Criollo
Origin
Argentina
History
The word Criollo literally means „of Spanish origin,“ and is a generic term covering a variety of related South American horses, including the Crioulo Braziliero from Brazil and the Llanero cattle horse from Venezuela.
The Argentine Criollo is the native horse of Argentina, descending from Barb, Arab, and Andalusian horses of the Spanish conquest. Horses were shipped to the River Plate from Spain when parties went to explore and conquer South America. They brought the toughest, hardiest horses they could. Most of the early spanish horses to set foot in the Americas were more likely mixtures of Andalusian, Garrano, and –likely a majority-the Sorraia breed.
In the long campaingns and skirmishes with Indians, many horses escaped or were turned loose. After destruction of Buenos Aires by the Indians, many horses were driven into a wild environment. Natural selection resulted in physical hardiness because of the severe struggle to survive. The survivors became the progenitors of the Criollo breed.
In 1918 a breed society was formed, and began rigorous endurance tests as a means of selection. Marches covered huge distances. The most famous ride in this century was that of Professor Aimé Tschiffely, who, alternately riding and packing two Criollo geldings, rode 10,000 miles from Buenos Aires to Washington DC in two-and-a-half years.
Description
- Head:
either a straight or a slightly concave profile - Conformation:
-sturdy, thickset horse with heavy muscling
-short and strong neck-sloped croup
-tail carried close to the buttocks - Average height:
14 h.h. - Colours:
the Criollo is found in a great variety of colours, with the only colours excluded for registration being painted and tobiano. A great majority of Criollo horses are either dun or grullo, with dorsal stripe and zebra stripes on the legs. - Temperament:
tractable, intelligent, willing, and sensible - Today:
the Criollo is mainly a working cow horse. It is also used for pleasure riding and rodeo events. While the purebred Criollo horse is mot used for polo, the cross of this horse to the English Thoroughbred has made Argentina famous as a breeder of outstanding polo horses.
