Windcross Conservancy, Inc.

Wow What a Ride!

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:08:00 +0000

This has been an action packed 5 weeks since the conformation and breed clinic of Memorial Day weekend. We have since added 4 foals to the Windcross herd and 2 of those are on already headed for ambassador horse homes after weaning. I personally very excited about that opportunity.

July sees us having guests from the west coast and Colorado, along with visitors from the Ukraine. Everyone just loved the horses. We continue to promote the horses through public out reach. Our philosophy is to be open to people. Educate the public about the horses and to welcome new enthusiasts with a smile and a willingness to help. We have already made great progress and I personally can't wait to see what's next.

Check out the website for the newsletter next week and photos from the spring!

Politics, religion and horses

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:57:00 +0000

Like most things that people do there are some things that just shouldn't be discussed if you want to get along. The first is politics, the second religion. As to the third, horses, Windcross makes it a policy not to comment on other non profits efforts in any negative manner nor to question it's integrity or value. We believe that it is childish and as was said in "Peter Pan" "bad form Peter, bad form." So as Forest Gump said. That's all we have to say on that.

Spring Doings at Windcross

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Mon, 18 May 2009 01:19:00 +0000

Windcross will be hosting a clinic on Memorial Day Weekend. The clinic will focus on the history of Spanish Mustangs, conformation, saddle fitting, and presentation.

We are looking forward to a filming about the Conservancy this summer along with a fundraising competitive trail ride.

Swiss trip is a success!!!

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:17:00 +0000

We gained ground in the Switzerland this week. We met and talked with OFFA officials and we will be presenting horses next year at what is one of Switzerland's largest equestrian events. We will be a showcased rare breed with several performances a day. We have until August to confirm the number of horses that will be there and what we will be presenting.

Now the work begins. We have also met with various horse groups while we are here to spread the word about the horses. It is a huge opportunity for us to get the word out that without the publics help these horses are on the way to becoming a memory in the annals of America history.

I will update as I can but the week is action packed and we are trying to as much information out as possible.

Please also note that this trip was entirely donated, expenses and all which was an amazing effort on the part of one family.

Spreading the word, Spanish Mustangs to go......

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:58:00 +0000

We are getting ready for a series of stops scheduled in Switzerland. There is a growing awareness of the horses in Europe and we were invited to give several talks on Windcross and it's efforts to preserve the American Heritage Horse or Foundation Spanish Mustang.

Best part was that the trip expenses were donated and the effort did not impact Windcross's finances in anyway.

We also now have a podcast which is linked in the column to the left and is searchable now in itunes with its podcast library.

Ambassdor Horses at Black Hills Horse Expo

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:53:00 +0000

The first weekend in March found volunteers for Windcross at the Black Hills Horse Expo 2009 in Rapid City, SD. We took 3 horses only this year to the Expo using it a venue to allow young horses and their child handlers to have some ring time in a low key event.

It was a great experience for all involved and although numbers were down for the event the Windcross and American Heritage Horse Association booth saw a great deal of traffic. One woman came from Denver, Co to see the horses, a lovely compliment and a very nice woman.

We also may have several promotion opportunities in the works for the horses because of this weekend. All in all and excellent run.

Here is a youtube video of one of the performances for the weekend.

This week finds our ambassador boys home with the rest being horses for the time being. They will be getting ready for a May and other summer events after the first of April.

Wonderful News

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:07:00 +0000

It is with great pleasure that we share wonderful news. Windcross has received it's grant award. It was generously given by the ASPCA. This award marks the first of our efforts on the horses part.

We also received donations resulting from the efforts of Skye Ryan Evans and her artwork on the behalf of the horses we are thrilled to share our horses with her.

Skye's link.

American Sorraia Mustang Horse Preservation

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:04:00 +0000

There are any number of opinions on what an American Sorraia Horse is. What we can tell you is they are our loyal companions to start. I see no reason to validate these horses with anything other than they are 100% American made. They were the forgotten, mistaken horses of Columbus and Cortez.

What we gained from the Spanish conquest was American Gold. They were the horses of the vaqueros of Mexico and Californios. They gained fame as the ponies of the Pony Express, the Texas cattle trails. Today there are less than 200 American Sorraia Horses within the historical Iberian herds of North America.

We hope to preserve their genetics for the future. These horses although considered a breed, developed in the wildest and most remote areas of North America to become the amazing horse they are today.

Their expression is much the same as their Portuguese cousins, the Sorraia.

They are also easily seen and shared at one of the Windcross Conservancy's farms in South Dakota. Contact us for information

Why another horse preservation project.

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:35:00 +0000

We ask ourselves why we do this insane thing. Not a day goes by that we don't have to reassure ourselves that it's the right thing. Sanity is not part of the equation if that was the issue then I would live in town, schedule play dates and keep fish or something. I could knit (doubtful) but you see the trend.

Windcross was established in 2008 as a 501c3, officially. Unofficially this is the culmination and continuation of almost 90 years of preservation efforts, which were started in the 1920's. At that time in the 1920's the horse that helped build North America were already disappearing. Man was encroaching and these horse were forced into more and more remote areas. Number once upon a time in the millions they were down to thousands. Today perhaps only 500 are still alive that represent the oldest and most "pure" of the old mustang lines.

The American BLM horse is well funded and well publicized. America's heritage horses are largely unknown. Many people say the true mustang is dead. The reality is that the true Mustang is hanging on by a hoof. Dedicated preservationists have for the greater share of two decades have worked to save these horses.

So there is no illusion, I never thought ten, even fifteen years ago that this would be my life. I lived in California and had for 20 years, my husband and I returned to my native South Dakota to raise our family. I found my first true Mustang, the foundation Spanish Mustang while on the search for a carriage horse. I was hooked and in the matter of a year had acquired five of these horses from a preservation breeder. Still though I had no true idea what these horse were. Their history, their contribution to our history. So how did a dedicated warmblood believer move to the dark side of the force?

Simple really, it was the horses. A honest horse, bold, intelligent with that something extra. I had and have been dedicated to horses for most of my life. These amazing animals brought so much more to the equation. My children have a life enriched daily by living history. They learn balance, kindness and caring each day as a part of these horses lives. There are adjustments. Play dates are fashioned around schoolwork, feeding, fencing and other daily jobs on the farm. They love the horses and it is my hope that one of them wants to someday continue on for me. That will be their choice, but now there is such amazing opportunities for them to experience life.

The above are horses that now are ambassadors for Windcross and the children that they care for and care for them.

The First Mustang

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:07:00 +0000

There is no discussion required that the Conquistadors brought many types of Iberian blood stock with them to the New World. Conquer, convert and expand is the nature of an empire of kingdom. It was soon found that the Sorraia Horse and other Iberian bloodstock was able to suffer any number of extreme climate changes and survive. From the deserts and mountains of Peru to the North American high plains and prairies, through the centuries these horses evolved. Honed by mother nature and survival. They thrived in the North American wilderness.

The Sorraia Horse and then what became the American Sorraia Horse survived to populate only the most remote areas of North America. It is that fact that has kept them so like there Iberian ancestors.

They are not the BLM horse of today, but America's Heritage Horse, it's first mustang. These horses survived without man for centuries. Breeding, populating and becoming the superb horse it is today. The resulting horse is a tough, hardy, athletic, using horse. Characteristically sound and sane, these horses are capable of great feats of athleticism and astounding affection for the humans that are part of their lives.

Conformation

What make the American Heritage Horse different than it's feral BLM descendant? The American Heritage Horse population was preserved from the last, best examples of what was the first Mustang. The horse of Remington and Russell these horses are seen in artwork throughout our history. These were the horses of the Pony Express, the mountain, the cowboy of the cattle trails to name a few.

Structurally they are a close coupled,short backed horse. Their tail sets are low. Muscling is characteristically smooth without the bunchy muscling found in many modern horse breeds. They are a slim leggy horse, with a lower neck tie in the most modern breeds and what is more characteristically seen in Iberia today. There heads are long and elegant, and may be convex or sub-convex in nature. The very best of these horses have the ability to make you feel that they see inside you.

You might judge them but so are they judging you.

Welcome to Windcross

windcross@mac.com (Windcross Conservancy) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Welcome to Windcross Conservancy. This our first attempt at sharing the daily activities and challenges of handling a preservation herd population. The work with the horse and what we are trying to save.

We have a small population of America's Heritage Horse the Foundation Spanish Mustang. There are conservancy populations in both South Dakota and Oklahoma. The South Dakota farm is focused on the American Sorraia Horse population within the breed and the Oklahoma farm is focused on old time indian pony, the Spanish appaloosa horses within the breed.

We are split across the country as we have not raised enough money for a facility to maintain all the horses involved in the preservation efforts in one place. Until that time we have horses housed at volunteer facilities in the 2 states.

The photo shown is from the summer of 2008 and with the mares.