Chapo is a beautiful 2000 mustang/quarter horse cross sorrel gelding who was the first horse on which I confidently achieved high speed (powerful high speed!). He was then owned by neighbor Jorge Garcia who raised him from a yearling. He trained and used him as a rope horse and had shoes on all four feet. It took Chapo about 10 months to entirely change residence. For a long time letting go of the reins would change our orientation, regardless of our location or destination, immediately back toward Jorges place 1/4 mile west of SunStar. Now Chapo has learned from young Dunny and has become a goat horse. He has interest in his new herding job and now knows when and where to position with the right pressure to move or join the herd. His feet are still tansitioning to being barefoot, but at now three years bare he can work on rock and rocky surfaces with minimal difficulty and few stumbles. When he came to us he stumbled terribly, and crashed through logs powering through obstacles. Now he has a little more care and is a very dependable mount traversing this rugged desert which he grew up and learned to run on. Chapo has carried many interns staying at SunStar and has a good idea of an individual's limits , taking care not to lose his rider.

When we were confident enough with one horse and were ready for a second we told Jorge we'd be interested if he ever decided to sell Chapo. At some point this came to pass and just days after Christmas in 2005 I rode home on my new charge bareback with just a light bosal halter around his head. Chapo was a good choice for us as he was a well broke horse, and he had a lot of experience on our range. Like my Arabian cross the Mustang is very tough and durable having been selected for in the wild over many decades. The high-mineral, low-bulk content of desert forages has developed small dense hooves that are well built for an active lifestyle. Mustangs are smart and have a different perspective from domesticated horses which have not needed to fend for themselves for many generations. They also have hybrid vigour; each region has its unique influences which are reflected in horse. Chapo came from the northwest, a large influence in genetics in those herds is the Russian Bashkir Curly. The Curly is an all purpose animal with a solid build providing meat, the intelligence and loyalty to work well with people as a saddle horse or under harness pulling and driving. They are also a fiber animal, producing a large amount of thick hair. A lactating mare is said to produce up to 400 gallons in a single lactation.