This morning we begin the first in our series of interviews with a wide range of experts whose lives have been touched by mustangs. Our first subject, Brent Speichinger, was a National High School Rodeo Association Bullrider contestant in the mid nineties, a 2001 Bareback Bronc finalist in the Mid Atlantic Rodeo Association, and the 2004 Missouri Family Rodeo Association Finals Champion and year end Champion Bareback Rider. He has won several rodeos across the country and has worked as a cowboy in Montana, Missouri and Texas.
His background had mostly exposed him to Quarter Horses and Paints with a few Arabians thrown into the mix.
Q. Ever Ridden a mustang out west or in a rodeo?
Brent: Funny that you ask that. BLM has rules and one of them is that you don't buck the BLM horse, but I have drawn two of them over my days in the arena. One just ran and kicked, not something that you want in a bucking horse. The other one was real snappy, a good draw.
Q. So what kind of horse are you riding now?
Brent: My current horse is Young Joseph, an American Indian Horse. He is half BLM range stock and half Chincoteague Island stock. He's 14.1 and weighs about 860 pounds. Joseph has a lot of trust in me, and compared to other horses he thinks about everything that he does. He is smooth and sure footed. His endurance is most impressive when riding with all other breeds. In rugged terrain he has the most impressive recovery time...does not tire at the end of the day and he is always ready to go.
His health has never been an issue. Something I like is their solid feet. When you ride all day in the mountains you spend a lot of time on rock and we've done this time after time and Joseph has never even acted sore.
...I was at a ride with a friend and several people walked by and commented on my friend's "colt." Well standing next to my friend's 1400 pound saddlebred cross, Joseph looks like a colt, but this one old guy wanted to ask a few questions. He asked me,with a smirk, "You gonna ride that little pony?"
Alright I'm a champion bronc rider. I have broken hundred's of horses in my day, ridden some of the best horses out there, but keep in mind that I am not boastful and I'm not going to let some old guy get under my skin.
So I [just] said "sure." Well by day's end me and my friend had gotten back from that 35 mile leg and slowly every one else started coming in [after us], horses lathered up, eyes glassy while my "little pony" was happily eating hay and barely wet from sweat. The old guy that wondered if I was going to ride that pony finally got in. Him and his daughter's horses were trying to go down and they were fighting the colic.
I let my pony speak for himself and as we fly by you on the trails, don't worry. Me and my pony will be ok.
Q. What is your take on the power and carrying capacity of the Spanish horses?
Brent: I recently had the privilege of riding Red Feather, a Corolla Spanish mustang. I am 5'11" and weigh about 170. Red Feather might make 13 hands [actually only 12.2] and weighs maybe 600 pounds. The first time I was on his back, he was kicking quarter moons. A horse cannot do that if he could not handle my weight! Recently I rode him in the woods for about an hour, trotting and cantering, one of the absolute smoothest gaited horses I have ever ridden.
That same weekend I rode a five year old colt raised by Tom Norush. These East-West Horses are something! Spectacular in their endurance, intelligence, comfort and over all health. And they eat a lot less than a 16 hand horse.
So for all of you over weight people, these smaller horses can carry you.
Q. Though they have had several non-Spanish breeds introduced into the wild with them, the Chincoteagues still carry a lot of their ancient Spanish traits. Today they are viewed as children's ponies. What do you think about Chincoteagues as mounts for adults?
Brent: As long as that adult is not too scared!
( The picture above is of a small band of wild Corollas that was taken in January of 2009.)
No comments:
Post a Comment