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Pryor Mountain Mustang

Looking for gait that can't be dispelled as "not natural"? Look to the wild mustangs of the Pryor Mountains.

Pryor Mountain Mustang stallion, DUNBAR shows the classic Northern, Iberian look and dun coloration. Double D Ranch, Lovell, WY

As with all American Mustangs, the true history of the Pryor Mountain horses may never be completely uncovered. But one thing that has been determined for these mustangs - unlike most others - is a direct genetic link to the horses brought here by the Spanish Conquistadors 500 years ago. Blood typing by Dr. E. Gus Cothran (University of Kentucky) verifies that these mustangs are descendents of those Colonial Spanish Horses.

How these horses got to this remote area of the Pryor Mountains (along what is now the Montana/Wyoming border) is a uniquely American mystery. Some attribute them to the Crow Indians who were known as the consummate horse traders among the Native Americans of the region, others to the Lewis and Clark expedition whose horses either escaped or were stolen by the Crow.

But regardless of how they got here, Spanish stock found its way to a most unusual new home.

Because the Pryor Mountains are such a remote and unique habitat, natural selection took over where Spanish breeding left off. The mountain tops are lush, receiving up to 20 inches of rainfall per year, contrasting with the arid red desert below, with only five or six inches of annual rainfall. The elevation rises to nearly 8,700 feet, making a sub-stantial part of the Pryor's traditional range sub-alpine. Rugged terrain kept the herd isolated, minimizing the introduction of out-side blood for 200 years or more. The wild mustangs conformed only to the demands of survival in the mountains.

The Pryor Mountain Mustang reflects the very image of the Northern Iberian horse, molded by a mountain habitat. Over the generations, size remained small and compact, from 13 to 15 hands, with the average to this day for horses brought down from the mountains being around 14 to 14.2 hands. (Horses raised in captivity tend to grow larger.) The cold mountain climate fostered a heavier body type, thicker (though medium length) necks and smaller ears. The steep, hard rocky terrain favored substantial bone and surefootedness. Many of the horses flounce long, full, silky manes and tails, and thick, curly winter coats. Other typical Spanish attributes include a medium-sized, "dry" head, convex profile, and large, expressive, often almond-shaped eyes, spaced widely apart (allowing for maximum range of vision) set in a broad forehead, which tapers to the muzzle. Some Pryor horses have only five lumbar vertebrae (or the fifth and sixth vertebrae are fused) as opposed to the six typical of most breeds. Many have the typically Spanish sloping croup and low tail set. The shoulders are generally long and sloping, with distinct withers and a medium to narrow width chest. The "chestnuts" are absent or very small. Their hooves are of good size for the body and as tough as the rocks their ancestors galloped across daily.

Double D Ranch, Lovell, WY

What really makes a group of Pryor horses stand out is the rich and brilliant array of colors. Pryors exhibit some of the most dramatic primitive markings seen on any breed of horse anywhere in the world. Clear, golden duns are creased along the back with crisp, dark dorsal stripes, crisscrossed with distinctive shoulder stripes and zigzagged up the legs with blatantly contrasting "zebra stripes". Apricot and claybank duns also display brightly contrasting primitive markings, though they often tend to fade as the horses age. Shades of grullo (dun/black) virtually glow. Red and blue roans are prevalent. Palominos are not uncommon. True blacks abound, bays tend to be very red, and chestnuts bright. However, Pintos and grays are practically unknown.

People who have adopted wild Pryors, or purchased those bred in captivity, are often amazed at the intelligence and watchfulness of the horses. "They are very smart and quick," says Dale Hartman, President of the Pryor Mountain Mustang Breeders Association. "They learn so much faster than other horses I have worked with, and they have tremendous heart. They make great trail horses, because they know to watch where they put their feet, and I think they would make great endurance horses."

And for anyone who still doesn't get that gait is natural, bear this in mind.

The Pryor Mountain Mustangs that run free in the mountains today are the product of natural selection on the original Colonial Spanish stock over the course of some 200 years. They have had no training and in most cases have never been touched by human hands, yet many exhibit a natural "Paso-like" gait - in the wild.

	Grulla mare and dun foal echo the common colors found on the Pryor Mountains. Double D Ranch, Lovell, WY
	A range of colors are displayed in the wild Pryor Mountain Mustangs.
	Pryor Mountain mustangs on the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.

Many Pryors, both those adopted from the wild and bred in captivity fall into gait with no special training when put under saddle. Is it any wonder that genetic testing revealed that these horses are closely related to the Puerto Rican Paso Finos?

The Pryor Mountain Mustang Breeders Association was started in 1992 to establish and preserve a gene pool for the precious resource these horses represent. By selective breeding the Colonial Spanish type has been emphasized in only a few generations. The Breeders Association plans to restore the best attributes of this breed and to demonstrate the versatility, endurance and intelligence of the Pryor Mountain Mustang.

	A Pryor Mountain band stallion
	Wild Pryor Mountain Mustangs show decidedly Spanish Characteristics

For more information:
Pryor Mountain Mustang Breeders Association
P. O. Box 884, Lovell, Wyoming 82431
Phone: (307) 548-6818 or E-mail daphneh@trib.com

Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Center
P. O. Box 385, Lovell, WY 82431
Phone: (307) 548-WILD