Registered Spanish Barb Breeders
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El Rancho Wakan-Spanish Barbs
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HISTORY Versatile and Enduring are words often heard around enthusiasts of the Spanish Barb. These are two of the qualities that have served the Spanish Barb well throughout it's long and illustrious history. Descended from the North African Barb, taken to Spain during the Moors 400 year conquest of the Iberian peninsula. In Spain, the Barb was crossed with the native horses, the Sorraia and the Jennet, to produce a smooth riding and extremely atheletic horse. It's fame as the premier war horse grew and it's descendants became sought after by the great monarchs of Europe. Before coming to America with the Conquistadors, the Spanish Barb was used to improve many European breeds. The Moorish style of riding was fundamental in the formation of dressage as well as the high school work now made famous by the Lippazaner Stallions.
It was brought to the New
World in the 16th Century as the war horse of the Conquistadors and was instrumental in allowing the Spaniards to control the major portion of the New World at that time. The roll-back, spin on the haunches and airs above ground were some of the techniques developed from the Moorish riding tradition using the Spanish Barbs natural talents. These talents were later adapted by the Vaqueros in America to create the techniques still used by Cowboys today. The Spanish Barb, or as it was then called the Spanish Cow Pony, was also the premier cattle mount. It's athletic abilities, endurance and hardiness were utilized by the mountain men, explorers, and by the Native Americans. It was said " A white man will ride his horse all day till it gets tired and then rest before riding again the next day; a Mexican will ride his horse for 2 or 3 days before resting and then going another 2 or 3 days; An Indian will ride till he gets to where he's going then he'll rest!" Realizing that it was their horses sturdiness and endurance that formed the backbone of the Native Americans resistance to White rule, the U.S. Calvary tried to systematically kill off as many of the horses as it could.
A few Whites still appreciated the Spanish Barbs abilities and tried to keep some of them pure. A few also remained in the wild herds and on some Native American reservations. The Bureau of Land Management also has some in isolated herds that remain relatively pure. The Spanish Barb of today is NOT a "BLM Mustang" however, and is descendant from foundation Spanish Mustang stock combined with horses off of Ilo Belskys' Ranch in Eli Nebraska and the Weldon McKinley Ranch in New Mexico. With so few remaining horses and with the goal of restoring the breed to it's 16th century grandeur, the founders of the Spanish Barb Breeders Association set forth strict registration requirements and each horse stands on it's own merits.
The Spanish Barb of today is very uniform in conformation and temperament and are excellent representatives of the 16th century war horse of the Conquistadors!
We at El Rancho Wakan are devoted to the goals of the Spanish Barb Breeders Association and strive to breed only the finest quality horses possible. To this end we recently gatherd horses off the McKinley Ranch where the herd has been running wild for at least 200 documented years!
A beautiful horse, 13.2 to 14.2 hands tall with short backs, rounded hips, sloping shoulders, very hard hooves, short cannons, small or non-existent chestnuts and long manes and tails, the Spanish Barb is a horse for every purpose. From Western to English riding, Dressage to cutting, the Spanish Barb does it all. They have easy going dispositions and relaxed gaits. We invite you to come and see what Americas' first horse looked like.
Come to El Rancho Wakan and elevate your expectations - Ride a Spanish Barb!
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