The Togdheer River rises in the foothills of the Golis Mountains, specifically the upper slope of the Ga'an Libah reserve, flows south through the city of Burao, where it splits the city in half, and then vanishes into the eastern plains of the Togdheer region and the northern part of Sool, where it provides winter sustenance to the arid Nugaal valley.

Explorer Frank Linsly James, a guest of Sultan Awad Deria during his visit to Somalia in 1884, describes a performance he witnessed by Habr Yunis Horsemen at the Togdheer River in Burao: During our stay at Burao, the Sultan collected a great many of his people together, and twice entertained us with some well-executed and characteristic evolutions on horseback.

On the first occasion some forty mounted men were collected in the Tug before our zariba; but this did not satisfy the Sultan, and he arranged a second "fan- tasia," in which fully two hundred warriors were engaged.

Each warrior carried a short-handled whip with a broad raw hide thong, and with it lashed his steed unmercifully.

Some of the riders went through regular circus feats, leaping from their horses when at full gallop, picking up objects thrown on the ground, and then remount- ing.