Kiger mustang facts for kids
Mesteño, a Kiger mustang stallion
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| Distinguishing features | Some horses are gaited, every equine color, although dun is most common. Athletic, strong. |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Breed standards | |
| Kiger Mesteño Association | Breed standards |
| Horse (Equus ferus caballus) | |
The Kiger mustang is a special type of wild horse found in southeastern Oregon, USA. These horses were first discovered in 1977. They are known for their unique look and features. The name "Kiger mustang" is only used for horses caught in the wild. Their babies born in captivity are called "Kiger horses."
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) helps manage these wild horses. They have two special areas for Kiger mustangs: the Kiger and Riddle Mountain Herd Management Areas, both near Steens Mountain. Scientists have done DNA tests on Kiger mustangs. These tests show that the horses are mostly related to Spanish horses. These Spanish horses were brought to North America in the 1600s. People thought this old bloodline had disappeared from wild mustang herds, but then the Kiger mustangs were found!
Kiger mustangs are usually a color called dun. However, they can also be other solid colors. They are strong and well-built. Their colors and looks make them very popular when the BLM offers them for adoption. The BLM gathers these horses every few years. They then auction off the extra horses to the public. They make sure to return horses with the right colors and features to the wild. Sometimes, they even move horses between the two herds to keep the horse families healthy and diverse. If you own a Kiger horse, you can register it with special groups. The biggest and oldest group is the Kiger Mesteño Association, started in 1988.
What Makes Kiger Mustangs Special?
Kiger mustangs are most often dun in color. This means they have a tan body with darker points like the mane, tail, and lower legs. The Kiger Mesteño Association also allows bay, black, and roan horses to be registered. There are many different shades of dun, and each has its own name!
The Kiger registry divides dun shades into four main types:
- Dun: These horses have a tan body with black points. They might be called zebra dun, dusty dun, or coyote dun.
- Red Dun: These horses have red, brown, or flaxen (light-colored) points. Sometimes they are called apricot dun.
- Grulla: These horses have a bluish, mousy, or slate-colored body with black points. They can also be called lobo duns or silver grullas.
- Claybank: This is another type of red dun. These Kiger horses have golden bodies with red or orange hints and darker red points.
Many dun horses also have "primitive markings." These are special patterns that show their ancient roots. They can include:
- A dark stripe down their back (called a dorsal stripe).
- Lighter hair on the outside of their manes and tails.
- Zebra-like stripes on their upper legs.
- Stripes across their shoulders.
- Dark color around their muzzle.
- Ears with dark outlines and lighter insides.
Kiger mustangs usually stand between 13.2 and 15.2 hands tall. (One hand is about 4 inches or 10 cm). They are strong, well-muscled horses with deep chests and short backs. They are quick and smart. They also have great stamina and are very sure-footed, which means they are good at walking on tricky ground. Kiger mustangs are generally brave but also gentle and calm. People use them for many activities, like pleasure riding, long-distance endurance riding, competitions, and pulling carts. They are great for anything that needs an athletic horse!
How Kiger Mustangs Were Discovered
Horses have been in the American West since the 1500s. They arrived with Spanish explorers. Many horses escaped, were set free by the Spanish, or were taken by Native Americans. Over time, these horses mixed with others that escaped from European settlers. This included strong draft horses and lighter riding horses. This mixing created the wild mustang herds we see today. By the early 1970s, people thought that the original Spanish horse bloodlines had disappeared.
In 1971, a law called the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act was passed. This law gave the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) the job of managing wild horse populations in the American West.
The Kiger mustang was discovered by accident during a BLM horse roundup in 1977. This happened in the Beatys Butte area of Harney County, Oregon. During the roundup, workers noticed a group of horses that all looked very similar. They had similar colors and markings. DNA tests later showed that these horses were closely related to the Iberian horses brought by the Spanish in the 1600s.
Because these horses were so unique, the BLM separated them from the other mustangs. They placed two groups in different areas of Steens Mountain to protect them. Seven horses went to the Riddle Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA). Twenty horses went to the Kiger HMA.
Kiger mustangs have even been famous! In 2001, there was an idea to make the Kiger mustang the official state horse of Oregon. While it didn't pass, it showed how special these horses are. Kiger mustangs have also been used as models for model horse toys and even animated films. A famous Kiger mustang stallion named Mesteño was the model for a series of Breyer Horse toys. He was shown at different ages, from a baby to an old horse. This was the first time Breyer had made a series of models of the same horse! Another Kiger mustang, named Donner, was the artist's model for the main horse in the animated movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.
How the BLM Manages Kiger Mustangs
The Kiger HMA is about 45 miles (72 km) southeast of Burns, Oregon. It covers about 36,618 acres (148 sq km). This area is home to about 51 to 83 horses. The Riddle Mountain HMA is about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Burns. It covers about 28,000 acres (113 sq km) and has between 33 and 56 horses.
The BLM sometimes moves horses between these two herds. This helps keep the horses genetically diverse and healthy. After a roundup, horses with the best physical traits, like their color and build, are returned to the herds. This helps keep the quality of the breeding stock high.
The herds are rounded up every three to four years. Any extra horses are then auctioned off to the public. For example, in 2007 and 2011, over 100 horses were adopted at each event. In 2007, 106 horses found new homes in 14 states. They sold for a total of $100,206! The two horses with the highest bids sold for $7,800 and $7,400. This is much more than the usual adoption fees for other mustangs. Horses from other herds in Oregon can be adopted for as little as $125.
Scientists have confirmed that Kiger mustangs are descendants of the Colonial Spanish Horse. Many Kiger mustangs today can trace their family tree back to one stallion named Mesteño. He was caught with the first group of horses in 1977 and then released back into the Kiger HMA.
Several groups exist to inspect and register Kiger mustangs. Each group has its own rules for adding horses to their official records. The Kiger Mustang Association, now called the Kiger Mesteño Association, was the first group formed in 1988. By 2013, they had registered about 800 horses. They check about 75 to 100 new horses each year. Other groups include the Steens Mountain Kiger Registry and the Kiger Horse Association and Registry.
The Kiger mustangs from the Riddle Mountain and Kiger HMAs are the most famous wild horse herds in Oregon. However, they are only a small part of the state's total wild horse population. In 2013, Oregon had almost 2,600 BLM-managed wild horses. They roamed across 17 HMAs and one Wild Horse Territory.
