NEWS:
August 27, 2011, 9a.m.- 4p.m.
The Amerind will host the
Spanish Barb Horse Association's event,
Discover The Horse
That Discovered America. Join us in a celebration, and meet
the horse that Governor Jan Brewer declared as Arizona’s State
Heritage Horse. The event will include presentations on the
Colonial Spanish horse as well as demonstrations. Apache
historian, Dale Curtis Miles, will discuss the role the Barb had
in Native American cultures. A book signing by Silke Schneider,
the author of Arizona's Spanish Barb, a presentation by a
representative from the Father Kino Society, and a slide show of
the horses and their history, along with activities for children. A Native American food vendor will
be on site, and local artisans have been invited to show and
sell their work.
Download Event Schedule.
May 2011 - The Arizona Heritage Horse Project
partners with the Arizona Horse Council, TRRFCC Horsemanship and
the Arizona Farm Bureau and to develop an Equine Kit that will
be distributed to the Arizona Schools.
April 22, 2011 -
The Arizona Quarter Horse Association sends a
letter of
support for the Arizona State Heritage Horse.
March 10, 2011 - The Arizona Horse Council agrees to support the
Arizona State Heritage Horse.
March 3, 2011 -
Press Release - Governor Janice K. Brewer signs a
Proclamation stating that the Colonial Spanish Horse is the
State of Arizona's Heritage Horse.
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Welcome, to the website for the State
of Arizona's Heritage Horse. On March
3, 2011, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer
designating the Colonial Spanish Horse as Arizona's State
Heritage Horse. This declaration acknowledged the
Colonial Spanish Horse's place in the history of Arizona.
The Colonial Spanish Horse has been a part of the history of
Arizona since 1540 when Francisco Coronado crossed Ari zona on these wonderful horses from Spain.
From 1687 to 1704 Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, ”The Padre on
Horseback”, built 22 missions from Northern Mexico to
Arizona. Father Kino credited much of his success to the
stamina of the Colonial Spanish Horse.
The Spanish Colonial Horse was the common
mount for the Native American and as such was targeted in
the late 1800s during the Anglo expansion in North America.
The practice of shooting the stallions, replacing them with
‘blooded’ or ‘draft’ stallions in an attempt to ‘improve’ the
feral herds caused its near extinction. Their salvation is
largely due to the efforts of the The Spanish Barb Horse
Association, Spanish Mustang Registry, the
Bureau of Land Management, and other concerned individuals.
Please refer to “North American Colonial Spanish Horse Update”
by Dr. D. Phillip Sponenberg for details.
Called The World's Noblest Horse, the Colonial Spanish Horse is
an extraordinary breed, with North African Berber origins. This
agile desert breed was crossed with the Iberian horses of
Spain and Spanish Jennet horses, resulting in a regal yet versatile
breed. Famous by the Middle Ages and much sought after by the
Royal Stud farms of Europe, a Royal Edict charged the Spanish
Conquistadores with introducing the Colonial Spanish Horse to
the New World through the Caribbean. The Colonial Spanish Barb
became the horse of choice among early Spanish
settlers, later the Mexican vaqueros and ultimately the cowboy.
Our next's goal is to have a bill
passed in the Arizona Legislature to have the Colonial
Spanish Horse
named as the official Arizona State Heritage Horse in time for the
Arizona centennial celebration in 2012. Please join us in
recognizing the Colonial Spanish Horses for their contribution
to the history of Arizona by supporting this project!
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