That is understandable... I will try to explain.

1. The Spanish Mustang Registry (SMR) was the first registry, founded in 1957 in the USA. 
2.  In the 1970s the Horse of the Americas (HOA)was founded
3. Followed by the South West Spanish Mustang Association (SSMA)
4. 2007-08 The American Heritage Horse Association (AHHA)
5. 2009 The European Spanish Mustang Society (ESMS)

As with all societies and registries world wide, politics and personal vendettas have a lot to answer for. Most of these societies and registries were formed for just such reasons. 

Below is the author's impression from own experience and that of close friends who have shared their experiences with various registries.

The SMR (USA)being the first registry it has an extensive studbook. However, with increasing numbers of horses, owners and breeders in Europe, it has shown remarkably poor EU member support and very poor judgement in policy formation. It has drastically increased EU membership fees in return for negligible support, promotion or other incentives.  Does not recognize the pattern of the tobiano as being originally from Spain. Only recognises Spanish Mustangs from SMR registered parents or by inspection with proven history. Is trying to implement DNA for EU bound horses. Has currently no recognised breed society in the EU.

The HOA (USA)progressive, friendly and supportive registry with a sizeable studbook. Active in promotion and preservation of all strains of the Spanish Mustang. Reasonable registration and membership fees. Has established an association with the ESMS in the EU.

SSMA (USA)almost inactive with poor member support.

AHHA (USA)relatively small, recently founded elitist group. Trying but failing to get more of a European following. Demands DNA testing and performs grading via photographs. Has currently no officially recognised EU society.

ESMS (EU)Located in Europe, and founded out of the desire for a better support network for breeders and owners in the EU. Gaining in numbers and popularity. The ESMS is associated with the HOA and together they are working on breed recognition in the EU. 

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a new term that is striking fear into the hearts of some horse/pony owners. It used to be known as just simple laminitis or founder (for the Americans).

Just recently there has been one confirmed case of EMS in a young Spanish Mustang mare in this country. It turns out she is insulin intolerant. In humans this would be known as Type II diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes. The causes, according to veterinary information can be put down to obesity and lack of exercise. And laminitis is unfortunately a side effect of the overall hormonal imbalance, making exercise very difficult, and so begins a viscious cycle. This is a problem affecting a very few SMs living in a domestic setting. It does not occur in a range setting on the prairie.  Similarly it happens to domesticated Native Ponies, Exmoors for example, when they are removed from their natural habitat, the moors.

Why?

Lets look at the horses on the prairie, or the moors. Firstly and most importantly they live on large acreages and in herds. They walk, run, play and eat all day. They are not on restricted rations, concentrated or otherwise. They might need to walk for miles to water, and back again to their grazing area. But they eat forage all day long, in Spring, Summer, Autumn and sparsly in Winter.

Now if we take a horse that is genetically programmed to thrive underthese, sometimes very harsh, conditions and put it in a standard domestic setting of restricted turn out, stabling, rich grasses, concentrated feeds,  alone or with a mate that won't run and play,-- for any length of time, what will happen? The horse and its metabolism will become sluggish and eventually fail, leading to the above mentioned problem.

I have now had Spanish Mustangs since 2004, eight years. In that time I have bred several generations, and currently have horses ranging from 1 year of age to age 10. I keep my horses on around 10 acres of woodland grazing, which is divided in interlinked paddocks. The ground is poor and the grazing sparse to non-existent in drought years. My horses are generally kept in groups, and are a very active bunch, running , playing, interacting. They get fed at least once a day and have almost adlib hay, almost year round. None of them have ever shown any sign of metabolic disease.

Even when we spent the Autumn/Winter in Devon, where the grass was lush and plentyful to start, was there no problem with obesity, or laminitis. Why? Because they were still running and playing, getting the exercise needed to burn off any excess grazing they might have had. In fact they still received their two meals a day as well.

So, after having mulled this problem over for quite a while, I have come to the conclusion that in order to avoid the dreaded metabolic syndrome in your Spanish Mustang, he/she needs to be kept active and fed a balanced high fibre (preferably molasses free!!!)diet. (I have been feeding GWF feeds for years, Equilibra, Fibregest and Alfa Oatinol and can recommend it for the breed in all stages).

Now where exercise is concerned. if you are not fortuante enough to have access to large acreage with active playmates for your horse, and your horse is stabled, or penned in most of the day, then make sure he/she gets a good workout several times a week. I mean the  running and sweating kind, not mooching along a country lane, stopping for a pick of grass. If they are ridden, then it should not be too difficult, if not you'll need to get creative. This could mean making up a round pen for lunging or just running them around, or a school will also do, as long as they get moving. Failing that, a good jogging session along a road, if you're fit enough. Anything to get the exercise into them. They are an active breed and need it to stay sane and healthy.

I hear this a lot: " How Much?? But I could adopt one for $100 in the US!! "

Well you could adopt a feral BLM Mustang for $100, that is true. But a Mustang is not a Spanish Mustang. A Mustang, as managed by the Bureau of Landmanagement (BLM) is a wild horse of mixed, unknown breeding. There may still be some Spanish genes in there somewhere, but chances are you would be buying a TB x Shire gone feral or some such thing.

So if you want a Spanish Mustang, an ORIGINAL Mustang, you would need to approach a breeder. The prices vary from around $800 - $2000 for an unbroken, possibly rarely handled Spanish Mustang, to a rarely offered, well broke Spanish Mustang, who would be worth anything up to $10000, depending on what the horse has done and who is selling it.

A real Spanish Mustang will always have bona fide papers of one of the registries in the US, and you should ask to have a copy faxed/emailed before you buy. Or just ask one of the other breeders here in the UK. The Spanish Mustang world is small, and we all know (of) each other and our horses.

So, now you have a Spanish Mustang in the US. You will need to pay for transport to quarantine, 6 weeks in quarantine, and then the flight and then transport to you, customs, and VAT...ad all that together and you will not get much change from another £4500. 

No they are not wild, ie feral. 99% of Spanish Mustangs are raised by breeders nowadays, so they have at least some human contact. The larger breeders run them as as natural as possible on vast acreages in the US, but many smaller breeders will handle all their horses regularly and imprint the foals at birth.

Training a Spanish Mustang is easy for the sensitive and intuitive owner/handler. They are highly intelligent and of a very curious nature. They love to play, but don't like endless repetitive tasks. They don't liike constant pressure either, and they react very badly to abuse. In fact, once abused they may not want you near them for a long time. But they can be very stoic and take bad handling for a long time, but don't underestimate their intelligence and their ingenuity. They will retaliate eventually.

They are generally very respectful and seem to have a strong sense of right and wrong and fairness. Treat them with respect, kindness and fairness and they will reciprocate.

They are easy to train and learn fast. So fast that it is easy to move them along too quickly and miss out the important foundations. Gaining their trust and establishing a strong bond of mutual respect and love is the key to a happy relationship with your Spanish Mustang.

If you do buy a Spanish Mustang from a big ranch, don't make the mistake of sending them away to a commercial trainer. many have been ruined by these so called "Natural" trainers who treat them like any other horse and try to "Break" them. You are much better off doing the training yourself, with the help of a professsional if need be. There are many trainers out there who are more than happy to come to you and help. At least that way you can be sure that your trusting friend is not being beaten into submission by a so called "trainer"!

With a Spanish Mustang you get an intelligent horse that is sound of mind and body. They carry some of the finest old Spanish bloodlines, which were preserved through natural selection in some of the most predator riddled and inhospitable areas of the US. These horses were the first ( since the ice age) to set foot on the American continent, and hold an important place in American history.

They were the horse of the conquistadors, the original Indian war-, and buffalo pony, the pony express pony, and the first cowhorse. They founded many of the more popular American breeds of today. They have big hearts, are loyal, friendly and full of humor. They have an innate sense of self preservation which extends to their human. They will often choose the human they want to bond with and follow them everywhere, much like a dog. They rarely fall ill or go lame. They are hardy and can happily live out year round and thrive on simple feed or just hay. 

They are excpetional weight carriers, and though some maybe smaller in stature than many European buyers are used to, these are not ponies. They have proven again and again that they can carry 1/3 of their body weight all day without tiring. 

General Custer once famously said something along the lines of:  "If we don't catch up with the Indian ponies within an hour, then we may as well give up." Where the cavalry horses would starve during the harsh winters on the Prairies, the Indian horses would survive on tree bark, snow and the little grass they could find. They would outrun and outlast any cavalry horse fed on grain, and being extremely footsure, they would outmaneuvre them over rough terrain every time. They are part of the reason it took the US government so long to defeat the tribes. That is also why the US government shot and killed 1000s of Spanish Mustangs whenever they had the opportunity.

Once they roamed the prairies in the 100s of 1000s, now there are fewer than 1000 living breeding Spanish Mustangs world wide. They are worth preserving, and an honour to own.