“Critically Endangered”: Equestrian World Unearths the ‘Fascinating Past’ of Its Leading Stars

The elite sport of equestrian isn’t all about how good a rider is. It’s also about how good the relationship of the jockey is with their four-legged partners. And a lot of it depends on just how intelligent the mare is, which in turn is heavily influenced by the horse’s breed. While the deaths of these beloved friends continue to sadden the community, other equine stars continue to make us fall in love with their audacious skills time and again.

And yet, some breeds are rarer than others. The FEI recently nodded their hat toward an ancient breed of horses from Mexico which has had a long association with humans. Horses have been a crucial part of our history and this breed has done more than their part to make sure we stayed on track.

Equestrian breed with a long history

In its recent Instagram post, the official FEI made it its responsibility to make more equestrian fans aware of the Galiceño. “The small, agile Galiceño horse of Mexico has a fascinating past“, reads the post. The Galiceño has become famous in Mexico’s coastal region for its endurance along with its incredible intelligence. The breed was brought to the South Americas when the Spanish Conquistadors first arrived.

However, despite its popularity in the region, the Galiceño is facing a challenge to survive. “…it’s considered critically endangered at the moment“, alerts the post by FEI, which can be attributed to its current tiny population across the world. In 2017, there were only 100 registered Galiceño horses.

“…standing at just 12-13 hands tall, are not just fantastic mounts for children and teens“, informs the post further, underscoring precisely why the breed became popular after it arrived in Mexico. The Galiceño is small but widely considered one of the most sturdiest lots out there. Coupled with its stamina and intelligence, the Galiceño also makes one of the best equestrian competitors as well, reminds FEI’s post, which also contains a link to read up more about the 12-13 hands long breed. But they certainly haven’t been the only ones to leave a lasting impression on us.

Timeless icons continue making history

From Alexander the Great’s beloved Bucephalus to the modern-day equestrian stars, horses have remained an integral part of our lives. Famous horses like Seabiscuit continue to be iconic names among fans despite being around decades ago. The equestrian community is constantly enthralled by the horse’s postie on the court every week.

Read more: Is the Future of Equestrian Ensuring Safety for Animals?

With that, we hope horse breeds like the Galiceño remain with us for many centuries to come and that they continue to enrich their human colleagues’ lives.

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