How it all began...
When I acquired my Mustang Stallion "Wanbli Iyan" (Stone Eagle) SMR3369, in 2004 in the US, I never intended to ship him to the UK. He was bought with the intention of having hours of fun trail riding in SD. However, life never turns out quite as one thinks, and I was faced with a dilemma when I had to return home after owning him just for a short time. We had already bonded, and it would have broken my heart to leave him behind, though I am sure my friends at the time would have taken excellent care of him. So I set about making dozens of phone calls to get him brought back here. As luck would have it, I hit upon a few very good contacts from the business of horse export and horse transportation, and within a few days my horse was on his way to quarantine en route to the UK.
Then I started to make some inquiries about Spanish Mustangs and their presence in Europe,... I drew a blank. There is one other mare in Germany, but my horse would be the only registered Spanish Mustang in the UK!
The more I learnt about these horses, and the more I got to know mine, the more I got to thinking that it was a crying shame that there were not more Spanish Mustangs in the UK.
Endurance riding is what these horses were born for; one may remember the movie Hidalgo, which is based loosely on a true story of a Spanish Mustang. The sport is currently monopolized by Arab horses and I feel a few Spanish Mustangs in the competition would spice things up a bit. The Spanish Mustang has certainly proven what he is made of in the USA already, with winning several distance riding awards. Such as Geronimo's warrior and his Rider Don Funk who were awarded for doing 10000 miles in 4 years!!
Then I started to make some inquiries about Spanish Mustangs and their presence in Europe,... I drew a blank. There is one other mare in Germany, but my horse would be the only registered Spanish Mustang in the UK!
The more I learnt about these horses, and the more I got to know mine, the more I got to thinking that it was a crying shame that there were not more Spanish Mustangs in the UK.
Endurance riding is what these horses were born for; one may remember the movie Hidalgo, which is based loosely on a true story of a Spanish Mustang. The sport is currently monopolized by Arab horses and I feel a few Spanish Mustangs in the competition would spice things up a bit. The Spanish Mustang has certainly proven what he is made of in the USA already, with winning several distance riding awards. Such as Geronimo's warrior and his Rider Don Funk who were awarded for doing 10000 miles in 4 years!!
More about us...
Well, about me really, founder of Spanish Mustangs UK. Now in my 40s, I have over 30 years horse experience under my belt. Starting riding and caring for my own horses at an early age, competing in dressage, show jumping, etc. I eventually ended up in horse racing, working for a few top yards. Realizing that is not a job for life, I started training to do Equine Massage and developing an eye for a horse. I began looking at horses from a therapist's point of view and came to realize that the more natural a horse is kept and treated, the better and happier the horse will be. Since meeting my first Spanish Mustangs spring 2004 in SD, USA, I have studied training methods and have developed my own style of Natural Horsemanship that works for the Mustangs. A lot of it is just common sense and trying to see things out of the horse's perspective. Pressure and release is the key in most of the Natural training methods that are applied...when to release is the secret that one only learns through experience. Spanish Mustangs have taken me on an exciting journey, ...one I would not have wanted to miss! Now I can't imagine ever wanting another breed of horse, and I am convinced you will feel the same, given the chance.
Martine
Well, about me really, founder of Spanish Mustangs UK. Now in my 40s, I have over 30 years horse experience under my belt. Starting riding and caring for my own horses at an early age, competing in dressage, show jumping, etc. I eventually ended up in horse racing, working for a few top yards. Realizing that is not a job for life, I started training to do Equine Massage and developing an eye for a horse. I began looking at horses from a therapist's point of view and came to realize that the more natural a horse is kept and treated, the better and happier the horse will be. Since meeting my first Spanish Mustangs spring 2004 in SD, USA, I have studied training methods and have developed my own style of Natural Horsemanship that works for the Mustangs. A lot of it is just common sense and trying to see things out of the horse's perspective. Pressure and release is the key in most of the Natural training methods that are applied...when to release is the secret that one only learns through experience. Spanish Mustangs have taken me on an exciting journey, ...one I would not have wanted to miss! Now I can't imagine ever wanting another breed of horse, and I am convinced you will feel the same, given the chance.
Martine