What breed is a Azteca Horse?

What is a purebred Azteca?

A purebred Azteca “A” may be no more than 5/8’s Spanish or Quarter Horse and no more than 1/4th Criollo. A well bred Azteca is a beautiful combination of the qualities admired in the Spanish and Quarter Horse. Like both the Spanish and Quarter Horse, the Azteca is compact in build and powerfully muscled without being heavy.

How much does an Azteca horse weigh?

Azteca stallions and geldings measure between 15 and 16.1 hands (60 and 65 inches, 152 and 165 cm) at the withers, while mares stand between 14.3 and 16 hands (59 and 64 inches, 150 and 163 cm). The ideal height is 14.3–15.1 hands (59–61 inches, 150–155 cm). Both sexes usually weigh from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds (450 to 540 kg).

What are the three main breeds of Aztec Horses?

The three foundation breeds of the Azteca are the Andalusian (defined by the Mexican registry as either Pura Raza Española or Lusitano ), American Quarter Horse, and Mexican Criollo or Criollo militar. They were chosen to produce a breed that combined athletic ability with a good temperament and certain physical characteristics.

Was there a native horse breed in Mexico?

Although various equine breeds existed in the country, there was no native Mexican breed. Even the Criollo horses that so valiantly served their masters in the Mexican Revolution which was fought on horseback were not truly a native breed. The hardy Criollos were descendants of Spanish stock introduced by Spanish colonists.

Is there a native breed of horse in Mexico?

The Mexican people are proud of their horsemanship and although there are no breeds native to Mexico the Mecican criollo horse is a great source of pride. In the 1970’s several horsemen attempted to create a native breed using Andalusian, Quarter Horse and specific criollo bloodlines.

What happened to the colonial Spanish horses?

The Colonial Spanish horse came to be generally considered as too small for cavalry use by the Anglo-Americans, and was slowly supplanted by taller and heavier types from the northeast as an integral part of Anglo expansion in North America.

Where did the colonists get their horses from?

In the northeast and central east the colonists were from northwest Europe, and horses from those areas were more common than the Colonial Spanish type. Even in these nonSpanish areas the Colonial Spanish Horse was highly valued and did contribute to the overall mix of American horses.

Are there any Spanish horses in North America?

Also, only a very small minority of feral horses (mustangs) in North America qualifies as being Spanish in type and breeding. The important part of the background of the Colonial Spanish Horses is that they are indeed Spanish.

What kind of horses were used in the Spanish colonies?

Some of these, such as the Waggoner horses, figure not only in the background of the Colonial Spanish horses but were also used in the American Quarter Horse. Most of the old ranch strains were Spanish in the 1800’s, with the later addition of horses from the Northeast.

What does a colonial Spanish horse look like?

Both are typical of North American Colonial Spanish horses. From a front view the cranial portions of the head are wide, but the facial portions are narrow and fine. The muzzle is usually very fine, and from the side the upper lip is usually longer than the lower, although the teeth meet evenly.

Why isn’t the colonial Spanish horse more popular in North America?

The lack of popularity of the Colonial Spanish horse in North America has been a mixed blessing as its breeders have tended to be very loyal to it, but very much working outside the mainstream of horse breeders and users in North America.

Are there Spanish type horses in the world?

Outside of the USA, on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas, reside a small group of Spanish type horses. These horses have dwindled to very low numbers, and include a number of very unusual splashed white type colors. Dark colors also occur. These are doomed to extinction in the near future due to lack of effective genetic conservation efforts.

Are there feral Spanish horses in North America?

Many Colonial Spanish horses have never had a feral background, but are instead the result of centuries of careful breeding. Also, only a very small minority of feral horses (mustangs) in North America qualifies as being Spanish in type and breeding.

What are the different types of colonial Spanish horses?

Another important subtype of Colonial Spanish horses is the rancher strains. Some of these, such as the Waggoner horses, figure not only in the background of the Colonial Spanish horses but were also used in the American Quarter Horse. Most of the old ranch strains were Spanish in the 1800’s, with the later addition of horses from the Northeast.

What is a colonial Spanish gaited horse?

“Colonial Spanish” is not a breed in itself, but a group of about 15 breeds or strains that descend from Spanish stock brought to the United States, and which have had a strong influence on American gaited horses. Some of these breeds include the Spanish Barb, Carolina Marsh Tacky, and the Florida Cracker.

What are colonial Spanish horses used for?

Due to their wide geographic distribution as pure populations as well as their contribution to other crossbred types, the Colonial Spanish Horses were the most common of all horses throughout North America at that time, and were widely used for riding as well as draft.

How many Spanish gaited horses are left?

In total, about 15 breeds are part of this group, and they had a major influence on the American gaited horses that came after. Some of the Colonial Spanish Horse breeds include the Florida Cracker, the Carolina Marsh Tacky, and the Spanish Barb. Altogether, there are approximately 2,200 Colonial Spanish Horses left.

What are the different colors of colonial Spanish horses?

Colonial Spanish Horses come in a full range of solid colors including black, bay, brown, chestnut, sorrel, grullo, zebra dun, red dun, buckskin, palomino, and cream. Other solid colors such as the champagne colors, and even silver dapple, occur rarely.

Is the Spanish horse popular in North America?

The lack of popularity of the Colonial Spanish horse in North America has been a mixed blessing as its breeders have tended to be very loyal to it, but very much working outside the mainstream of horse breeders and users in North America.

Where do feral Spanish colonial horses come from?

A major source of feral Spanish Colonial type horses were the herds in the Bookcliffs of Utah. These horses also figure prominently in the Brislawn as well as some other herds including those of Robert and Louise Painter. In some herds these are still present as a unique strain, but their main impact has been their use on horses of other strains.

How did the European Horse get to America?

In the late 1400s, Spanish conquistadors brought European horses to North America, back to where they evolved long ago. At this time, North America was widely covered with open grasslands, serving as a great habitat for these horses. These horses quickly adapted to their former range and spread across the nation.

How did the colonial Spanish horse get to America?

In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors took them to North America, where they influenced breeds, such as the Colonial Spanish Horse, a foundation breed for many American horse breeds. The breed’s popularity continued into the 19th century.

How did the Spanish use horses in the New World?

The Spanish conquistadors used their horses not only for transportation across the New World, but as a weapon against the natives they encountered. Europeans continued to bring horses to the New World throughout the seventeenth century.

What are the gaits of a Spanish horse?

These horses usually have a very long stride, and many of them have gaits other than the usual trot of most breeds. These other gaits can include a running walk, single foot, amble, pace, and the paso gaits of other more southerly Spanish strains (Peruvian Paso and Paso Fino).