Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary

American Spanish and Sulphur Mustangs (click here to see more of these gorgeous horses in two slide shows)

“Some people say that the story of the West was written from the saddle of a horse but has never been told from the heart of one.” Quote from the movie Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron.

Sitting with Sanctuary founder Dayton Hyde and my two year old grandson, Tyler, watching this movie, I suddenly realized that my life would not be complete without a striped legged stallion like Spirit. Not long after that Christmas Day, I purchased the spectacular Sulphur Mustang Stallion, Don Juan and his band of five Sulphur Mustang mares. So began our adventure with today’s descendants of Spanish Mustang Spirit horses from the early years of the Conquistadors, Comanche and Cowboys! Susan Watt, Program Development

This herd is made up of descendants from the tame horses brought to North America in the 1500’s by the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors. They were strong, fast and sturdy horses that carried the explorers through the jungles and across the deserts in search of gold in the New World. In the 1600’s, Spanish settlers raised their tough little horses on cattle and sheep ranches in New Mexico. Some ranch horses escaped to live in the wild. The free-running horses came to be called “mustangs,” probably from the Spanish word mesteno, which means stray or free-running animal.

A beautiful line back dun stallion with zebra stripes on his legs,Don Juan (pictured above) is the primary stallion in the American Spanish and Sulphur Mustang herd of mares. He was born in captivity from wild horses from the Sulphur Mustang Herd Management areas in the west. Some of the mares were born in the wild; others are descendants of wild horses from the Kiger HMA, Sulphur HMA or directly from descendants from Spain or Portuguese bloodlines.

Our current Spanish Mustang Spirit sales list includes: (Photos on website) 3 magnificent yearling ‘09 Spanish Sulphur geldings gentled and ready for a new home. A lovely bay Spanish Mustang Filly born in 2009 is also available for purchase. Two younger yearling Spanish Mustang colts plus a lovely dark grulla Spanish Sulphur colt born in 2010 are also available. The foal crop for 2011 will be born after the first of May. Keep checking our website for the updated photos.  

Contact Susan Watt iram@gwtc.net or 605-745-7494 for more information.