On a recent hot and sunny Saturday, I traveled to an area which I’ve passed through many times – so many times, I can’t even recall the exact number. Usually, it’s just a quick glance – one of several, as I make my way down the highway to my beloved Colorado. Texas Canyon is a mass of red rock and enclave, so vastly different from the Arizona desert, that it completely catches you by surprise as you approach it from Interstate 10. This wondrous and unique spot is located about 10 miles east of Benson, not far from the small town of Wilcox.

On this day, I was headed to Dragoon and the Amerind Museum, which is home to the Amerind Foundation. The Amerind Foundation was established in 1937 and “seeks to foster and promote knowledge and understanding of the Native Peoples of the Americas through research, education and conservation.” (To learn more about the Amerind Foundation, go to the following web site: http://www.amerind.org)

The Amerind Foundation hosts a number of events, tours and workshops throughout the year. This day was dedicated to the Spanish Barb, the horse which Arizona Governor Jan Brewer declared as Arizona’s State Heritage Horse, due to its integral role in the state’s history. The event was presented by the Spanish Barb Horse Association.

The Spanish Barb was introduced to the New World by the Spanish Conquistadores in the 16th and 17th centuries. These colonial horses were instrumental in settling the West, as they carried Francisco de Vasquez Coronado to Arizona from Spain in 1540. From 1687 to 1784, Father Eusebio Kino, also known as “The Padre on Horseback,” built 22 missions from Northern New Mexico to Arizona and credits much of his success to the stamina of the Spanish Barb.

In 1885, Dr. Reuben Wilbur purchased approximately 25 horses from Juan Sepulveda, a horse trader from Sonora, Mexico, for a working cattle ranch near Arivaca, AZ. Sepulveda brought a large number of these horses from Mission Dolores, a central breeding operation of Father Kino’s. Wilbur’s granddaughter, Eva Antonia Wilbur-Cruce later took over her father’s ranch after his passing in 1930.

In 2005, the Wilbur-Cruce horses were formally accepted as the sixth foundation strain of the Spanish Barb. Eva’s “rock horses,” as she fondly referred to them, are thankfully preserved today in several Western states.

The Spanish Barb is a small, hearty and rugged horse – many that were featured at the Amerind event were Paints and Pintos, with huge, expansive white blazes. (commonly referred to as “Medicine Hats”) Several horses sported one pale, blue eye.

The size of the Spanish Barb ranges anywhere from 13.5–15 hands, and the horse is known to possess a calm demeanor and a willingness to please. The Spanish Barb competes in every kind of event imaginable, from roping to cowboy mounted shooting to dressage.

I must admit…until recently, I was very unfamiliar with the Spanish Barb. I’ve since learned quite a lot about their beauty and versatility, both on the ground and under saddle. The “Pony Expressed,” I’m discovering, is becoming a great avenue for me to learn more about other breeds. I’ve owned an Arabian, named Speedy, for nearly 13 years and not long after buying him, of course, I was consumed with knowing “everything Arab,” that I soon turned a blind eye.

There are many different breeds of horses and they all have something special and unique to them that is their own. As horse owners, I think it’s important and necessary to “step outside the box.” Take the time to learn more about those horses that you may know very little about. In the end, you may be pleasantly surprised. I know, I was. For more information on Spanish Barb horses, log on to http://www.spanishbarb.org.

 

This entry was posted on Monday, August 29th, 2011 at 10:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. Tags for this post: Amerind Museum, Colonial Horses, Spanish Barb Horse Association, Spanish Barb horses, Spanish Mustangs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.