picture by Audrey Pavia
Rio , my Spanish Mustang , turned 3 year sometime this week . As goofy as he can be , he ’s been a aspiration come true .
Since the age of 9 , I have been obsessed with patched horses . Since that same age , I ’ve also been obsessed with Mustangs . So when I bought my first spotted Spanish Mustang a yr ago last December , it literally was a dream come straight .
His name isRio . When I grease one’s palms him , he was almost 2 years old . He looked like a baby when he stick off the trailer from Texas , even though he was no longer a foal . His momma and poppa are small horses , like most Spanish Mustangs , only around 14 hands high . So it made sense that at closely 2 , Rio was still a reasonably small guy wire .
This past calendar week , my little boy turned 3 years old . He ’s growing up , and meet another one of my dreams : to raise a unseasoned buck to adulthood .
Spanish Mustangs are tiresome to mature , so even though Rio is 3 , he is still small in height compared to many other horses his historic period . Quarter Horses , Paints , pureblood and warmbloods are all considerably larger by the time they hit Rio ’s age . My boy , on the other bridge player , is still svelte of stature and not really big enough to ride .
Am I worried about this ? After all , some Equus caballus are winning the Kentucky Derby by the time they are Rio ’s age . And I ’m still not look to set about teaching him to work under saddle . But that ’s because Rio is no pureblood . He is the descendant of the original buck brought to the New World by the Spaniards in the 1400s . His ancestors once numbered in the millions and cast the West in large savage bands . Cowboys , Indians , mountain men and outlaws depend on these herds for their saddleback horses , which though little , were be intimate for their sturdiness , their staying power and their incredible heart .
As I watch my young horse in his paddock , pestering his old “ brother”Milagro , chamfer the chickens that dare walk into his space , and trying to dump over his water trough , I sometimes strive to associate this monkey - in - a - buck - suit with his breed ’s incredibly respectable and staggering history . And I wonder if 150 years ago , Native Americans assay to teach youthful mustangs like Rio how to be great warrior mounts had to administer with the same slaphappy demeanour that I find in this heavy equine jackass .
To keep Rio ’s birthday this workweek , I took him on a long trail drive , ponying him off Milagro . He start out making problem by lift , adjudicate to nip at me and generally bounce around like a Jack Russell Terrier . I respond by taking both sawbuck on a very steep , nautical mile - long trail and demand them to trot . What started out as a wash in Rio ’s mind terminate up a project that left him lack enough vigor to be stupid . After 20 minutes of imbecility , he end the rest of the ride in good behavior .
Sometimes I ca n’t believe it ’s rightful that I have this awe-inspiring small horse cavalry , with his spotted coat , his striped hooves , and his awful heritage . Judging by the way he handles the hectic urban trails in my community when being ponied , he ’s going to make an incredible track Equus caballus , along with a good parade horse , gymkhana cavalry , dressage horse and anything else I might require to do with him . That is the stunner of the amazing Spanish Mustang . With this breed , you could do just about anything — including watch your dreams come truthful .
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