The Kiger Mustang
The story of the Kiger Mustang began thousands of years ago. The ancestors of the horses that make up the Kiger Mustang were known as Spanish, Iberian, or Barb horses (Lusitano, Sorraia and Andalusion). Genotypes are found in the Kiger horse, as verified through extensive DNA testing at the University of Kentucky, that directly link the Kiger horse to the Spanish and Barb horses of Spain and Portugal. These horses were brought to this continent by the Spanish Conquistadors in the middle 1500s. Today, the Kiger Mustangs are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in two herds located in Southeast Oregon, the Kiger Horse Management Area (HMA) and the Riddle Mountain HMA.
Origins
In the early 1900s through the mid 1970s rumors circulated that there were still “Spanish type” horses possessing primitive dun markings that ran free in the remote mountainous areas of Southeastern Oregon, and, if you could catch one, they became excellent cow horses. In 1974, during one of the scheduled roundups in the rugged and remote areas of Oregon, Ron Harding of the BLM noticed that several horses of the Spanish type were encountered. However, the terrain was so rugged that most of the horses could not be brought to the BLM corrals at the Burns, Oregon facility. It was not until 1977, when the round up was conducted by helicopter that the Kiger horse was “discovered” on Beatty’s Butte in Southeast Oregon. To that point, the BLM had captured over 4,000 horses and only 40 exhibited strong Spanish markings and characteristics. The BLM officials knew that they had to protect and preserve these horses or they would be lost forever. Our appreciation goes to Bill Phillips, Chris Vogler and Ron Harding of the BLM for implementing a plan to manage, protect and preserve these horses.
The Kiger Mustangs are named after a deep, rugged, glaciated gorge which borders the Kiger HMA. Kiger Gorge is located on the Northern flanks of the Steens Mountain in Southeast Oregon. From Kiger Gorge, the term Kiger was adopted to refer to these unique and beautiful horses. After the 1977 round up twenty-nine horses were selected to “start” the Kiger Breed. A total of twenty-three horses were released onto the Kiger HMA which had been cleared of all other horses. Of these twenty-three horses, two were dun stallions including Mesteno, the original herd sire. Six were released into the Riddle Mountain HMA, including four stallions. The BLM was not able to clear the Riddle Mountain HMA of all other horses prior to the release of the Kigers. However, at every chance, the “non-Spanish” type horses were culled from the area and released into other horse management areas. Over the years, the horses multiplied. At scheduled roundups, the horses were reviewed and the horses with the best conformation were released back onto the HMA. The culled horses were released into other HMAs. In 1986, the first Kigers were allowed to be adopted by the public. Today the Kigers are rounded up every three to four years. Some are selected for adoption, but the cream of the crop are released back onto the HMA.
Many of today’s Kigers can be traced to the legendary Stallion named Mesteno, meaning “wild” or “unclaimed” horse. Mesteno became a household word for original Kiger owners. Mesteno was last seen alive in 1996 at the approximate age of twenty-seven. At that time he did not possess his own mare band, he was no longer able to protect them. It is believed the Mesteno died in the late 1990’s.
Characteristics
Isolated for hundreds of years by the natural geographic barriers surrounding the high dessert of Southeastern Oregon, Kiger Mustangs have maintained the uniformity of their Spanish heritage, and were honed by their environment to create a small but strong gene pool. The Kiger is the closest related Mustang herd of Iberian descent and the best representative of the original Spanish horse known in the United States today.
Kigers are striking to look at. They carry the dominant gene for dun coloration and primitive Spanish (Iberian) markings. Kiger colors include various shades of dun, red dun, and grulla; with fewer bay, roan and black. Dun factor markings in the Kiger herds include a dorsal stripe, leg barring (zebra stripes), barring on the neck and shoulders, cob webbing on the face, neck and shoulders, and fishbone markings on the back. Other features include black legs up to the knee and black outlined ears with fawn colored interior hair. Typically the top one third of the ears backside is dark and the ears are pointed with a hooked tip. Kigers exhibit a bi-colored black/blond mane and tail. Kigers range from 14.0 to 15.1 hands with an average height of 14.3. Ranch bred Kigers often grow larger due to improved nutrition, some reaching 16 hands. Kigers typically have a head of medium size, clean cut, tapering slightly from the jaw to muzzle. Long shoulders at 45-50 degrees should blend smoothly with the withers. The withers should be slightly higher than the point of the hip. Forelegs should be moderately spaced with an inverted V appearance in the chest without excessive muscling. The body conformation of the Kiger horse is distinctive, with a deep chest, short back, broad and moderately muscled. The barrel is oval, with well-sprung ribs and a full flank. The hind legs should be squarely set and so placed that the Kiger Horse turns on his hindquarters with ease. The hips should be lightly rounded with the croup sloped gently and a medium-low set tail. Hocks are typically wide deep and clean. Viewed from the rear, the hind legs are usually slightly closer at the hocks than at the fetlocks. The hoof is dense with a recessed sole and frog. The Kiger Horse hoof tends to be round to oblong, of medium size and have more heel and a steeper foot angle than many horses. The action of the Kiger Horse is light and lively, tending toward higher than average leg action
Kigers have a distinctive soft, almond shaped eye set high on the face, the “eye of the Kiger”. Looking into these eyes, one can only imagine the daily battles these horses have had to face to survive. The most outstanding feature about the Kiger Mustang is the incredibly gentle disposition they possess once gentled. Kigers are very proud, extremely smart, and spirited horses, yet are some of the gentlest, most eager to learn, and compassionate horses you will ever work with. The Kigers intelligence and willingness to learn makes them very trainable. Kiger stallions are relatively easy to keep and to handle, although they should be afforded the respect any stallion commands. Most stallions behave as gentlemen and run well with other horses.
Famous Horses
Mesteno-The Foundation Stallion. Mesteno was captured along with his mares in the original roundup of 1977. Upon seeing this stallion, the BLM officials knew that this stallion would never be put up for adoption, but would become the lead sire for the Kiger Mustang. Mesteno was last seen alive in 1996. To all that know Kigers, Mesteno will always roam free and watch over the Kigers on Steens Mountain. The life of this foundation stallion is captured in a Breyer/Roland Horse Series called “Mesteno”. The series depicts the life of Mesteno from a colt to his older years, and marked the first time Breyer introduced a series depicting the life of one horse.
Rojo-The Son of Mesteno. Rojo, or Yellow Sands, as the nickname that the BLM gave him, is by Mesteno out of Palasandra, Mesteno’s alpha mare. He was kicked out of the herd at the age of two and gathered his own mares. He fathered three foals prior to being attacked by a mountain lion. He spent six months next to a watering hole recovering and was eventually taken in by a bachelor band who watched over him for years. Rojo was a popular horse to photograph and is living testimony to their will to survive.
Palasandra-The Alpha Mare. Palasandra was Mesteno’s lead mare. Her loyalty was so great that she kept most of Mesteno’s band together even after his death. Palasandra is truly one of the great wild Kigers. Her instincts to protect her herd were very strong. Of all the Kiger bands on the Kiger HMA, her band was the hardest to find.
Kiger Cougar Bobby Ingersoll adopted Kiger Cougar in early 1992 with the idea of training a wild horse for reining and cow horse competition. In August of 1992, Cougar won first place over all other breeds in the Snaffle Bit Class at the Paso Robles County Fair. In the following month, Cougar placed twenty-first out of one hundred-fifty horses in the World’s Championship Snaffle Bit Futurity in Reno, Nevada. Kiger Couger was then retired to stud, and was sent to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. He is now owned by a private owner in Tennessee.
Kiger Donner Kiger Donner was the model for Dreamwork’s animated feature film: “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron”
Closing
There are approximately 1000-1500 Kiger Mustangs registered under various registries. Perhaps there are 100 Kigers east of the Mississippi River. They have been used as working cow horses and for reining, cutting, dressage, eventing, trail and endurance. They have recently been recognized by the American Sport Horse Association, and may be used in the development of the American Warmblood. They have been crossed with Arabians to combine the renowned stamina of the Arabs with the calm sensibility, strength and will of the Kiger to produce exceptional endurance mounts.
The Kiger Mustang is a true example of the will–and the genetics– to survive. The extremes of Mother Nature and intrusion of man has had little influence on these remarkable horses. The BLM manages the two Kiger herds to preserve the unique, rare and prized characteristics that make the Kiger Horse a national equine and historic treasure. Five-hundred years of being managed by nature has made this horse extremely smart, strong and tough.
On a Personal Note
I have been involved with the Kigers for several years and have found the horses to be intelligent, versatile and quick learners. I have found that, once you gain their trust and respect, they will do whatever they can to please you. I have picked my horses for their minds, conformation and color. I took a three year old dun filly to tour the battlegrounds at Gettysburg – It happened to be motorcycle weekend and she never spooked. I have ridden trails with a two year old grulla filly – she was awesome. I have a gelding in reining training that is competitive with the best. I have had a 5 month old grullo colt that will load, stand for the ferrier and just wants to be with you. He actually started thinking through things from an early age. My Foundation broodmare was adopted from the Kiger HMA, and is one of the finest examples of the Kiger I have ever seen. It took us 3 years to find the correct stallion. I purchased him as a two year old Grullo stud who traces back to horses from an early adoption – Kiger Sun and Kiger Truthsayer. He is calm, intelligent, correct and has soft eyes and gentle soul. His name is Truthsayer’s Sun.
