America's First True Horse
Welcome to the Horse of the America's Registry
The Horse of the Americas is a unified registry for lovers of North America's First True Horse whether he is called Barb, Spanish Mustang, Original Indian Horse, Colonial Spanish or Cayuse.
Conformation of the Colonial Spanish Horse
HOA would like those wishing to learn more about CS conformation to have an online source for what our horses should look like.
Size: 13 to 15 hands; 750 to 1,000 lbs.
Reaches full maturity at 7 to 9 years.
Gaits will be smooth and comfortable, whether lateral or diagonal.
Many colors including bay, black, blue corn, brown, buckskin, chestnut, dun, gray, grullo, ysabella, palomino, roan and white.
Color patterns include appaloosa, tobiano, overo, Medicine Hat, War Bonnet, calico, sabino, frame and splash paint plus many variations.
CONFORMATION:
Nostrils are elastic, crescent-shaped with roomy nasal cavity, allowing for large extension and ample air intake.
Eyes are set low and wide; bone over the eye is heavier and more protruding than modern horses.
Ears are fine and narrow, often hooked on the tips.
Neck is muscular, but not coarse or short.
The head is attached to the neck with a cleanly arched throatlatch.
Shoulder will be strongly angled and well-laid back.
Back is short, often with one less lumbar vertebrae; 5th and 6th lumbars are usually fused if the 6th lumbar vertebrae is present.
The shorter backed horse may have one less pair of ribs.
Neck, back and hip are approximately the same length.
Loins are deep and strong.
Barrel is well-filled with long underline; narrow front and rear.
Tail set will be low and hip more deeply angled.
Legs are well-boned with large, strong joints, tendons and ligaments.
Structurally, bone will be dense, hoof wall thick and cannon bone round rather than oval.
Small 'chestnuts' or 'ergots' on inside of legs.
Feet are compact, comparatively rounded, elevated with thick, dense walls.
There are three distinct types and other intermediate types which fall somewhere between these three:
- The lighter bodied and leggy horse is called the light or SOUTHWESTERN type.
- The heavy or Northern type is a more blocky horse like the SPANISH GINETE.
- The third resembles the ANDALUSIAN, the classic Spanish horse seen in Renaissance art.
Balance:
Page updated May 12, 2006
VI/GP/JV/BK