A blog that focuses on our unique program that teaches natural horsemanship, heritage breed conservation, soil and water conservation, and even folk, roots, and Americana music. This blog discusses our efforts to prevent the extinction of the Corolla Spanish Mustang. Choctaw Colonial Spanish Horse, Marsh Tacky, and the remnants of the Grand Canyon Colonial Spanish Horse strain.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Our Choctaw, Joey's First Race
Joey's first race--25 miles--Terry's first race. Sixty nine horses competing--one of them was a Choctaw.
And Joey, our beautiful Choctaw Colonial Spanish horse, came in sixth place.
My disdain for competition is rooted in three things. Historically, horses have suffered to win games for the sport of humans. Secondly, it creates the horrible belief that some horse's lives are worth more than other horse's lives. Lastly, competitions lead to people selling their own horse's to purchase horses that would be more likely to win strips of cloth of a different color.
However, we must show people what these horses can do. As a breed the Colonial Spanish horse is threatened with extinction. Individual strains of that breed teeter on the brink of being gone forever. Very few horse people have ever even seen a Colonial Spanish horse/ Spanish mustang. How are they to know that these horses bond tightly with people, are incredibly healthy and sturdy, are athletic and even great make first horses and family horses.
The Colonial Spanish horse faces several threats to its acceptance in today's horse world. Ignorance of a horse's carrying capacity cause some to think the horse's too small for adults. Ignorance of the gentle nature of these horses causes some to think them fierce and dangerous to handle. Ignorance of history cause some to not understand the superiority of the Indian pony over the cavalry horse when it came to survivability and ground covering skill.
So we will race them, ride them incredible distances, have them trained and ridden by children and novices, and loved by owners and riders who seek iron strong connections to their horses.
And we will breed and place them with others who will do the same--Corollas, Shacklefords, Baccas, Marsh Tackys, Choctaws, and Grand Canyons. We will raise them all and occasionally cross them with each other to bring out the best of various strains.
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