Chilean Horse
Encyclopedia
The Chilean Horse is a breed virtually unknown outside South America
despite being the oldest registered native American breed, the oldest registered breed of Iberian
origin, the oldest registered horse breed in South America and the oldest registered stock horse breed in the Western Hemisphere.
The Chilean Horse's genealogy originates in New Castile
(Peru). Most of the horses came from the fertile valleys of Charcas
(now Sucre
, Bolivia
), but some of the finest stallions were selected from throughout the kingdom. The breed probably started around 1544 when the first Chile
an horse breeder, Father Rodrigo González Marmolejo, started breeding equines in what was then known as New Toledo when the emphasis was on quality. By the turn of the 16th century, the Mapuche
s were outstanding horseman with growing numbers of horses which were trained as efficient war mounts. By the 17th century, Chile had very defined types in parade horse
s, pacers and trotters
and the country had gained the reputation of having the best horses in South America.
Chilean Horses were selected for lateral dexterity, courage to confront and pin belligerent cattle and an even temperament that permitted a high degree of trainability while conserving needed energy for a long day's work. By the 18th century, the yearly round-ups that had been required by decree since 1557 took on massive dimensions. The pens that received cattle
herded down from the mountainous terrain needed to have a capacity of no less than 7,000 head. Sorting the cattle by ownership, designated use, and requirements for castration
and branding
resulted in herding and pushing cattle down long alleyways into classifying pens. This gave rise to the aptitudes now used in the modern-day Chilean rodeo
that are performed in a crescent-shaped arena known as a medialuna
(half-moon arena).
The increasing area in wheat
during this era gave rise to select groups of mare
s that formed threshing
teams of between 50-100 animals. These mares performed a demanding task that required sure-footedness and boundless energy. Any animal that stumbled or slipped to its knees was sent to slaughter. Within a circular confine, with wheat up to their knees, these mares were expected to move on their own accord. These were the dams of some of the best 'corraleros' (rodeo horses) of the time. By the late 18th century, there were farms such as Principal, Catemu, Quilimuta, and Alhue that kept orderly records of the genealogy of the specialized horses they were breeding.
brought on a clear preference for the stock and/or warhorse
. This 'blue collared' equine variety that had always dominated the country's inventory, now also became the most prestigious breed elected to represent the newly-formed Republic of Chile. In this period. Chile had its most influential breeders. They more closely defined the characteristics of the Chilean Horse, as well as introducing a greater selection for speed, as match races at sprinting distances became popular throughout the country. The end of the 19th century brought with it a decline in agrarian property sizes, the use of thrashing machines that extinguished the need for thrasher mares, railroads and automobiles that greatly limited the use of the horse as a means of transport and the growth of specialized breeds that substituted the Chilean Horse in draft, carriage and racing needs. The saving grace of the Chilean Horse breed was the upsurge in the popularity of the Chilean rodeo.
The Chilean horse prior to 1850 was a closed breed type, due the absence of European breeds in a country that was convinced they had the best horses in South America. The isolation that resulted from the geographical definition of its borders also made imports less probable. When modern transport made new breeds more accessible, Chile was one of the last places in South America to see them arrive. Even so, the innumerable mountains, ridges and valleys over a 4300 km (2,671.9 mi) long landscape assured that the purity of many Chilean Horses remained intact.
Faithful traditional breeders also were critical contributors to breed purity by not succumbing to the temptations of cross-breeding. The critical period that popularized the use of other breeds was shortened even more when Chile became the first country to register their national breed. The real stroke of genius was formalizing and popularising a sport where no other breed could be its equal.
Ever since the beginning of the 20th century, the sport of rodeo has become bigger and more organized. Meanwhile the qualities required to excel in this sport were increasingly implanted in the breeding of the Chilean Horse. Nothing has assured the purity of this breed more than its specialization in a sport for which it has been exclusively selected for over 150 years. Outcrossing to other breeds has never been a temptation since the Chilean Horse is well-suited for the Chilean rodeo
sport.
To this day, speed rather than endurance is the criteria by which huaso
s (Chilean cowboys) value their horses. Although the registry was established in an effort to protect a 'national treasure' that was being endangered by the cross-breeding promoted by American enchantment with anything European, the Chilean Horse already had more than a century of selection along specific family lines.
, the Chilean Horse is extremely hardy. It has a low metabolism, a high threshold for pain, a great immunity to disease and a remarkable rate of recuperation. Their hooves are strong and their thick double-hair coat makes them well-suited for both cold and dry/hot weather.
The breed has a very docile temperament and makes a very alert horse with a large capacity for work.
The Chilean Horse is not just the oldest stock horse breed in America
, but is also is the only stock horse breed that has maintained a closed registry since its inception.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
despite being the oldest registered native American breed, the oldest registered breed of Iberian
Iberian horse
The Iberian horse is a title given to a number of horse breeds native to the Iberian peninsula. At present, 17 horse breeds are recognized by FAO as characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula....
origin, the oldest registered horse breed in South America and the oldest registered stock horse breed in the Western Hemisphere.
Colony
New Castile
New Castile is a historic region of Spain. It roughly corresponds to the southern part of the Castile, taken during the Reconquista of the peninsula by Christian kings from Muslim rulers. Some notable achievements in this reconquest were the capture of Toledo in 1085, ending the Taifa's Kingdom of...
(Peru). Most of the horses came from the fertile valleys of Charcas
Charcas
Charcas may refer to:* Charcas Province, a province in Potosí Department, Bolivia* Real Audiencia of Charcas, one of six political units of the Viceroyalty of Peru* Charcas, a historical name of Sucre, capital of Bolivia...
(now Sucre
Sucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
), but some of the finest stallions were selected from throughout the kingdom. The breed probably started around 1544 when the first Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an horse breeder, Father Rodrigo González Marmolejo, started breeding equines in what was then known as New Toledo when the emphasis was on quality. By the turn of the 16th century, the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
s were outstanding horseman with growing numbers of horses which were trained as efficient war mounts. By the 17th century, Chile had very defined types in parade horse
Parade horse
Horses are ridden and driven in actual parades in many different ways. However, a Parade horse refers specifically to a type of horse attired in elaborate, specialized equipment that is more often seen today in specialized competitions and exhibitions than in parades.The "Parade horse" class is a...
s, pacers and trotters
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
and the country had gained the reputation of having the best horses in South America.
Chilean Horses were selected for lateral dexterity, courage to confront and pin belligerent cattle and an even temperament that permitted a high degree of trainability while conserving needed energy for a long day's work. By the 18th century, the yearly round-ups that had been required by decree since 1557 took on massive dimensions. The pens that received cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
herded down from the mountainous terrain needed to have a capacity of no less than 7,000 head. Sorting the cattle by ownership, designated use, and requirements for castration
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
and branding
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
resulted in herding and pushing cattle down long alleyways into classifying pens. This gave rise to the aptitudes now used in the modern-day Chilean rodeo
Chilean rodeo
Rodeo is a traditional sport in Chile. It was declared the national sport in 1962. It has since thrived, especially in the more rural areas of the country. Chilean rodeo is different from the rodeo found in North America...
that are performed in a crescent-shaped arena known as a medialuna
Medialuna
A medialuna is crescent-shaped corral used for rodeos, the official sport in Chile. They are generally 64–66 meters in diameter...
(half-moon arena).
The increasing area in wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
during this era gave rise to select groups of mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
s that formed threshing
Threshing
Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. It is the step in grain preparation after harvesting and before winnowing, which separates the loosened chaff from the grain...
teams of between 50-100 animals. These mares performed a demanding task that required sure-footedness and boundless energy. Any animal that stumbled or slipped to its knees was sent to slaughter. Within a circular confine, with wheat up to their knees, these mares were expected to move on their own accord. These were the dams of some of the best 'corraleros' (rodeo horses) of the time. By the late 18th century, there were farms such as Principal, Catemu, Quilimuta, and Alhue that kept orderly records of the genealogy of the specialized horses they were breeding.
Republic
Throughout the 19th century, Chile’s independence from SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
brought on a clear preference for the stock and/or warhorse
Horses in warfare
The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5,000 years ago. The earliest evidence of horses ridden in warfare dates from Eurasia between 4000 and 3000 BC. A Sumerian illustration of warfare from 2500 BC depicts some type of equine pulling wagons...
. This 'blue collared' equine variety that had always dominated the country's inventory, now also became the most prestigious breed elected to represent the newly-formed Republic of Chile. In this period. Chile had its most influential breeders. They more closely defined the characteristics of the Chilean Horse, as well as introducing a greater selection for speed, as match races at sprinting distances became popular throughout the country. The end of the 19th century brought with it a decline in agrarian property sizes, the use of thrashing machines that extinguished the need for thrasher mares, railroads and automobiles that greatly limited the use of the horse as a means of transport and the growth of specialized breeds that substituted the Chilean Horse in draft, carriage and racing needs. The saving grace of the Chilean Horse breed was the upsurge in the popularity of the Chilean rodeo.
The Chilean horse prior to 1850 was a closed breed type, due the absence of European breeds in a country that was convinced they had the best horses in South America. The isolation that resulted from the geographical definition of its borders also made imports less probable. When modern transport made new breeds more accessible, Chile was one of the last places in South America to see them arrive. Even so, the innumerable mountains, ridges and valleys over a 4300 km (2,671.9 mi) long landscape assured that the purity of many Chilean Horses remained intact.
Faithful traditional breeders also were critical contributors to breed purity by not succumbing to the temptations of cross-breeding. The critical period that popularized the use of other breeds was shortened even more when Chile became the first country to register their national breed. The real stroke of genius was formalizing and popularising a sport where no other breed could be its equal.
Ever since the beginning of the 20th century, the sport of rodeo has become bigger and more organized. Meanwhile the qualities required to excel in this sport were increasingly implanted in the breeding of the Chilean Horse. Nothing has assured the purity of this breed more than its specialization in a sport for which it has been exclusively selected for over 150 years. Outcrossing to other breeds has never been a temptation since the Chilean Horse is well-suited for the Chilean rodeo
Chilean rodeo
Rodeo is a traditional sport in Chile. It was declared the national sport in 1962. It has since thrived, especially in the more rural areas of the country. Chilean rodeo is different from the rodeo found in North America...
sport.
To this day, speed rather than endurance is the criteria by which huaso
Huaso
A huaso is a Chilean countryman and skilled horseman, similar to the Argentinian, Rio Grande do Sul's or Uruguayan gaucho, the American cowboy, the Australian stockman, and Mexican vaquero and charro. A female huaso is called a huasa, although the term china is far more commonly used for his wife...
s (Chilean cowboys) value their horses. Although the registry was established in an effort to protect a 'national treasure' that was being endangered by the cross-breeding promoted by American enchantment with anything European, the Chilean Horse already had more than a century of selection along specific family lines.
Breed characteristics
Like many other native breeds in Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, the Chilean Horse is extremely hardy. It has a low metabolism, a high threshold for pain, a great immunity to disease and a remarkable rate of recuperation. Their hooves are strong and their thick double-hair coat makes them well-suited for both cold and dry/hot weather.
The breed has a very docile temperament and makes a very alert horse with a large capacity for work.
The Chilean Horse is not just the oldest stock horse breed in America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, but is also is the only stock horse breed that has maintained a closed registry since its inception.