Picture Perfect Kiger Mustang

[fantasykiger]

???Is there a Kiger out there that a person can see? get a look at conformation wise. To have a picture of what close to perfection is for a Kiger Mustang? So that one knows what to stirve for in an inspection. While you can describe it on a piece of paper for some of us it is hard to put those descriptions together as a picture of a horse in our heads. If not an actual horse is there even a artist rendering of the perfect Kiger Mustang.

[nightangel]

I think "perfection" is more of an oppinion. Different people like different things.

[lindaf]

I wonder if the Kiger registries have photos of the horses they believe fit their ideal conformation? An example of well documented characteristics is the Sorria Mustang site
www.spanish-mustang.org/startsms.htm . This site is quite specific about what to look for with photos and explanations of why a particular horse does or does not fit their registry's "ideal" horse. Linda

[fantasykiger]

While I do believe everyone has personal preferences as far as their horses go. If the registries are to have a certian type or set standards and there is talk of inspections, a picture is worth a thousand words. I just would like to see a picture of the Kiger Mustang that fits the standards put forth by any registry. An artist rendering works just as well, if there is no photo of a horse to represent the standards. It really does help when one has to look objectively at ones Kigers to know if they are of good type or not. Also what to look for when purchasing a Kiger Mustang.

On the other Kiger board Bettye did post the old traditional standards for a Kiger Mustang and an old artist rendering of What a Kiger Mustang should look like. Just wondering if anyone here might have some input as well.

[lindad]

Why not post photos of some of the originally adopted Kigers, and critique how close we "think" they come to the standard. It would be nice to see offspring as well.

I have always been willing to offer up my small herd for critique. Michelle criqued Bolero once and he fared pretty well and met criteria for breeding status. I offer mine so that I can learn and develop a better eye.

I think that we tend to fall in love with our own horses and use that as our gage. Fortunately, I have been able to see a good number of Kigers over the last 5 years and have a better idea of what I like and how they compare. I have seen a few (very few) that did not fit with my idea of Kiger).

Linda D

[DianneC]

Well, not to brag, but Ron Harding once sent me an email saying Cedar was the best mare he had seen. I'm sure there are others as well. You can see pictures at pets.webshots.com/album/54551245gKfZhu

[Michelle Clarke]

I have a gelding Kiger that I bought, he is out of two freezebranded Kigers (the mare is here also being boarded). I think he is a shining example of a Kiger. I only have a limited number of picts of him, and right now he is underweight, so maybe not good to really judge unless you are used to looking past that. I am actually in the process of trying to put the pounds on him because he is going to Texas A&M soon for surgery. He acts like a very aggressive stallion, even though he is gelded. I just had his testosterone level done and a normal gelding tests about 160 - his is over 500! So, he either has a testicle up in the ring, some tissue left or some grew back. He does produce fluid, though not viable (I know this because he jumps on the top of the fence and ejaculates - looks just like a stallion, but clear).

I think he a super nice horse and is one of the best moving horses I have ever seen. Though, Tiffany is right - we all like what we like, and I am not sure how he would critique to Kiger Breed Standards, but it would be fun to do. Maybe we should list the Breed Standards as each registry calls them and put some horses up in a new thread and see what happens!

[fantasykiger]

DianneC....I happen to completly agree with Ron I'm absolutely in love with Cedar, if I had the room, if my circumstances were better. That is a mare I would surely consider snatching up.

[lindaf]

Maybe we should list the Breed Standards as each registry calls them and put some horses up in a new thread and see what happens!

I'd like to see that also. Is anyone good at data bases? What I would like to see is a trait by trait comparison from each of the registries' standards, side by side in a table format (eventually accompanied by a photos when we can get them). That way we can see where the similarities as well as difference are. For example, how do the different registries compare regarding head type, hip, etc.

Wouldn't it be interesting to find out that there are only a few areas of disagreement and there is agreement on more than we think.

Linda F

[karismakigers]

On KHAR, there is a photo of the original 7 horses found in Riddle HMA in 1976, prior to them finding the 27 in Beatty Butte HMA.

www.kigerhorse.org/images/76Original6PhotoCloseUp2.jpg

Also, photos of example Kigers taken by BLM for the 1996 ACEC Plan. I don't know the exact date of the photos. They might have come from that round up or collectively from previous round ups. These can be seen @

www.kigerhorse.org/96BLMManagementPlan.html Right side of page.

These photos above are when Ron was still involved in the selection of Kigers in the BLM program. Ron did say that the Beatty Butte 27 were better horses than the Original 7 Riddle horses.

Jillian McIntosh

[karismakigers]

Food for thought: Below are excerpts from the various management plans and memos from BLM regarding the management of Kiger mustangs. All misspelling are as they are in the documents. Enjoy!

Jillian

**********************


Riddle Management Plan 1975- "Most of the horses in the herd are of standard horse colors with a mixture of blaze faces, socks, etc. One paint, a grey and several roans are present. There are several small horses with definite dorsal and shoulder stripes in the herd. This pattern is identified with extinct wild Spanish stock to which the Spanish mustang of this country traces part of its ancestry. Also, this was a characteristic of the Tarpan, the wild horse of the European continent." "Wild Horse Objectives: 5) To retain that trace of Spanish mustang blood now present in the herd." "During the initial gathering in the Oriana Flat Pasture, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers." "In the interest of preserving traces of the Spanish mustang, horses with dorsal stripes will be maintained within the herd. Beyond this no special effort will be made to select by color or type. All horses showing deformities will be removed regardless of color or type."

Smyth Creek Management Plan, 1976- Most of the horses in Smyth Creek herd are sorrel, bay and black. There are a few roan (both red and blue), palomino, dun and buckskin. Also there may be some other colors including a few horses with dorsal stripes, a characteristic of the Spanish mustang." "Objective....to promote the production of horses with dorsal stripes." "PL 92-195 does not specify a certain kind or color of horse to be perpetuated in wild horse herds. However, since dorsal, shoulder and leg stripes is a more primitive horse color pattern and was one of the color patterns common to the Spanish mustang, it appears that it would be desirable to preserve some of these type horses." "During the initial gathering, all trapped colts will be removed except colts showing dorsal stripes. These will be released with their mothers unless they are in poor condition."

Return of Dorsal Striped Horses Riddle Mt Herd Management Area 1976
"Following the 1976 gather, one stud and six mares with dorsal stripes and dark mains and tails were returned to the Oreana Flat Pasture--Riddle Mt. Herd Management Area. One mare was a grulla, the others were same shade of dun or buckskin. Dorsal stripes are one of the more primitive color patterns of horses. This stripe is found on the Tarpan (the wild European horse), the Onager (a wild Asiatic Equus), Przeqalski horse (a wild Russian horse), and the Sorraia ( a wild Spanish horse). This stripe was a common characteristic of the Spanish mustang. Because this is a primitive color pattern and was common among Spanish mustangs, the Riddle Mt. Herd Management plan calls for the preservation of this color pattern. Horses selected for return were of medium size and of good conformation. It is not the intent of the plan to perpetuate horses of this color that are lacking in other selection criteria.

Memorandum to Riddle mtn, east Kiger & Smith Creek Herd Management Plans dated 12/11/79

"On December 3, 1979, Chris Vosler, Chad Bacon, Ron Harding and Bill Phillips met and discussed the future horse management for Riddle Mtn., East Kiger and Smyth Creek Herd Management Areas. The following decisions were made.
1) Riddle Mountain, East Kiger and Smyth Creek Herd Management Areas will be managed for horses showing Spanish mustang characteristics.
2)East Kiger Herd Management Area will be managed for those horses of dunn or grulla color with dorsal stripes, leg stripes and / or shoulder stripes with dark border around the inside of the ear. These horses should have a minimum of white markings with horses with no white having preference over those showing white. These horses should be of small or medium size.
3) Smyth Creek Herd Management Area should be managed for the same type and markings as East Kiger Herd Management Area. However, small amounts of white and off coloration will be allowed.
4) Riddle Mountain Herd Management Area will be managed for horses with dorsal stripes and a dark border in the ears. Color can vary as long as the dorsal stripes and ear markings are present.
5) Horses not showing at least some degree of quality will be culled from the herds. Color alone will not be the basis for retaining horses in these herds.
The purpose of this decision is to retain some horses on public lands that show characteristics of the Spanish mustang. This places horses with the most primitive coloration in East Kiger with Smyth Creek tolerating an intermediate step away and Riddle Mountain having a variation in coloration but retaining the dorsal stripe and ear markings."

Riddle Mountain & Kiger Horse Herd Management Area Plan Evaluations, 1995

"Riddle Mountain HMAP- Past Management- Beginning in 1977 the conversion of this herd to horses with Spanish Mustang characteristics began with the introduction of 3 dun studs, 1 blue roan mares, 1 claybank mare and 1 grulla filly colt from the Beatty Buttes area of the Lakeview District. The Riddle Mountain herd was converted to the dun factor Spanish Mustang type of horse primarily in 1987, 1989, and 1993 when horses from the Kiger HMA were introduced to replace horses removed from the HMA."

"Kiger HMAP-Planning-- the existing Kiger Herd Area was originally two separate herd areas, East Kiger and Smyth Creek." Past Management--"Management for the Spanish Mustang type of horse began in 1974 when most of the East Kiger herd was gathered. Twenty one of these horses were returned to the HMA. Some of these horses had dorsal stripes. In 1977 the entire East Kiger herd of 34 horses were removed. A brown mare and a blue roan from this group of horses were returned to the HMA. Twenty other horses from the Beatty Buttes area of the Lakeview District were also released into the HMA. All of these horses had strong Spanish Mustang characteristics. Except for the roan mare these horses were either dun or grulla with dorsal stripes and zebra stripes on the legs. These horses were the base herd from which today's Kiger and Riddle Mountain horses originated. Horses in the Smyth Creek HMA were converted to dun factor Spanish Mustang type of horse in 1983 and 1987 when horses from East Kiger were released to replace gathered horses from Smyth Creek."

"WHB Management Action 2.3: Select for high quality horses when gathered horses are returned to the range. Kiger/Riddle Mtn HMAs: Manage for Spanish Mustang type horses that are dun, red dun, grulla, buckskin (clay bank) and variations of these colors. Dorsal stripes are desirable and horses are to be 13-15 hands weighing 750 to 1000 pounds."

"WHB Management Action 3.1: Limit any releases of wild horses or burros into an HMA to individuals which exhibit the characteristics designated for that HMA."

"ACEC Management Action 1.7: Designate the Kiger and Riddle HMAs of 64, 639 acres as the Kiger Mustang ACEC for unique characteristics of wild horses. The primary management goal of the Kiger Mustang ACEC is to perpetuate and protect the dun factor color, primitive characteristics, and conformation typical of the Spanish Mustang type of wild horses now present in the Kiger and Riddle Mountain HMAs."

"Present Situation-Horses in both HMAs area characteristically Spanish mustang type horses with the exception of several in the Riddle Mountain HMA that were not gathered in 1993. These herds are primarily duns, some are grulla, and several are clay bank. Approximately 25% of these animals display stripes on the legs and other primitive markings, and almost all have dorsal stripes."

"Enhance Management--The objective of selecting and returning high quality Spanish Mustang type horses to the range after gathering has been aggressively pursued and accomplished."

"Recommendations--3) Continue aggressive management actions to maintain and preserve the gene pool of Spanish Mustang characteristic horses in the Riddle and Kiger HMAs."

Riddle Mountain & Kiger Wild Horse Herd Management Area Plan, 1996.
"The primary management goal of the Kiger Mustang ACEC is to perpetuate and protect the conformation and dun factor color characteristics typical of wild horses currently present in the Kiger and Riddle Mountain HMAs."
Horse Herd Objectives--"Maintain a healthy and sustainable herd of 33 to 56 wild horses in the Riddle Mountain HMA that exhibit the dun factor colors and physical characteristics of Spanish Mustang horses that currently exist in the HMA. Maintain a healthy and sustainable herd of 51 to 82 wild horses in the Kiger HMA that exhibit the dun factor colors and physical characteristics of Spanish Mustang horses that currently exist in the HMA. a) Physical and Conformation Characteristics Criteria--- The following physical and conformation characteristics (see photos) will be managed for through gathering and return to the range practices: -- Dun factor colors (various color phases are dun, red dun, grulla, buckskin (claybank), and variations of these colors. Other colors will not be managed for. Markings on these animals include dorsal stripes; zebra stripes on the knees and hocks; chest, rib and arm bars; shoulder patches and sawtooth marks alongside the dorsal stripes; dark color outlining the ears; the top one-third of the ears on their backside darker than the body color; fawn color inside the ears; multicolored manes and tails; cobwebbing on the face;and face masks. The less white these horses have, the stronger the dun factor. Horses having the dun factor may have some or all of these markings" "Height ranges between 13 to 15 hands, and weight between 750 and 1,000 pounds. Other characteristics: generally possess the physical characteristics of Spanish Mustang confirmation, light to medium bone, small feet, ear tips are very hooked and females with very fine muzzles."

Kiger Mustang Area of Critical Environmental Concern Management Plan, dated 3/5/96

"Objectives--The primary management objective for which this ACEC is to perpetuate and protect the dun factor color and conformation characteristics of the wild horses present in the Kiger and Riddle Mountain Management Areas."

[lindaf]

a) Physical and Conformation Characteristics Criteria--- The following physical and conformation characteristics (see photos) will be managed for through gathering and return to the range practices:

Jillian, is there a document that has the photos mentioned here?

I wonder, does anyone know if Kiger veterans had input in these management policies?

Thank you for the information.

Linda F

[karismakigers]

The photos mentioned are the Appendix 1 photos. KHAR has put them up @

www.kigerhorse.org/96BLMManagementPlan.html

For the most part, these management plans were followed closely under E. Ron Harding's hand. As the years passed, there were "changing of the guard" in the various positions above the Wild Horse Specialist position. Ron did his best to maintain the program according to the management plans. Wash DC officials kept bringing in District Managers that came from the Nevada system. In Nevada, wild horses are viewed as vermin, not something to perpetuate or protect. The Kiger ACEC was the first ever to protect a mustang. Ron fought hard to have the Kigers spelled out in the ACEC to prevent their loss. As it is right now, BLM can complete close and eliminate an HMA and remove all horses from it. They cannot do that with the Kiger or Riddle HMA as they are written into the ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern). After Ron left, the management plans haven't been followed very closely. It has reverted to the Nevada style of management: put back as few as possible, gate cut selection, reduction not preservation. To be fair, these changes are coming from the top down, so blame doesn't just sit alone with Burns.

Jillian

[DianneC]

Thanks for this Jillian! That's really interesting, especially the notes with the pictures about the desired head with a fine muzzle, the long muscles etc. The picture of the Riddle horses in 1976 wasn't too helpful. I notice that one of the other pictures is dated 1993, do you think the rest were all taken at the same time? The lighting looks like they were. The horses are really nice in conformation and also are in VERY good condition. Part of the problem with the horses at the last adoption was that they were in poor condition, so much so that many of the foals were weaned way too early.
Gate cuts, where x number are gathered and the rest left, no matter what their conformation and color, are cheaper than gathering all the horses and selecting the best to go back out. I'm not sure how we can get around that except to have Ron Harding make the selection as he has volunteered to do. The pressure to put more cattle on the HMAs means less forage for the horses over the winter too. I know there are a lot of new fences on the Kiger HMA that limits the range of the Kigers to the south side of the road unless the gates are opened. All in all, its a picture of preference being given to the cattle at the expense of the horses.

[Michelle Clarke]

Here is a pict of Montanesa taken today. She is still underweight and her back legs are not square at all. She is estimated at two years old and don't know if that means she will be three in spring or fall or what yet! She is the same size as our coming two year olds as far as height - about 14'3.

Oh, her pelvis is "out of whack", it needs to be adjusted at the top of the illium, mostly on the left side. Once I am able to do that it will be fun to see the difference in development! It is jammed forward and down to the left.

Be interesting to see how she fares in the Standard.