Horses are a natural part of North America's environment

[Old Rocks]

Yeah, they aren't descended.

I think we located 2 tiny bands of native horses in the whole of north America..those are what are called the Keigers.

Other than that, our mustangs, and other wild horses, are descended from the Spanish horses.

True Appaloosas may have a slightly different history, but I think they are still introduced.

No, Kosher, the Kiger is a descendent of the horses from europe. The are local to Oregon, in the Kiger Gulch in the Steens Mountains.
The Kiger Mustang Oregon/Washington BLM


No other horse in America is quite like the Kiger Mustang found on Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. Most wild horses are of mixed influence and characteristics while the Kiger Mustangs possess many characteristics of the original Spanish Mustang. The word mustang was derived from the word mesteno, which meant " unclaimed sheep" in the Spanish language and later came to mean "wild" or "unclaimed" horse. Mustang came about as an English language slang term for mesteno.

The Spanish Mustang was a part of early American history, having roots in Native American history, and is the horse that helped settle the west. At one time it was thought to be extinct on the range. Since the Kiger Mustangs may well be one of the best remaining examples of the Spanish Mustang, their preservation is extremely important.

The Kiger Mustang exhibits physical color characteristics know as the "dun factor" which were also common to many of the horse the Spaniards reintroduced to North America in the 1600's. Color classifications of the dun factor are: dun, red dun, grulla (mouse gray), buckskin, and variations of these colors. Markings on animals with the dun factor include dorsal stripes; zebra stripes on the knees and hocks; chest, rib and arm bars; outlined ears; the top one-third of the ear on its backside darker that the body color; fawn coloring on the inside of the ears; bi-colored mane and tail; face masks and cob-webbing on the face. The less white these horses have, the stronger the dun factor. An individual horse having the dun factor may have many but not all of these markings.

Kiger Mustangs have the physical conformation of both the tarpan and oriental hotblood horses from which the original Spanish Mustangs came. They have small, round bones, small feet and very little feather on their legs and fetlocks. Their eyes are wide set and prominent. These animals also have distinctly hooked ear tips and fine muzzles. The Kiger Mustangs also look very much like the modern day Spanish Sorraias. They are indeed a unique breed of wild horse.

I have freinds that actually have some of these mustangs. They are a very smart and playfull horse.

 

[koshergrl]

What are you talking about?

"Since the Kiger Mustangs may well be one of the best remaining examples of the Spanish Mustang"...

What "european horses" are you talking about? Tarpan/oriental hotblood horses are the ones they descend from...they came with the Spaniards.

 

[Old Rocks]

I think you can find a picture of Kiger Gorge, as the photographer calls it, here;

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/x...ges_17_36_Compressed_roo_roa-2.pdf?sequence=2

 

[Old Rocks]

What are you talking about?

"Since the Kiger Mustangs may well be one of the best remaining examples of the Spanish Mustang"...

What "european horses" are you talking about? Tarpan/oriental hotblood horses are the ones they descend from...they came with the Spaniards.

Hmmm...... Last time I looked, Spain was still part of Europe. Something happen while I wasn't looking?

 

[koshergrl]

Ok I just misinterpreted what you wrote. I thought you were saying "no, they aren't descended from Spanish horses" and were descended from some OTHER horses from Europe.

 

[koshergrl]

carry on.

 

[koshergrl]

The horses of the steppes are awesome too....

Mongolian horse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[koshergrl]

 

[koshergrl]

but the best, finest, most heavenly:

 

[koshergrl]

Once you've loved an Arab that becomes the standard.

 

[Coyote]

I've always had a soft spot for the native British pony breeds - one of my favorite is the Welsh Cob D

 

[koshergrl]

I love ponies. I rode them as a girl, and between my mom and I we managed to keep one on hand for most of the years the older kids were growing up..

but I'm out of horses now...

 

[Smilodonfatalis]

It's true.

But today's wild horses are not descendants of those. Today's wild horses are horses that descended from the Conquistadors' horses.

Well, mustangs are, anyway. But most wild horses are just ferals.

Genetic studies show that the Pleistocene horses in North America are the exact same species as the modern day horse.

Can you link that? I'd be really interested in reading. I know we havea few...keigers...but I didn't think most of our wild horses hearkened back to the originals.

There's no difference between a mustang and a feral horse.

 

[koshergrl]

They're all feral.

But the true mustangs hearken back to the conquistadors' horses.

 

[Smilodonfatalis]

They're all feral.

But the true mustangs hearken back to the conquistadors' horses.

Here' the link you requested, btw.



The Surprising History of America's Wild Horses | LiveScience

 

[koshergrl]

Oregon has mustangs...but there are also populations of straight up ferals that are obviously just recent escapees and their descendants. Eventually I think they all cross breed, they range pretty wide.

I know CTUIR has a steadily increasing band of ferals...but none of the one's I've seen are mustang. Yet. I imagine eventually they will probably pick some up in the form of loners who have been ousted from other bands from other bands....

 

[koshergrl]

I've also seen true mustangs and they are amazing.