Horse
Pronunciation:
krē-ˈōl-(ˌ)yō, krē-ˈō-(ˌ)yō
Breed Description:
The Criollo breed of horse is considered the toughest and soundest in the world. It is native to Argentina, where it is used by the gauchos (cowboys) to work cattle. Criollos are usually dun in color, with dark points and an eel stripe running along their back from mane to tail. They have great stamina. The Criollo breed of horse generally has a strong brawny body, a muscular neck carried high, relatively short strong-boned legs, and powerful hindquarters. Their long-muzzled head is medium- to large-sized with a straight or slightly convex profile and wide-set eyes. The Criollo breed of horse is intelligent, sensible, and willing. Dun is the most popular color, but bay, brown, black, chestnut, grulla, buckskin, palomino, roan, gray, and overo are also seen. The breed is famous for its endurance and ability to live in harsh conditions. They are highly disease-resistant, and thrive on little grass. While still used mainly as cattle horses, they are also well-suited to pleasure and trail riding and are popular rodeo horses. The famous Argentinean polo horses are Criollos crossed with Thoroughbreds.
Temperament:
The Criollo breed of horse is tractable, intelligent, and level-headed.
Height:
The Criollo breed of horse stands 14 to 15 hands high, averaging 14.3 hands.
Health Problems:
The Criollo breed of horse had no known breed-specific health problems. To the contrary, Criollos are exceptionally hardy, with great endurance and a remarkable immunity to disease. They have strong bones, resistant joints, and sound, hard feet.
Living Conditions:
The Criollo breed of horse can survive on little food and in harsh climates.
Life Expectancy:
The Criollo breed of horse is hardy and long-lived.
Grooming:
The Criollo breed of horse should have routine grooming.
Origin:
Descended from Spanish horses brought to South American in the 1500s, the Criollo breed of horse is considered the toughest and soundest in the world. It is native to Argentina, where it is used by the gauchos (cowboys) to work cattle. It is also found in Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru, Chile, and Brazil.
The Criollo breed of horse dates back to a 1535 shipment of 100 Andalusian stallions from Cadiz, Spain, to the Rio de la Plata. The horses were imported by Pedro de Mendoza, the founder of Buenos Aires. However, Indian hostility led the Spaniards to abandon Buenos Aires in 1540, and some of the surviving horses were set loose. When Buenos Aires was resettled in 1580, the feral horse population was estimated at 12,000. Because the Criollo breed of horse reproduced primarily in the wild, it became an extremely hardy horse that was able to survive extreme heat and cold, live off dry grass, and subsist on very little water. Both Native Americans and settlers in the region captured the feral horses for riding and ranch and pack work. Argentinean breeders created a registry for the Criollo breed of horse in 1918.
