History
Environmental conditions must certainly have had a role in the development of these horses through the generations. The feral Spanish Mustangs developed according to their environment with nature culling out those less suited to the locale. Though the Spanish Horse was not a feral animal when it arrived on our soil, once turned loose it managed not only to survive but also to thrive in the New World, which attests to the versatility and strength of the breed. Genetic imperfections, if any, were culled by the most critical judge of all- Nature. The end result is an extremely hardy and sturdy horse exhibiting the aptitude to perform in almost any equine field, and perform well. The staying power and endurance of these Spanish descendants is legendary. Frank Hopkins, the renowned endurance rider in the latter part of the last century, a rider of Spanish Mustangs, is quoted as saying "You can't beat Mustang intelligence in the entire equine race. These animals have had to shift for themselves for generations. They had to work out their own destiny or be destroyed. Those that survived were animals of superior intelligence."
Indians, who were riding Spanish Mustangs themselves, the option to "fight fire with fire" was brilliant, as the American bred horses of the Cavalry were no match for these Spanish descended warponies in the inhospitable and barren mountains and plains of the West.
The modern Spanish Mustang has lost none of the traits found in those horses of yesteryear.
Though eager to acquaint the public with this fine breed, the primary aim of the Spanish Mustang Registry is to assure the retention of the qualities that allowed this unique horse to survive over the centuries under adverse conditions. It is with a great deal of pride that the breeders and owners of Spanish Mustangs can honestly state that the preservation of the Spanish Mustang has been accomplished without compromising the historical value or uniqueness of the breed. The Spanish Mustangs are now as they always have been and the principal tenet of the Spanish Mustang Registry is that there will be no attempt to crossbreed or to otherwise change these historical and distinctive animals. With the trend toward conforming breeds to satisfy various show standards this unique breed is among the very few that has not lost many of its characteristics due to the whims of man.
The true Spanish Mustang is a direct descendant of the horses brought to the New World by the early Spaniards. Confused by many with the feral horses currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management (B.L.M.), there is a vast difference in both appearance and ancestry. Columbus, on order from the Spanish throne, commenced bringing the first Spanish horses to the New World on his second voyage. Thereafter, each ship headed for the New World, by order of the Crown, carried breeding animals of choice Spanish stock. Breeding farms were set up in the Caribbean and subsequently in Mexico. Breeding farms such as the one operated in Sonora, Mexico by Padre Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit priest, produced stock, including horses, which were placed with each group of Christianized Indians as Kino expanded his efforts further and further north. The Apaches, never falling under the spell of the Church, ravaged and pillaged these little "visitas" taking stock at will. They also plundered deep into Mexico allegedly as far as Mexico City. Their goal - well-bred and trained Spanish horses from the Mexican estancias. Through trade of these valuable horses northward to other tribes the Apaches became one of the primary methods of spreading the Spanish horses over the west. Over the years horses escaped, were lost or stolen and many became feral, roaming all over the west. Eventually they numbered in the hundreds of thousands, closely related to the horses maintained by some of the Indian tribes, indeed, they were basically the same horses.
Considered the finest horses in the known world at the time of the Conquest of the New World, the Spanish horse left a legacy in its tough, beautiful, hardy descendants that endures to this day. On the brink of extinction in the early part of this century, their salvation can be attributed primarily to Robert I. Brislawn of Oshoto, Wyoming, who founded the Spanish Mustang Registry, Inc. in 1957.
Born in the Palouse country in 1890, he made his own way at an early age, working on ranches, mining and freighting. During his years in the West, his horses of choice were Spanish Mustangs. His respect for these Spanish descendants was enormous as they thrived on forage that could not support other breeds and never seemed to tire. He never hobbled or tied his horses in camp as he always stated that they would stay with him, much like pet dogs. He was impressed with their speed, agility and above all, their will to survive. As he roamed throughout the West, he realized the authentic Spanish Mustang was being methodically exterminated and he commenced his search for horses of essentially pure Spanish blood, desiring to preserve those few remaining. He started his preservation project in 1925. Two full brothers, Buckshot and Ute, were his first foundation stallions, sired by a buckskin stallion named Monty and out of Ute Reservation blood on the dam's side. Monty, captured in 1927 in Utah, escaped back to the wild in 1944, taking his mares with him. He was never recaptured. For years Bob Brislawn, with the assistance of his brother Freddie, bred their few mares, unaware that others shared their dream of preserving this unique and rare breed. The work spread and in 1957 a group headed up by Bob Brislawn incorporated the Spanish Mustang Registry, Inc., the first and oldest Mustang registry in the country. A non-profit organization, this registry was formed to preserve and perpetuate the last known remnants of the true Spanish Mustangs. Twenty animals were initially registered. With well over 2,500 registrations, Brislawn's goal is now realized. The Spanish Mustang is secure and is demonstrating to the world the attributes inherited from its Spanish progenitors as well as the traits developed through centuries of selection by the cruelest and most selective of breeders, Nature herself.
