sheep were the dominant species, and they had the best pastures, notably the higher ground which has since been given over to rice production. Horses and bulls were beasts of burden, and had to subsist in the marshes. Horses were more numerous than bulls. Some were used for riding, and some went to the army; but their main employment was in the planting of wheat.
In the mid-19th century, a growing interest in games featuring bulls led to an increase in their numbers. But the number of horses also increased, since they were used, in the marshy pastures, for the herding and sorting of the unruly animals, and for moving them around. In spite of this expansion, the breeding of bulls and horses has remained extensive by nature. But it has also made a considerable contribution to the identity of the delta, and to a culture that is rich in traditional skills.
Outside of their agricultural, sporting and emblematic functions, bulls and horses still make a real contribution to the ecological management of the Camargue. They keep down the grass, and their eating habits and droppings contribute to the diversity of the flora and fauna in a number of habitats such as the "Pelouses" (pasture land), fallow land and marshes that would otherwise be entirely covered by thickets and woods. But there are limits: with the continuing increase in the numbers of bulls, and the decline in the amount of pasture (which is being turned over to crops), the equilibrium of fragile environments such as the reed beds and the Sansouires is under threat.
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