Spanish Mustang Breed Standard
Size:
The Spanish Mustang is a medium sized horse ranging from 13 2 to 15 hands with an average size of approximately 14 2 hands with proportional weight.
Body:
They are smooth muscled with short backs, rounded rumps and low set tails. Coupling is smooth and the overall appearance is of a well balanced, smoothly built horse. The girth is deep, with well laid back shoulder and fairly pronounced withers.
They possess the classic Spanish type head with a straight or concave forehead and a convex nose which is in contrast to the straight forehead and nose of most breeds. Ears are medium to short and usually notched or curved towards each other. Necks are fairly well crested in mares and geldings and heavily crested in mature stallions.
Chests are narrow but deep with the front legs joining the chest in an "A" shape rather than straight across.
Feet and Legs:
Chestnuts are small or missing altogether, particularly on the rear legs. Ergots are small or absent. Feet are extremely sound with thick walls, many having what is typically known as a "mule foot" which resists bruising due to the concave sole. Canons are short, upper foreleg is long with the canon bone having a larger circumference than other breeds of comparable size and weight.
Gait:
Long strided, many are gaited, with a comfortable gait such as the amble, running walk or single foot. Some individuals are laterally gaited and do a very credible "paso" gait though without extreme knee action. They are remarkably hardy animals and tend to be less prone to injury, particularly of the legs and feet, than other breeds.
Colour:
Colours are extremely varied, the inheritance of the early Spanish horses who came in many colors and patterns, including dun, grulla, buckskin, overo and sabino paints and appaloosa, as well as the more common colors of bay, chestnut, black and white.
Temperament:
They have a very different mentality than "domesticated" horses. They are NOT push button horses and will not abide abuse, however they bond well with their owners and once bonded, become very attached to that person. Highly intelligent with an innate sense of self-preservation, they are not prone to put themslves into any situation which may be destructive or dangerous. They retain a great many of the instincts that allowed them to survive in the feral state.
They are thinking horses and have their own opinions of things. The owners that learn to understand natural horse behaviour do very well with this breed.
The Spanish Mustang is a medium sized horse ranging from 13 2 to 15 hands with an average size of approximately 14 2 hands with proportional weight.
Body:
They are smooth muscled with short backs, rounded rumps and low set tails. Coupling is smooth and the overall appearance is of a well balanced, smoothly built horse. The girth is deep, with well laid back shoulder and fairly pronounced withers.
They possess the classic Spanish type head with a straight or concave forehead and a convex nose which is in contrast to the straight forehead and nose of most breeds. Ears are medium to short and usually notched or curved towards each other. Necks are fairly well crested in mares and geldings and heavily crested in mature stallions.
Chests are narrow but deep with the front legs joining the chest in an "A" shape rather than straight across.
Feet and Legs:
Chestnuts are small or missing altogether, particularly on the rear legs. Ergots are small or absent. Feet are extremely sound with thick walls, many having what is typically known as a "mule foot" which resists bruising due to the concave sole. Canons are short, upper foreleg is long with the canon bone having a larger circumference than other breeds of comparable size and weight.
Gait:
Long strided, many are gaited, with a comfortable gait such as the amble, running walk or single foot. Some individuals are laterally gaited and do a very credible "paso" gait though without extreme knee action. They are remarkably hardy animals and tend to be less prone to injury, particularly of the legs and feet, than other breeds.
Colour:
Colours are extremely varied, the inheritance of the early Spanish horses who came in many colors and patterns, including dun, grulla, buckskin, overo and sabino paints and appaloosa, as well as the more common colors of bay, chestnut, black and white.
Temperament:
They have a very different mentality than "domesticated" horses. They are NOT push button horses and will not abide abuse, however they bond well with their owners and once bonded, become very attached to that person. Highly intelligent with an innate sense of self-preservation, they are not prone to put themslves into any situation which may be destructive or dangerous. They retain a great many of the instincts that allowed them to survive in the feral state.
They are thinking horses and have their own opinions of things. The owners that learn to understand natural horse behaviour do very well with this breed.