Respect

 

That is what members of different mustang registries must have for each other. Phrases like "mongrelized","mix breed", and "mutt" have no place in the conversation of those who want to preserve our Spanish horses. There is a wide enough range of sub-types within the Spanish mustang type to appeal to different people for very different reasons.

Pictured above is my Spanish Mustang Ta Sunka Witco. He is a bit over 14 hands and is the grandson of Choctaw Sundance. I think that he goes back to Yellow Fox on his mother's side. It is exceedingly rare to find a horse of any breed that combines his beauty, brains, and ability as a trail horse.

My other favorite horse is Holland. Holland is barely over 13 hands and was born wild on Shackleford Island. He is gaited, smooth, has unbelievable endurance and carries my 220 pound frame on 40 and 50 mile treks without difficulty. He does not has Ta Sunka's incredible pedigree and certainly does not have his looks.

I love them both, but I have more respect for Holland. Holland works harder for his pay check than does Ta Sunka. If I could only have one of them and no other horse, I think that I might take Holland. I have no doubt that most mustang breeders would not want to breed their mares to a stallion with as rough a look as Holland. I can respect their breeding decisions without having to accept their views as the template for what my breeding program should be.

Yesterday I had an experienced horse person out at the horse lot. She did not have experience with Spanish horses. As we walked past one of my favorite BLM mares I mentioned that even though she was not at all my type, she was a great horse and I would not sell her. She looked puzzled,"Why isn't she your type?" she asked.

I explained that she was way too tall for me at about 14.3 and that she was built like a Thoroughbred. I told her that 13.2 was my preference.

She looked surprised, but she respected my position.

That respect came from a member of the established horse world. Surely we are capable of developing the same degree of respect and civility among ourselves.