Don Juan`s Iberian Equine Heritage - Spanish Mustang Spirit of the

Spanish Mustang
Spirit of the
Black Hills
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
“Don Juan’s Band” at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
Don Juan’s Iberian Equine Heritage
Celebrating Nearly 500 Years of the Ancestors of the Spanish Jennet in the Americas
Guest Editorial and Historical Timelines by Karen Parker - February, 2011
Don Juan, a cynical poem written by Lord Byron in the early 19th century, was based on the legendary
Casanova Don Juan. Byron reverses the legend, portraying Don Juan not as a womanizer but as someone
easily seduced by women. That would certainly describe the life of Don Juan–Colinas de Corazon, an
exceptional mustang stallion living at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary (BHWHS). With dozens of mares
vying for his attention all summer, he looks more like the pursued and not the pursuer that his name would
imply. Let me introduce you to this amazing stallion that came from a Sulphur Springs mustang lineage and
exhibits Sorraia characteristics; a reflection of an Iberian heritage of significant importance. Join me on a
historic journey which reveals just why “our” Don Juan is so special.
The Spanish Jennet
It’s hard to imagine this country and our history
without the horse’s hoof print alongside ours, and
this can be said the world over. It was the Spanish
jennet that had the largest influence on New World
discoveries.
Fiery Iberian chargers, graceful bullfighting
mounts, brave steeds of war, sturdy companions of
explorers and conquerors, spirited mission horses,
docile partners and reliable mounts for everyday
needs, these were the notable uses in which the
Spanish jennet excelled. It was the combination
of the indigenous wild horse type inhabiting Spain
and Portugal, the refined domestic stock carefully
bred by Iberian nobility and the influence of Berber
Copyright 2008 - Karen Parker
horses from North Africa’s Barbary Coast that
created such a versatile, adaptable, and attractive “Don Juan–Colinas de Corazon” at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com
horse type possessing all that is desirable
in a superior equine. And they came in a
rainbow of colors to further the appeal.
The Horse in the Context of Prehistory
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 2
3,000 - 1,200 BC
Bronze Age (metalworking)
4,000 BC
Horse domisticated (Eurasian Steppe)
5,000 BC
Earliest Egyptian settlements
6,000 BC
New Stone Age (Neolithic) in Europe - farming
7,000 BC
Founding of Jericho - world’s earliest known city
8,000 BC
Extinction of mastadoms and other megafauna
11,000 BC
End of last ice age
“Le Chasseur de la Garde”
by Théodore Géricault (1812)
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
15,000 BC
Asians cross Bering Straits to North America
25,000 BC
Neanderthals die out/Homo Sapiens dominate
30,000 BC
Oldest known rock art in Chauvet Cave, France
200,000 years ago
Homo Neanderthalensis & Homo Sapiens appear
3,500,000 years ago
Hagerman horse first appeared - fossils in Idaho
7,800,000 - 3,900,000 years ago
Equid thrives
15,000,000 years ago
Pliohippus - 3-toed equid similar to Equus
17,000,000 years ago
Merychippus - tallest equid yet at 10 hands
36,000,000 years ago
Miohippus - distinctly larger equids emerge
40,000,000 years ago
Mesohippus - slightly larger equids emerge
60,000,000 - 50,000,000 years ago
Early Equids - Hyracotherium/Eohippus emerge
65,000,000 years ago
Dinosaurs die out
4,800,000 years ago
Ancestor to modern horse genus Equus emerges
“Equestrian Portrait”
by Anthony van Dyck (1633)
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
“Equestrian Portrait of Charles I”
by Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641)
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
230,000,000 years ago
Dinosaurs and early mammals appear
Courtesy of the University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin
and Wikipedia Commons
10,000 - 3,500 BC
Paleo Indian Culture/PreColumbian Mesoamerica
When the Spanish jennet was brought
to the Americas nearly 500 years ago,
it represented a repatriation after a
10,000+ year hiatus. While it is uncertain
just what caused the extinction of their
prehistoric North American ancestors, the
newcomers immediately thrived upon the
return to the New World. The impressive
abilities and traits of these Iberian horses
still course through the veins of some of
America’s wild mustangs–and you can
see it in Don Juan. The Spanish and
Portuguese horses the conquistadors left
behind were in many ways worth more
than the gold they had discovered in the
New World.
Iberian Horse Types vs. Breeds
The creation of horse breeds is a relatively new concept. Historically, horses were selected by “type” and
named for the region in which they originated. For example, the Andalusian really refers to the type of horse
hailing from Andaluz, Spain. It wasn’t until the 18th century when the first written national stud book was
created. By breed standards and genetics, Portugal’s Lusitano is closely related to the Andalusian. They
were essentially the same type of horse, just from different regions of the Iberian Peninsula. The Carthusian
Andalusian is yet another sub-strain or type of horse kept by Carthusian monks in the Spanish regions of
Jerez, Seville, and Cazalla. The natural features of a particular region’s environment and the predilections of
human influence resulted in these related, yet distinct types and the same is true of present day wild mustangs
in North America.
The types of Spanish/Iberian horses we have today in the Americas—reminiscent of the jennet type—include
horses from wild strains, Native American strains, Mexican strains, South American strains, and rancher
strains. This explains the dozens of names used to describe the regional distinctions and notable variations
among otherwise similar phenotypes present in North American mustangs showing Spanish influence. I like to
call them “Iberian equine legacies.”
American mustangs with the strongest traits of Spanish ancestry frequently surface in the more remote ranges
of public lands which are overseen by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management
(BLM). The Kiger herds in Oregon, the Book Cliffs herds in Utah/Colorado, the Sulphur Springs herds in Utah
(where “our” Don Juan’s family band once ran free) and other Herd Management Areas (HMAs) all have
horses which exhibit Iberian characteristics. Don Juan’s sire and dam were wild mustangs gathered from the
BLM Sulphur Springs HMA. This gorgeous stallion is registered with the Sulphur Horse Registry and because
he also possesses many characteristics of the Portuguese Sorraia, he has Foundation Certification in the
Sorraia Mustang Studbook.
“
Look back at our
struggle for freedom,
trace our present day’s
strength to its source;
and you’ll find that
man’s pathway to glory
is strewn with the
bones of a horse.”
Copyright 2008 - Karen Parker
638 AD
Jerusalem captured by Muslims
628 AD
Heraclius returns the “True Cross” to Jerusalem
624 AD
Jihad-Mohammed & his followers subdue Mecca
500 AD
King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table
452 AD
Attila the Hun invades Gual, Italy, & Balkans
451 AD
Huns spread stirrups and metal horseshoes
315 AD
Roman Empire splits - East (Byzantine) & West
33 AD
Crucifixion of Christ
4 BC
Birth of Christ
51-30 BC
Cleopatra - Queen of Egypt
48 BC
Julius Ceasar becomes Roman leader
140 BC
Romans destroy Cathage
260 BC
Start of Punic Wars against Carthage
331 BC
Scythians defeat Alexander the Great
400 BC
Mayan civilizations develop in Central America
450 BC
End of Pharoahs’ rule in Egypt
750 BC
City of Rome founded
800 BC
Phoenicians est. colony at Carthage, No. Africa
1,000 BC
Iron Age in Europe
1,250 BC
Trojan War
2,500 BC
Pyramid of Giza built
415 AD
Visigoths invade Spain
-Author Unknown
“Don Juan–Colinas de Corazon” at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
The Horse in the Context of Ancient History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 3
The Sorraia—Primitive Wild Type
The primitive characteristics Don Juan exhibits are indicative of his relationship to the indigenous wild equine
of the southwest Iberian Peninsula–the very same wild form of horses that had such an influence on the
formation of the Spanish jennet. The Sorraia horse of Portugal is a remnant of the wild zebro (“zebro” indicating
“striped” in Portuguese) that once roamed the marginal regions of southern Iberia.
It was Dr. Ruy d’Andrade that pulled together remaining specimens, gave them the name “Sorraia” in
deference to the river where he first encountered them in the 1920s, and founded a preserve for them on
his estate in the 1930’s effectively saving them from extinction. Members of the d’Andrade family continue
to preserve these Sorraias as well as other private breeders. One preserve, the Vale de Zebro, is a refuge
in Portugal that provides Sorraia horses a truly wild existence, even excluding public visitations to keep their
environment as natural as possible.
Sorraia Horses at the
Vale de Zebro preserve
in Portugal
Photos by Hardy Oelke
The Sorraia Phenotype1
Sorraias are typically around 14 to 14.2 hands. They are rather narrow, of angular form and fairly leggy. The
neck is of sufficient length and thin, some horses are ewe-necked, and the throat latch is clean. The Sorraia’s
head is long and has a convex, or subconvex, profile (from poll to nostrils). The eye is set fairly high, the
forehead narrow, the ears are on the long side and not particularly curved. A prominent set of withers is typical
for Sorraias, as is a long shoulder, a medium-long back, and a sloping (but not dropping) hip. Protruding hip
bones occur, especially in mares; the hips being on the narrow side and tapering towards the tail, in contrast
to, for instance, the “square” rear end of the Quarter Horse.
c. 1223
Franciscan Order of Monks founded in France
c. 1212
Decisive victory of Spaniards over Moors
c. 1204
4th Crusade captures Constantinople & founds Latin Empire
c. 1192
3rd Crusade captures Acre but fails to regain Jerusalem
c. 1148
2nd Crusade failes to capture Damascus
c. 1119
Knights Templar Order founded in Britain
c. 1118
Kingdom of Aragon captures Santiago from Moors
c. 1099
1st Crusade retakes Jerusalem from Muslims
c. 1095
The Crusades of Roman Catholic Europe Begins
c. 1094
Spanish knight El Cid takes Valencia from Moors
c. 1066
William the Conqueror defeats Harold at Battle of Hastings
c. 1035
Kingdom of Aragon established in Spain
c. 1000
Viking Leif Erikson discovers No. America (Canada)
c. 962
Otto crowned Emperor of Holy Roman (German) Empire
c. 912
Spain at peak of Islamic power
c. 900
Mayan Empire mysteriously collapses
c. 866
Viking Great Army occupies much of England
c. 862
Viking state founded in Russia / Slavs united
c. 814
Death of Charlemagne & division of Frankish Empire
c. 800
Charlemagne crowned Emperor
c. 718
Moors defeat Visigothic Kingdom of Spain
c. 711
Moors (Muslims) invade Spain
The color of all Sorraias is typically either grulla or regular dun (there are no red duns), with grulla in all
probability being the original color. The mane and tail are bi-colored, that is the black middle part (the extension
of the dorsal stripe) of the mane and tail is fringed at the sides by light-colored, usually almost white, hair.
“Zebra” stripes on legs occur, sometimes also across the withers, on the neck, or over the back, as does
“cobwebbing” on the forehead.
The Horse in the Context of the M
= Horses involved in e
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 4
Sorraia Horses at the Vale de
Zebro preserve in Portugal
Photos by Hardy Oelke
The Sorraia Lives on in Certain
Strains of Spanish Mustangs
c. 1498
Columbus briefly lands on So. American mainland
c. 1497
John Cabot lands in Canada, later claimed for England
c. 1493
Pope Alexander VI grants Spain dominion over all lands
c. 1492 - 1659
The Golden Age of Spain/rise & fall of Spanish Hapsburg dynasty
c. 1492
Columbus discovers West Indies returning the horse to the Americas
c. 1490
Aztec Empire covers much of Mesoamerica
c. 1481
Spanish Inquisition begins; defeat of Mongols by Russia
c. 1479
Aragon & Castile united by marriage of Ferdinand & Isabela
c. 1470
Incan Empire stretches from Ecuador to Argentina
c. 1455
War of the Roses between Houses of Lancaster & York
c. 1347 - 1348
Bubonic Plague arrives in Europe, France, & Spain
c. 1337
Beginning of the Hundred Years’ War over the French throne
c. 1326
Ottoman Turk Empire begins under Orkhan
c. 1325
Aztecs settle in Tenochtitlán (Mexico City today)
c. 1314
Knights Templar disbanded
c. 1291
End of Crusades (10th) with fall of Acre
c. 1272
9th Crusade ends in failure
c. 1271 - 1292
The travels of Marco Polo
c. 1266
Spain & Portugal finally expel Moorish domination
c. 1241
Mongols invade Russia and Central Europe
c. 1206 - 1227
Genghis Khan, King of Mongols (Tatars) conquests
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing is
the method to establish a relatedness, or
unrelatedness, of populations. mtDNA analyses
performed by a German institute for molecular biological
research revealed that the amazing similarity of some
mustangs and the Sorraia horse isn’t incidental, but
prove their genetic relatedness.1 The morphological,
physiological, and cultural characteristics of the Sorraia
are the subject of continued study to better understand
the relationship between various Iberian horse breeds and
wild horse sub-species.
c. 1453
End of Byzantine Empire & Hundred Years’ War
Hardy Oelke, a German hippologist and author,
is credited with discovering that the endangered
Portuguese Sorraia was living on in certain strains
of Spanish mustangs in North America in the late
1980s. With less than 200 Sorraia horses left in
the world,1 the Sorraia mustangs in the U.S. are
genetic treasures and the only obvious difference
in Oelke’s eyes is “the Portuguese Sorraia
survived in Portugal and the Sorraia mustang
survived in the U.S.” To further quote Oelke, “We
cannot take credit for its presence today; but
we could take measures, at the eleventh hour,
to finally preserve it....It survived in spite of us.”
Their ability to survive through many challenges
does say a lot about their genetic significance. In
Mother Nature’s often harsh environment only the
strongest, fittest, and most adaptable survive.
Middle Ages (5th to 15th Centuries)
events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 5
The Lore of Primitive Wild Horses
Authentic primitive wild horses like the extinct Tarpan and the endangered Przewalski generally keep to their
own kind when given the choice. The Sorraia, quite likely the Iberian variant of the Tarpan, operates the same
way. It’s as if Mother Nature programmed them to notice subtle differences in other horses that we can’t
recognize. It’s what helps them remain “true to type.” Horses true to their original primitive form are unable to
change in type like a man-made domestic breed. For example, the Sorraia, left in a wild environment, would
multiply for many generations and would not change in conformation or color because their genotype formed
over thousands of years and they will remain true to that type.1 One doesn’t even need to be of the same
species to see why Don Juan is endlessly pursued by his vast harem, he’s definitely a rare find.
And it’s Don Juan who keeps me coming back to the BHWHS, pursuing images of his primitive dun markings,
flowing mane, and the prehistoric heritage that resonates through his very being. So maybe Lord Byron
was right about Don Juan not being a womanizer. After all, modern-day critics consider Don Juan Byron’s
masterpiece. But before Don Juan, Lord Byron wrote Mazeppa, a romantic poem based on another legend, the
life of Ivan Mazepa. One passage reads:
With flowing tail and flying mane,
Wide nostrils, never stretched by pain,
Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein,
And feet that iron never shod,
And flanks unscarr’d by spur or rod
A thousand horses - the wild - the free Like waves that follow o’er the sea,
Came thickly thundering on.
Lord Byron
Copyright 2008 - Karen Parker
(Mazeppa - 1819)
“Don Juan–Colinas de Corazon” at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
The first time I set eyes on the Sulphur and Sorraia mustang horses at the BHWHS in 2006, I knew I was
looking at historical rarities. My hair stood on end as the ancient past stampeded over me. These were not
ordinary BLM mustangs, but something very different and unique. And the sprawling 13,000+ acre setting only
enhanced the experience. There weren’t a thousand horses, but half that - the wild - the free - like waves that
follow o’er the southwest South Dakota plains.
The new “Spanish Mustang Spirit of the Black Hills”
preservation project managed by the BHWHS includes
a significant focus on helping to reclaim the Sorraia
mustang. They not only provide sanctuary for America’s
most unwanted mustangs, but they are taking steps to
preserve an original horse created not by Man, but by
Mother Nature herself. The BHWHS is one of a few places
where research and preservation of the Sorraia mustang
will continue, along with a few other private breeders in the
U.S., and at the Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve in
Canada (which we will learn more about on the following
page). Collaborative breeding efforts and ongoing guidance
with Hardy Oelke will be paramount to the “last chance”
preservation efforts of the Sorraia mustang.
Copyright 2008 - Susan Watt
“Annie” - Don Juan’s First Sorraia-type Daughter Out of a Sulphur Mustang Mare Who Also Possessed Sorraia Characteristics
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 6
Purebred Sorraia Stallion in Canada—Safeguarding A Tarpan Heritage3
Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve was established in 2006 as part of a transcontinental effort to continue
the conservation of the “Iberian Tarpan” by crossing purebred Sorraias with mustangs of Sorraia type, creating
a hybrid vigor that provides the prehistoric genetics opportunity to reconstitute essential variability, lest
inbreeding eventually finish the extinction that has continually threatened these horses in modern times.
Altamiro, a purebred Sorraia stallion, born at the Wisentgehege zoological park in Springe, Germany was
imported as a yearling, becoming the first Sorraia to call Canada home. Currently, Altamiro is one of just three
purebred Sorraia horses in all of North America. The stallion, Tejo II, lives in Wisconsin and Sovina, a gelding,
resides in Oregon. Unlike Tejo and Sovina, who are kept in traditional domestic horse settings, Altamiro and his
harem of four Sorraia mustang mares have the run of 360 acres on Manitoulin Island in Northern Ontario, living
as a family unit all year round.
Altamiro - Purebred Sorraia stallion at the
Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve on Manitoulin
Island in Ontario, Canada (upper left and lower right)
Altamiro and Ciente
Copyright 2009-2010 Ravenseyrie
All Photos Courtesy of
Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve
Bella and Belina are Spanish mustangs from Caballos de Destino in South Dakota, Ciente is a Kiger mustang
from southern Ontario, and Zorita is half purebred Sorraia and half Sulphur mustang from Oregon. Each of
these mares have proved to be a successful “nick” with Altamiro, producing excellent examples of the Iberian
Tarpan in just one generation—some of better overall Sorraia type than those found in Europe! Ravenseyrie is
a private preserve and is not presently open to the public, however they hope to assist in a future preserve on
the island designed as a tourist interactive destination spot.
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 7
The Horse in the Context of 16th Century History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 8
c. 1630
Horse imports start coming into the English colonies
c. 1608
1st Permanent French colony founded in Quebec
c. 1607
Jamestown-1st permanent English settlement in America
c. 1600
East India Company founded
c. 1598
Oñate begins crusade up the El Camino Real
c. 1595
King Philip II orders Juan de Oñate to settle upper Rio Grande
c. 1592
Moorish conquest of African Songhai Empire
c. 1588
Sir Francis Drake defeats the Spanish Armada
c. 1581
Netherlands begin war with Spain after claiming independence
c. 1580
King Philip II of Spain annexes Portugal
c. 1565
Spanish Cracker Cattle are imported to Florida
c. 1558
King Philip II inherits Spain & other Habsburgs lands
c. 1556
Ivan the Terrible increases Russian territory
c. 1555
Philip II becomes King of Habsburg territories
c. 1540
Coronado explores No. America / Old Spanish Trail
c. 1522
Magellan circumnavigates the globe from Spain
c. 1521
Spanish conquest of Mexico (Cortés) & New Spain
c. 1514
Hernando de Soto travels to the New World
c. 1513
Ponce de Leon claims Florida for Spain
c. 1512
Balboa first to see the Pacific Ocean
c. 1502
Fanatical Shi’ite Islam develops under Safavids of Persia
14th - 17th Centuries
Renaissance bridge between Middle Ages & Modern era
Island Life at Ravenseyrie - Encantara, a half
Sorraia filly born in May of 2009 to Belina (lower right)
Copyright 2008-2010 Ravenseyrie
All Photos Courtesy of
Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve
The Hor
The Horses Grand Return to the Americas
Historians believe it was the wild horse of Iberia (the “marismeño” now known as the Sorraia), or its tamed
descendants that Christopher Columbus first brought to the Caribbean Islands. Columbus’ own writings state
that he intended for only the finest Andalusian stock of the time to accompany him on his second voyage,
however, just before setting sail, fraudulent dealers pulled a switch and “a lower grade” of horse reached
Hispañiola in late November of 1493. But instead of the anticipated drawbacks, the unscrupulous substitution
proved most advantageous as these common horses were much more capable of enduring the hardships
ahead. Possibly the same thing happened more than once, and more shipments of these “lowly” horses made
it to the New World.1
There are Spanish traits that the eye alone can recognize, but we also have the science of mtDNA now to
help prove what was already obvious to many equine hippologists and historians. Mustangs trace their lineage
wholly or in part, however diluted, to those early horses brought to the Americas by the conquistadors. In 1519,
the horse officially made its grand return to the Americas near the shores of today’s Vera Cruz, Mexico.
rse in the Context of 17th Century History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
c. 1793 - 1800
Invention of Cotton Gin starts Industrial Revolution
c. 1789
Geo. Washington 1st U.S. president / French Revolution starts
c. 1783
Pioneers start heading west through Cumberland Gap
c. 1781
British surrender to Americans at Yorktown
c. 1776
Declaration of Independence signed in U.S.
c. 1773
Boston Tea Party signals start of American Revolution
c. 1751
Chinese conquer Tibet
c. 1732
Georgia, last of original American Colonies settled
c. 1730
Lakota Sioux introduced to the horse culture
c. 1701 - 1714
War of Spanish Succession; France wins
c. 1700
King Charles II of Spain dies
c. 1690
Plymouth Colony becomes part of Massachusetts Bay Colony
c. 1683
Father Kino establishes first mission in Baja California
c. 1682
French claim large territories of Louisiana
c. 1680
The Pueblo Revolt - drives Spanish back into Old Mexico
c. 1675 - 1676
King Philip’s War against the Native Americans
c. 1670
Hudson Bay Company established in Canada
c. 1664
English take New York from the Dutch
c. 1659
Franco-Spanish War ends - Treaty of the Pyrenees
c. 1652
Dutch establish colony in present day New York
c. 1648
Peace of Westphalia - Netherlands free from Spain
c. 1640
Portugal establishes independence from Spain (again)
“Entrance of Hernán Cortés into Mexico” by Kurz & Allison - Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
The Horse in the Context of 18th Century History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 9
Spanish Conquistadors, Explorers, and Missionaries
Spread the Horse Throughout the Americas
While notable Spanish explorers such as Juan Ponce de León y
Figueroa, Hernando de Soto, Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro,
and Don Juan de Oñate Salazar may have all been fierce rivals for
the indigenous people of the Americas, their horses were a godsend
for Native American cultures improving their mobility and hunting
techniques.
In 1519, Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro landed on the shores
of Mexico, and in less than two years, defeated the entire Aztec
empire in one of the fiercest and most astonishing campaigns ever
waged. Sometimes outnumbered in battle thousands-to-one, Cortés
repeatedly beat impossible odds. The Spaniards wore a great deal
of armor, and despite the immense differences in weaponry, the
natives were a formidable force. Montezuma at the time was the most
powerful military commander in the Americas ruling over fifteen million
highly civilized people in the famed “City of Dreams,” Tenochtitlán
(now Mexico City). “Only the horses, and the horses alone, inclined
the victory to the Spanish side.”2 These remarkable types of horses
still persist—against new, seemingly insurmountable odds.
“Portrait of Hernán Cortés”
Artist Unknown (1485-1547)
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons
In 1595, Don Juan de Oñate was ordered by King Philip II to colonize the northern frontier of New Spain. In
1598, he began his crusade up the El Camino Real (Spanish for “the Royal Road” or “the King’s Highway”) to
spread Roman Catholicism and establish new missions. Sometimes referred to as “the Last Conquistador,” he
could be viewed as a stern brute or as a founding father. But Don Juan de Oñate will always be credited with
establishing the first Spanish community in the southwestern United States as well as bringing large numbers
of horses to the area (maybe even the ancestors to “our” Don Juan).
Following the Spanish conquerors were missionaries like Eusebio Francisco Kino that made more peaceful
contributions working to Christianize the indigenous Native American populations. Father Kino was best known
for his exploration of the Pimaria Alta region (now northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States
in primarily northern Sonora and southern Arizona). He established twenty-four missions and visitas (country
chapels) from the late 1600s until his death in 1712, and was famous for his ability to improve relationships
between indigenous peoples and the religious institutions he represented. He turned 20 cattle into 70,000
on his expeditions, and we can’t even guess at how many thousands of horses he spread throughout the
Americas.
The Horse in the Context of 19th Century History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 10
c. 1881
Wyatt Earp in the O.K. Corral gunfight
c. 1880 - 1881
First Boer War in Africa
c. 1877
Crazy Horse of Lakota & Chief Joseph of Nez Perce surrender
c. 1876
Battle of the Little Big Horn / Custer’s Last Stand
c. 1872 - 1908
Buffalo Bill Cody’s International Wild West Show
c. 1875 - 1890
Last Tarpan horse dies out
c. 1870’s - 1880’s
40M bison hunted nearly to extinction, incl. horses
c. 1869
U.S. Transcontinental Railroad completed
c. 1865
Civil War ends / slavery abolished / Lincoln assisinated
c. 1861 - 1865
American Civil War / Gettysburg / Homestead Act of 1862
c. 1860 - 1861
The Pony Express / Pacific Telegraph Act passed
c. 1859 - 1889
250,000 emigrants travel CA-Overland trail
c. 1848 - 1855
The California Gold Rush
c. 1846 - 1848
U.S.-Mexican War
c. 1838
Trail of Tears - mass relocation of American Indians
c. 1835 - 1836
Texan War of Independence
c. 1834
Spanish Inquisition ends
c. 1824
U.S. War Dept. creates Bureau of Indian Affairs
c. 1819
Spain cedes Florida to U.S.
c. 1813
Xenophon writes “The Art of Horsemanship”
c. 1804
Lewis & Clark start voyage across America
c. 1803
The Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon
About the time Lord Byron finished Don Juan in Europe, horses had become well populated again in the
Americas. Many escapees found sanctuary in the remote areas of the west. Today these horses are managed
by the BLM, but competing land use needs in a shrinking world are squeezing out the mustang. At least there
are a few places like the BHWHS where some of these majestic, iconic animals can find new homes.
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
c. 2005
Przewalski moves to endangered status in wild
c. 2001 - present
Afghanistan War following Sept. 11th attacks on U.S.
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
c. 1992
16 Przewalski reintroduced into wilds of Mongolia
c. 1990 - 1991
Persian Gulf War / Desert Storm
c. 1988
Dayton Hyde founds Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
c. 1971
U.S. Wild Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act passed
c. 1964 - 1975
Civil Rights Act passed in 1964 / Vietnam War
c. 1950 - 1953
U.S. becomes involved in Korean War
c. 1939 - 1945
WWII, Pearl Harbor, D-day, Battle of the Bulge
c. 1936 - 1939
Spanish Civil War - facists triumph
c. 1935
Adolph Hitler begins persecution of the Jews
c. 1930 - 1939
Dust Bowl causes major agricultural damage to U.S.
c. 1929
U.S. Stock Market crash
c. 1920
Grasshopper epidemic in the Western U.S.
c. 1919 - 1933
Prohibition of alcohol in North America
c. 1914 - 1918
World War I / Spanish influenza pandemic
c. 1910
Portuguese monarchy abolished in favor of republic
c. 1903
Henry Ford auto production / Wright Brothers fly
c. 1899 - 1902
Second Boer War in Africa - 300,000 horses perish
c. 1898
U.S. wins Spanish-American War; Spain loses Empire
c. 1896
Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska and Yukon
c. 1890
Lakota Sioux defeated at Wounded Knee
Valuable Treasures from our Glorious Past
Despite man’s interference, in a world forever changed, we celebrate a half of a millennium of the descendants
of the Spanish jennet still roaming free. Call them what you like, but among the Spanish Colonials, Spanish
Mustang Registry or Southwest Spanish Mustang Association horses, Kiger mustangs, Sulphur mustangs,
Pryor mustangs, Florida Crackers and others, we find horses that share a rich common heritage. Their stories
each evoke strong emotions, provide a view into our past and inspire future quests for freedom.
Throughout world history, the horse has been at center stage. May the staying power of the horse’s legacy live
on through eternity—60 million years and counting! Don’t we all owe tribute?
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
All Images from Don Juan’s Band at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
The Horse in the Context of 20th and 21st Century History
= Horses involved in events on the timeline
www.spanishmustangspirit.com 11
Watch for future articles revealing more about the horse’s pervasive role in history from ancient times to today. Susan
Watt, Program Manager at the BHWHS continues to fuel my research and everyone at the sanctuary teaches me
something new on every visit, including founder, Dayton Hyde, and all of the great staff members, like Terri Engle.
Come to the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary yourself and meet Don Juan and the other members of the Spanish
Mustang Spirit of the Black Hills preservation project. I have no doubt you will be as inspired as I am by these
horses and the wonderful landscape upon which they roam. With greater understanding of their unique Iberian
heritage, you will surely recognize how important it is to support this important endeavor.
See more of Karen Parker’s images at http://rockmultimediasolutions.smugmug.com/Horses/BHWHS. 100% of
proceeds from the sale of Karen’s photographs benefit the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range
and the American Mustang.
“Don Juan’s Band” at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
Sources and Recommended Reading:
1. Born Survivors on the Eve of Extinction–Can Iberia’s Wild Horse Survive Among America’s Mustangs? by Hardy Oelke, 1997
and Tal Der Wilden Pferde / Valley of the Wild Horses–Vale de Zebro by Hardy Oelke, 2010.
I must extend sincere gratitude to Mr. Oelke for answering dozens of my inquiries, sharing his expertise, and his editorial assistance.
Visit www.sorraia.org and www.spanish-mustang.org for more details and insights by Hardy Oelke.
2. Horses of Conquest–A Study of Steeds of the Spanish Conquistadors, by Robert (“Don Roberto”) Cunninghame Graham, 1930.
3. Journal of Ravenseyrie, by Lynne Gerard, http://ravenseyrie.blogspot.com, with special thanks to Lynne for her editorial assistance.
More Recommended Reading:
• www.sorraiamustangs.net - Caballos de Destino - Dave Reynolds and Sharron Scheikofsky - Hot Springs, SD. I owe
special thanks to these private breeders that not only opened my eyes to the importance of Spanish and Sorraia mustangs,
but connected me to many of the great resources highlighted in this article. Many of the Spanish and Sorraia mares in the
Spanish Mustang Spirit of the Black Hills preservation project came from their breeding program, as well as two mares at
Ravenseyrie’s private preserve in Canada. They live for these horses and are very special individuals.
• A History of the Horse Volume 1–The Iberian Horse from Ice Age to Antiquity, by Paulo Gavião Gonzaga, 2004.
• This is the Spanish Horse, by Juan Llamas, 1997.
• Spanish Mustangs in the Great American West–Return of the Horse, by John S. Hockensmith, 2009.
• The Mustangs, by J. Frank Dobie, 1934.
• The Royal Horse of Europe–The Story of the Andalusian and Lusitano, by Sylvia Loch, 1986.
“I believe that there was an ancient knowledge that was lost that we are slowly rediscovering again on our own. It seems to be
a shadow of a memory within us. It seems to be a growing yearning for a more harmonious existence within the world.”
by Michael Bevilacqua (Beyond the Dream Horse: A Revealing Perspective on Attaining a True Relationship), 2010
BE THE FIRST TO SPONSOR ONE OF THESE RARE MUSTANGS TODAY!
The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary invites you to join the Spanish Mustang Spirit of the Black Hills
preservation project to support these iconic and historic bloodlines. Visit www.spanishmustangspirit.com and
www.wildmustangs.com or call 605.745.5955 (toll free at 800.252.6652) to learn more about this program.
Don Juan Leading His Band of Spanish, Sulphur, Kiger, and Sorraia Mustangs at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary
Copyright 2010 - Karen Parker
©2011 The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary and Institute of Range and the American Mustang
www.spanishmustangspirit.com