Once the Criollo horse gained freedom it reproduced and survived, where the land conditions forged the features that make the breed's outstanding quality.
The Criollo horse has recently been declared a vital part of Uruguay's cultural heritage, because it is intimately linked to our history. It was a fundamental actor in the periods of the independence battles and the national consolidation. It was an essential factor in the economic, social and cultural development of our country through the daily work of our country men.
One of the key characteristics that differentiate the Criollo horse from any other horse is its rusticity and ability to recover quickly. Rusticity and resilience become visible in the breed endurance races (la Marcha), where animals cover 750 kilometres in fifteen days, fed exclusively on natural pastures. Many Criollos appear no distinct from Spanish mustangs since they have quite similar history, however normally the Criollo is fairly larger than the Spanish mustang. A whole lot depends of course on the natural environment and available feed.
It's not at all uncommon to discover Criollos that resemble the primitive Sorraia horses, that certainly was one of the Criollo's ancestors.
F. Tschiffley, who alternately riding two Criollos, Mancha and Gato, rode from Buenos Aries, Argentina, to Washington, D. C, a distance of approximately. 13,500 miles which took him, among other hardships, above the 18,000 feet of altitude Condor Pass in Bolivia. He was received by the U.S. president in Washington when he arrived there three years later. The two horses were 15 and 16 years of age, respectively, when Tschiffely set out, and both lived to be over 40 years of age after the journey. This is testimony to the extraordinary toughness and vitality of the Criollo horse.
Crioulos (Criollos from Brazil) have been trained as reining horses and a few have impressively and successfully performed in U.S. reining competitions.
The hardiness of the Criollo is the pride of its breeders. In Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil, endurance competitions are organized above a length of 750 km (465 miles), covered in 14 days, and called Marcha Functional . The horses transport a solid weight of one hundred and ten kilos (245 lbs) of rider and saddle and feed solely on the grass available in the area covered. The horses for these events are gathered four weeks beforehand and all put onto the same pasture, must not be trained, or supplemented in any way, to ensure all have an equal chance. The horse who completes the competition without getting eliminated by the judges or the veterinarians could have lost body weight, nevertheless appears just as energetic as on the first day of the contest. Interesting also: 90 per cent of the competing horses are mares, and stallions never win first place.
Today the Criollo is mainly a working cow horse, but is also used for pleasure and rodeo and other competitive events, because it is easy to handle, agile and quite fast.
The Criollo hosrse is very docile in taming. It is also an excellent breed for riding; its tameness and comfortable riding make it the most appropriate horse for those who are looking for riding for stress release and relaxation. The Criollo makes the best choice when you are looking for a work horse, rein ability, riding or long breath competitions.
criollo horses