Mesteno??

[angelsdream]

Could anyone tell me the story behind Mesteno? I hear him mentioned on some of the web sites. The way I understand it, he was one of the stallions when they first captured the kigers?? Was he kept in the wild?

[MustangsInNC]

From what I understand, Mesteno was THE herd sire for the Kigers for years and years. He lived in to his 30's if I remember right. Let me see if I can find his website...

[MustangsInNC]

There's some info on him on this website. Check it out:
www.triplepkigermustangs.com/kigerhistory.asp

[angelsdream]

Thanks Amanda! That helped alot. WOW, what a story about him. And how we got here today with such wonderful horses. Truly a majestical story to tell. Im glad to be a part of it and to own a kiger. They are great! One thing that rings true that I hear everyone say that has owned kigers is there friendly personlaties and they will give and give. Ive never seen horses that enjoy to be with you and look forward to it when they see you come into the pasture. Its like they want to see what the latest gossip is. Of course that is after you feed them 1st of all comes the FOOD!! haha then the gossip.

[Michelle Clarke]

Was Mesteno ever dna tested?

[kigermustang1]

As a newcomer to this breed, I would be most interested in knowing this too. I would love to be able to establish if he is (and how closely) he may be related to my coming foal. I know that my foals dam is Honey Shasta and she is by Kiger Mount Shasta (wild) and out of Kiger Honey (wild). The foal is by Doc Holiday out of Ginger (Silverado X Tracy) and by Shelby (Nieto De Sombre X Kiger Cispa [wild]).

[nightrider]

DNA was never done on Mesteno and yes he was one of the heard stallions for many years.
George

[Michelle Clarke]

Thanks George...that's too bad, would have been something nice to have on file.

[zingomom]

I'm interested in learning more about the Kiger breed and was looking forward to checking out the link posted about Mesteno, but it didn't seem to work. Does anyone know of a current website I can go to for more about him?

Thanks. --Carol

[desperatehorsewife]

Andi Harmon has the book Oregon's Living Legends coming out soon. She's got a good deal of info on the different HMA, including Kiger and info on Mesteno. She'd probably be thrilled if you asked on her facebook page

Fan Page link:
www.facebook.com/#/pages/Oregons-Living-Legends/165948407675?ref=ts

There's also some fabulous artwork available of him, for those who are interested.

[grullagirl]

I was wondering what were the other foundation sire's of the kiger breed?I've only really heard about Mesteno.

[angelsdream]

Good question! We only hear of Mesteno but where are the other colts adopted out with that same herd that was rounded up in the 70's?
There is a stallion ad on dreamhorse that has the sire listed at Mesteno Ambassador, says he is or was (not sure if he's still living) 31 years old, has anyone ever heard of him?

[Andi]

I'm not sure what the other site said since the link doesn't work but I can tell you what I know about Mesteno.

Back in the 70's, the Oregon BLM managed to get a full gather off of Beaty's Butte, which is a particularly difficult area where horses seem able to easily hide. I know stories I heard when I was a kid was there was a band of horses way up in the rim rocks that they had never managed to get to (the "Mustangers", folks who gathered up the wild horses for use or sale) because the terrain was so difficult to approach on horseback. I suspect that's where Mesteno and his band resided.

There were 27 horses in the original band from Beaty's Butte, obviously a "family band", and most of them duns. Ron Harding, who was the head of the program in Oregon at the time, decided to pull these horses out and place them on 2 HMA's on the Steens, the Kiger HMA (named for Kiger Gorge) and the Riddle Mountain HMA (named for the Riddle Brothers homestead).

Another 'famous' herd sire of the Kiger's is Yellow Sand. I have photos of him and of Mesteno and of Mesteno's son in the wild. I will try to get some uploaded to a photobucket account or something and post them.

[Andi]

Oh, and I forgot to mention ... my avatar is a painting my friend Michelle did of Mesteno above Kiger Gorge for my book.

[Andi]

Ok, I found some photos ...

Mesteno, at the corrals:



What is believed to be Mesteno's son:



Yellow Sand:



Adolph: