Horses. As early as the third-century Wagadu kafu in the Sahel, which led to the Ghanaian empire, horses were a regular part of building and maintaining a state. For most of the Sudanic states, the cavalry was acknowledged as the best striking force. It had a military advantage over all other forms of fighting in the region until the introduction of firearms in the late sixteenth century. Cavalrymen rode locally bred or imported horses, but imported horses were considered superior mounts. Leo Africanus, who visited the Songhai Empire in 1513-1515, reported on the breeding of small, short horses in Ghana and Timbuktu. These horses were generally used as transportation for resident merchants and for sundry purposes by the ruler. Larger, better-quality horses were imported from the Maghrib and were used for royal ceremonies and parades, as presents...