Criollo Horse Breed

From: Horse Breeds

Criollo Horse
This beautiful looking horse is descended from Spanish blood and this is most evident in its lively, active paces and overall toughness. The Criollo has immense stamina and surefootedness and makes an excellent riding horse.

Originates
The breed originates from Argentina

Height
Height ranges from 13.2 to 15.2 HH

Colour
Predominantly dun with dorsal stripes and dark points around the knee and hock, but can also be chestnut.

Conformation

The head is quite large with a wide forehead. The expression is kind and willing and the ears are alert and mobile.
The neck is short and muscular.
The withers are reasonably prominent.
The girth is deep.
The chest area is nice and wide.
The limbs are long, strong and slender looking.
The hindquarters are well rounded and powerful.
The tail is well set on.
Both the mane and tail are fairly thin.

Uses
An all round riding horse

History
The Spanish conquistadors brought over with them many horses, such as the Andalusian when they came to the new world, many of these horses would have had tough Barb blood in their make up and it is from these horses that the Criollo developed.

When the Spanish left Buenos Aires because of Indian activity many of the Spanish horses where set free, these horses had to quickly adapt to the Pampa where they where left alone to freely roam for many years with natural selection ensuring that only the best survived.

The Pampas is a vast expanse of open plain where small plants and grasses flourish on the fertile soils it is because of the extremes of temperature from summer to winter it was only the toughest individuals that survived to produce a very unique individual.

The Pampas is also known as gaucho country where it has many cattle ranches on it, the gauchos use the Criollo horses as part of there day to day lives for working the cattle herds.

Asociation Criadores de Caballos Criollos
The association aims to protect and preserve the Criollo horse.