Why Mustangs?
When I first became interested in trail riding and the sport of endurance, many people told me I would need an Arabian or part-Arab in order to succeed. I began searching for a sound, sane, steady Arab that could be my partner on long trails. What I found instead was a gorgeous mustang with so much athletic ability it actually astonished me. I started to wonder why she couldn.t do well in endurance . after all, she was born and raised in the challenging terrain of the Three Fingers HMA in Oregon. I began looking into the question of whether or not mustangs were capable of handling the challenges of 50, 75, and 100 mile rides without physical damage or undue stress.
The answer, I discovered, is a resounding YES . IF you have the right mustang!
There are, in fact, several mustangs making quite a name for themselves in the endurance world, including but not limited to: Sir Galahad, Sir Kai, Robin Hood, Mustang Lady, and Mustang Hawk.
However, not all mustangs are suited for endurance . but neither are all Arabian horses!
Mustang bands can reflect the influences of many different breeds and types of horses. You can find draft-type mustangs, gaited mustangs (rare, but they are out there!!), ponies, bulky stock-type mustangs, and of course, the lean athletic type we look for. Some people have criticized the mustangs. lack of breeding, calling them .a bunch of strays.. I find this comment particularly amusing, as most breeds today derive their origins from the crossing of other breeds generations ago! In any case, in my humble opinion it is this lack of breeding that makes them so appealing.
Mustangs are bred by nature. When humans breed horses, when we interfere with the natural processes, we tend to allow weak, less desirable traits to be passed on in the quest for those traits we seek to promote. In the quest for .purebred. horses, people often practice line-breeding and in-breeding. They may succeed in breeding for certain characteristics of appearance, but at what cost? In creating .purebred. horses, humans have caused and contributed to a host of genetic disorders, including: HYPP (Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis), GBED (Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency) and DSLD (Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis). Two in particular affect Arabians: SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency) and Lavender Foal Syndrome. Other common afflictions of domestic horses, such as laminitis, navicular disease, heaves, and other musculo-skeletal disorders are thought to have strong genetic components.
Mustangs do not suffer from genetic disorders such as these because horses that carry faulty genes do not survive long enough to reproduce or are not allowed to breed.
A mustang with the right build for endurance, along with correct training and conditioning, can succeed just as well as an Arab can. Although it is true they may not pulse down as quickly or may reach slightly elevated temperatures compared to some Arabs, it has been my observation and experience that they perform better than Arabs in other respects. A mustang will be as sensitive as an Arab, though less high-strung. A mustang will not need to be coaxed to eat or drink on a long trail as are some Arabs . mustangs know the importance of food and drink! Mustangs are less likely to run themselves to the point of exhaustion and more likely to take care of their riders. And a range-bred mustang has hooves of iron . no horse on earth has feet like the American mustang! Many mustangs are being ridden barefoot because shoes are simply unnecessary, although we do recommend boots for long rides or particularly rocky terrain.
If you are considering a horse for the sport of endurance . or even just looking for a trail horse that can stay sound for miles . we encourage you to look at mustangs. They are unique, amazing horses with unlimited capabilities when you know how to select and train one.
Feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. We love to talk about horses, especially mustangs!