Cerbat Strain of Spanish Mustangs

On our ranch, Alpacas and CVM/Romeldale sheep provide a luxurious, valuable product and our English Shepherd dogs provide companionship. However, the Spirit of our ranch is symbolized by our registered Spanish Mustang horses of the Cerbat strain. The history of the Spanish Mustang, not to be confused with the feral herds managed by the Bureau of Land Management, is truly intertwined with the history of humans and the expansion and development of the United States. The present day Spanish Mustang was preserved by Robert Brislawn and others of his generation through the establishment of a registry started in 1957. These horses are descendents of the Spanish horses brought to the New World by Columbus. The Spanish Mustang was the pony express horse, the Indian pony, Cavalry mounts, and cow horses of the pioneers. Today, the versatile Spanish Mustang is a using horse with a remarkable aptitude for endurance riding. They make outstanding family horses, ranch horses and are competitive in all disciplines.

We are focusing on preserving the rare Cerbat strain of the Spanish Mustang. These horses get their name from the rugged Cerbat Mountains in northwestern Arizona. There are less than forty of them in the Spanish Mustang registry and probably not many more than that number in the wild of the Cerbat Mountains, an area with an altitude ranging from 5000 to 7000 feet. There will be no more captures and the Cerbats are likely to become extinct in the wild. The Cerbats are some of the purest Spanish descendants of horses in the United States. Pioneer families in the area document that as far back as the 1860s these horses were present in this area and due to the remote area; it is believed that no outside blood was ever introduced. The local Indians made no claim on this herd, stating they had “always been there”. Blood testing of these horses indicate they do carry Spanish blood. Cerbats possess a tractable temperament, high intelligence and fondness for humans. The Cerbat strain is genetically unique in that they are closely inbred in the wild which has resulted in a very consistent type in reproduction. They do not appear to have incurred any detrimental effects normally associated with inbreeding.

It is through the efforts of Marye Ann Thompson and her husband, Tom at Apache Trails Ranch in Willcox, Arizona, that the Cerbats have been preserved since the first capture in 1971. Our mares and the stallions they are bred to come from Apache Trails Ranch. We are grateful to the Thompsons for the opportunity to be part of this preservation project. The above information is referenced from Marye Ann’s website. To read the complete history and description of the Cerbats, go to the Apache Trails website, www.angelfire.com/az/xochitl.