HISTORY OF THE KIGER HORSE BREED

First discovered in 1977 by the BLM in the rugged Kiger Gorge/Steens Mountains of southeastern Oregon, the Kiger mustangs are thought to be direct descendents of the horses brought to the new world by the Spanish Conquistadors in the late 1500's and early 1600's. Almost 500 years of natural selection in a harsh environment, from what at that time was considered the finest bloodlines available in the world, then later careful selection by the land grant Spaniards or ‘Californios’ has produced the Kiger Mesteno. These horses show remarkable intelligence, soundness, endurance, brio ‘the fire within’ and a natural desire and ability to work cattle. Like their close relative the Andalusian, Kigers can have heavy double manes, long flowing tails and a lot of high gaits or ‘leg action’ making them truly poetry in motion.

The BLM manages two special areas in Oregon for wild horses having Spanish Barb/Mustang characteristics. They are located in the Burns District and are known as the Kiger and the Riddle Mountain Habitat Management Areas (HMA’s).The Kiger HMA covers nearly 37,000 acres with a herd population established at a minimum of 51 and a max of 82 horses. The Riddle Mountain HMA contains nearly 28,000 acres and the horse population is managed to range between 33 and 56 head. So there is only about 200 Kigers left in the wild. Every four years when the herds reach their maximum population, the extra horses are rounded up and taken to the Burns Wild Horse Corrals where they are made available for adoption to the public. At the 2007 adoption the top selling horse was a 2 year old golden dun stud which sold for $7800.00, while the top mare a dark Grulla brought $7400.00. At the 2003 Kiger Adoption the top selling horse was a young filly which sold for $19,000.00. 

In addition to the wild Kigers on the HMA’s, many individuals are raising Kigers on private farms and ranches throughout the United States. There is currently over 700 horses registered with the association. All KMA registered Kigers must be DNA tested for the Spanish gene markers and show the primitive Dun factor coloring. The horses are most commonly a shade of bay dun, red dun or grulla with a few solid bays and blacks. Dun factor markings include dorsal stripe. jack/shoulder stripes, zebra stripes on the legs, bi-colored manes and tails, ears with dark outlines, herring bone markings on the dorsal stripe and cob webbing on the face. 

The personality of the Kiger is one of great presence. Their temperament is a unique combination of hot blooded fieriness and calmness with above average intelligence and a strong desire to please. The stallions are easily managed and well mannered. Many breeding stallions are routinely ridden in exhibitions, competitions and for daily ranch work. The mares tend not to exhibit the moodiness typically attributed to mares. Kigers are long lived with no known heredity defects. 

Kigers de los Californios is located near Sacramento, CA. We buy, sell, train and show quality, KMA registered Kiger Mesteno horses. We offer Kigers for sale in a range of ages, which are started with solid foundations that will bring new owners many years of pleasure and service no matter the discipline. 

For more information please contact::

JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
by Rowland Cheney, VP

I am often asked what Kiger Mustangs are and how in the world did I become involved with them?  It has been a wonderful journey which began in August of 1988 and continues to be a major force in our family life.

While on a family vacation we were driving from Crater Lake, Oregon and headed toward Salt Lake City.  The route happened to take us past the Burns BLM wild horse facility.  Having had a penchant for horses forever, not to mention the special romantic place in my heart for wild horses, I just had to turn into this facility.

The buckaroos at the corrals were just closing up for the afternoon, but they said if we drove down to the BLM office we might be able to get permission to come back and see the horses.  We drove to the office and Lloyd Mulholland said he would be happy to show us around.

My background in art history and my interest in things primitive led me to ask Lloyd if they ever had horses of “Primitive Coloration” come through the corrals.  Lloyd responded by asking where I had heard about “their” horses.  When I said I hadn’t, he said “Come on I have something to show you,” and led us to a corral in the far corner of the yard where we had a look at our first Kiger.  He was a pale grullo, six year old stud with a light streaked black mane that hung to his forearm and a forelock that touched his nostrils.  Only one of his big, soft, curious eyes was visible under that tangle of hair.  What a sight!  My heart was pounding so hard, it about jumped out of my chest!  The sun was setting and there was a glow around that proud little stud that was downright ethereal.  It was an unforgettable picture.           

Before we left that afternoon, I did a couple of sketches of that stud, handed them to Lloyd and told him that if they ever needed a hand from an artist to let me know.  He said he would give the sketches and my number to his boss Josh Warburton.  Warburton followed up with a call to me a few weeks later.  We chatted a while, and he told me of a new association he was trying to form, and would I like to be a part of it?  I said “Sure” and we set it up for me to be at a meeting in Bend a few months in the future. 

In the meantime, around Christmas of ’88, I got a phone call from the BLM in Washington, D.C. saying that Josh had sent copies of my sketches, and would I be interested in illustrating a brochure to help explain and protect the Kiger herd.  As a BLM District Manager, Warburton felt these horses were extraordinary and needed special attention.  Because of Bill Phillips’ and Ron Harding’s initial interest in them, they had been set aside and kept separate.   There was, however, real concern that without outside help the herd could be disbursed or their genetic integrity compromised in some way.   

I finally met Josh in Bend in 1989.  We shared our thoughts and visions about the horses before joining a number of others for our first Kiger Mesteno Association meeting.  There had already been an adoption or two, and quite a few people were already showing real interest in this unusual group of horses including Oregon media. 

Our meeting was focused on trying to determine the most effective way to maintain the Kigers as a genetic resource.  The words “national treasure” and “western heritage” were used a lot, and there was a sense of real dedication from everyone in the room.  I believed then, as now, that this founding group was on the right track.  It was generally agreed that without public recognition of the unique character and essential value of these horses, there would be little chance of saving them.  Establishing perceived value through effective promotion was seen as the surest method of keeping them together and safe.   

One phase of our promotional efforts was to establish, with the support of the BLM, a viewing area where the public could catch a glimpse of the horses in their native habitat.  Somewhat later, Josh, Ron and I got together to discuss the possibility of me doing a cast bronze plaque commemorating the Kiger herd.  We chose old Mesteno as the horse to represent the Kigers.  I did the plaque and Warburton orchestrated the dedication ceremony to coincide with the next Kiger round up in October of ’89.  Local ranchers, BLM officials and media folks gathered at the herd viewing area to officially unveil the plaque.

That same weekend, my family and I were invited to watch the Kiger roundup.  We were standing around near the catch pens with Ron Harding, Josh Warburton, Mark Armstrong and the rest of the BLM crew.  The helicopters were working the horses into position to come through a low pass, then down through an arroyo and into the hidden catch pens.  Elwin Wines was an observer also, and he built a blind for Cheryl and me on a side hill within a few yards of the path the horses would be taking.  We waited, cameras in hand, for what seemed like forever, listening to the muffled sounds of the helicopter in the distance.  

Suddenly, they came!  Almost close enough to touch!  They came in groups of three and four, then more and more, all those beautiful clay colored bodies flashing past us in the early light of that crisp, October morning.  Talk about thrilling!  I have enough memories from just that one occasion to provide me with images to sculpt and paint for as long as I live.

The next day we went to the Burns corrals, watched the sorting and tagging and participated in our first Kiger lottery.  Warburton, Harding and Littleton, working together with my wife, Cheryl, came up with a secret scheme to surprise me with a Kiger horse as a method of thanking me for my efforts as a volunteer.  By the end of the day, I had adopted a beautiful weanling dun filly who was “presented” to me by Warburton.  “Presentation” is still my favorite saddle horse and our prize foundation broodmare.

Later that same year, or perhaps in early 1990, (time does blur things a little) Josh Warburton, while at the Kentucky Horse Park, met Peter Stone of the Breyer model horse company.  Josh and Peter hatched the notion of producing a series for Breyer, telling the story of “Mesteno” the Kiger Mustang Stallion.  I did the original sculptures for the “Messenger Series”, which were published for Breyer from 1991 through 1996.  My efforts on behalf of the Kigers have been a labor of love.  I believe fervently in these beautiful horses, as do so many others.  Each of us contributes what we can in our own way.  I truly believe that without a strong, unified organization, focused on preserving the integrity of the breed, both in the wild and in captivity, the Kiger Horse as we know it will cease to exist.  Continued infighting and splinter registries will, in my opinion, weaken the appeal of the Kigers as a breed.

An effective, well structured organization based on open, honest communication is a necessary component of the Kiger preservation overview.  While there will always be areas of controversy, I believe that if we put the horses first and downplay our differences, we can continue to make real contributions to the Kiger cause.  I would very much like to see regional chapters of the KMA, each with its representatives to the umbrella organization.  Although this kind of democratic process can be frustrating at times, I believe it is exactly the kind of procedure that will bring us into a position of correctness and strength.  We can succeed only by having vision, along with the integrity and commitment to hold to it.

We have truly honest horses . . . let them be our guide. 

Thanks for listening, Rowland Cheney