Galiceno
A small, solid-colored horse from Mexico with Spanish roots.
The Galiceno is a horse breed developed in Mexico from horses brought by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Though small, it is considered a horse rather than a pony and is always solid-colored. In the United States, the breed is often used as a mount for younger competitors and in Western events.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Mexico
Facts from the source article.
Characteristics
Common colors are bay, black, or chestnut; the United States registry does not allow pinto markings. The head is nicely proportioned with a straight profile, the neck short and muscular, and the chest narrow but deep. Shoulders are straight, withers pronounced, back short, croup sloping, and legs long and strong with small hooves. The breed possesses good stamina and a fast, ground-covering running-walk gait that is smooth to ride. Despite its small size, it can carry a person all day in heat and over rough terrain. In Mexico it is used for riding, packing, light draft, and farm work; in the United States it serves as a children's riding pony and excels in jumping, cutting, reining, and timed events.
History
The Galiceno developed in Mexico from horses imported by Hernán Cortés, mostly thought to be Portuguese Garrano and the Galician Pony of Spain, with possible Sorraia blood added later. Cortés landed sixteen horses during his 1519 invasion for use in mines and transport, and conquistadors continued bringing small-framed, smooth-gaited horses into Mexico throughout the 16th century. Many escaped or were released, forming feral bands in Mexico's mountainous interior. Over centuries, local inhabitants caught and used horses from these populations; the type that became the Galiceno was especially prized in coastal regions. Spaniards used Galicenos in silver mines and as pack horses, moving northward with missions; some were lost in battle or stolen by Indians, contributing to Mustang herds and the American Indian Horse. The first intentional import to the United States occurred in 1958 with a herd of 135 horses, many previously feral. The Galiceño Horse Breeders Association formed in 1959, and by 2005 had registered about 7,000 horses across North America, with roughly 20 new foals registered yearly. Some Galicenos are also registered with the American Indian Horse Registry. DNA testing, including on one of the original horses from Mexico, found markers similar to other Spanish populations; Texas A&M studies show the breed is closest to the Garranos of Portugal and Spain. In 2015, The Livestock Conservancy added the breed to its Conservation Priority List as Critical, estimating the US population at 200 to 300 animals with very low active breeding stock.
More in Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
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