What is a Mustang?

CLICK : Physical Conformation of Mustangs

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Linda Hazelwood photo
 
The Spanish mustang is an ancient breed which does not conform to many modern horse registry standards.
Equestrians define Spanish mustangs as pure blooded descendants of the horses brought to the New World by Spanish conquistadors in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Spanish bred their horses from  Iberian and Moorish horses.

In America the Spanish horse readily adapted to the challenging environments it encountered there : the heat of the Southwest, the wetlands of the Southeast, and the near-arctic winter conditions of the High Plains and the Northwest.

"Colonial Spanish Horse" would be the more proper term for all strains of  Spanish horses in the Americas. While breeders and other horse-keepers kept the Spanish bloodline going over the centuries on ranches, some of the colonial horses escaped captivity and remained in isolated feral herds.  These are the legendary "wild mustangs" of the Old West.

In the 19th century millions of wild mustangs roamed the West in countless herds alongside the buffalo. In the  20th century the wild mustangs have been hunted and harassed. At one time official policy was to shoot them all, if they were not thought to be "upbreeding" material. Today the numbers of wild mustangs are dramatically reduced.  In the United States the Bureau of  Land Management is charged with managing protected herds notably in Utah, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming and Montana. Most of these mustangs have been crossbred at some time in the past.

Registries in the United States keep careful records on the pedigrees of registered horses of Spanish stock. These registries take meticulous measurements of a horse, require a  veterinarian visit, and often perform blood  tests - all in the name of  keeping the registry clean

But in the northern reaches of the Americas, in Canada, it is thought that a few  very isolated herds of mustangs survive in remote wilderness.These herds may be the purest heritage stock surviving.
Physical Conformation of Mustangs

Few mustangs exceed 14.2 hands tall, and most weigh in at less than 1100 lbs.

Mustangs come in a variety of colors ranging from  solid  black, brown, bay, chestnut, sorrel,  grullo, zebra, and red dun, palomino, cream; they may have patches or blankets; they may have spots.

Head : generally straight to concave (rarely convex); the forehead and nose is convex, in contrast to straighter nasal profile of most other breeds. Muzzles are  usually very fine.
Nostrils are usually small and crescent shaped, but do flare with alertness or exertion.


                            Linda Hazelwood photo
Ears : medium to short; alert, often hooked, called “fox ears.” Many have darker coat color on rims of ears (“rimmed”); inner ear hair has thick, woolly hair, usually slightly lighter in color than base coat.

Eyes : Spanish mustangs have the most unique eye coloration of any breed in the world. They may be dark, tan, golden, grey, hazel,  green, navy,  blue and parti-colored, any of which may be sclera. Some of the purest have blue or “glass” eyes. Medium to large, wide set eyes, with a prominent arch. The eye is alert.

Nostril : crescent shaped and will close tightly. The Spanish mustang produces a strange rattling snort when confronted with a questionable situation. This sound  has been referred to as “ rollers in the nose,” and is unlike the snort of most other types of horses. This sound is part of its herd behavior, and is used to alert other herd members to
possible danger.

Shoulder : long and sloping, smooth muscling. Heavier on forequarter than hindquarters.

            Linda Hazelwood photo
Chest : Narrow, deep  chest, well sprung rib cage.

Legs: strong and of medium bone with long, smooth muscling; joints allow great flexibility of motion and are often large. When viewed from the front, the legs join the chest in an “A” shape, rather than straight across as in most other horses.

Hoof : small; may never require shoeing. Hoof color may be black, grey, white or striped. Hoof black or hoof polish are not usually required. The chestnuts and ergots are usually small or missing altogether.

Gait : mustangs perform all saddle gaits; the gait is never choppy, but shows good smoothness. Mustangs are very comfortable for the rider.

Temperament: bold, yet calm; alert , fiery.

See another website on Physical Conformation of Indian Horses. Click here.



 


The American Mustang Association has registered one Canadian horse, Shandi. Shandi is a 22-year-old dun mare owned by Steve Howlett of Shandar Stables in Dugald,  Manitoba. Shandi descends from  a wild dam and sire of the Siffleur herd of Southern Alberta.
Shandi fulfills every requirement for registration as a true mustang :
 

  • Shandi’s history is known to be wild - she was the foal of a  wild mare captured in the extremely remote Siffleur Wilderness area of Southern Alberta, an area  reputed to have been un-visited by humans for decades.
  • her conformation includes the small size ( 14 1/2 hands), spirited temperament, short back and deep body typical of Spanish stock.
  • Shandi  exhibits typical  markings  of a wild mustang ( dorsal stripe, Spanish mask face, shoulder patch).
    •
    Shandi  represents  scientific proof that her home herd of wildies carries  the pure genetic heritage of Spanish mustang stock in the Canadian wilderness.

    Find out more about Colonial Spanish Horses at these sites :

    Mustang Registry Links

    Southwest Spanish Mustang Association

    Mustang Registries
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