Brought to the New World by Spaniards in the 1500's and hidden away deep in the juniper-choked valleys of Utah's remote Mountain Home Range roams a herd of wild Spanish horses that have survived and reproduced with little outside influence. Discovered in the late 1980's, researchers believe the Sulphur herd is one of the purest existing gene pools of Spanish Horses in America. So rare are these Mustangs that some equine scientists and a growing group of horse enthusiasts are asking the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to designate the area 50 miles west of Milford as a National Wild Horse Range and to take steps to protect the genetic integrity of the breed. Horse lovers around the world suddenly are swooning over Utah's Sulphur Herd.
"I'm getting calls every week from Europe, Japan and all around the United States from people who want to get one of these horses", says Gus Warr, wild horse specialist for the BLM's Beaver River Resource Area.
"Word is getting out that we've got something very unique here. The Sulphur herd area opens up a new and very promising gene pool".
The Spanish Sulphur Horse is generally a smaller horse, most vary from 13 to 15.2 hands. Some exceptional horses are up to 16 hands high. Colors are consistent with their Spanish heritage. Duns of all shades (dun, grullo and red duns) are the predominant color (around 56% of the herd) along with blacks, bays, palomino, roan, buckskin and chestnuts. Generations of fending for themselves in some of the West's harshest conditions has created a horse with rock solid legs, a sound mind, and feet of steel. It is these traits along with the Sulphur's wonderful temperament that are winning the hearts of those that come in contact with this breed.
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Bray Ridge is dedicated to breeding Spanish/Iberian type Sulphur's that, through selection and breeding, will pass those traits uniformly to their offspring.
Fred and Sherryl Fitzwater
Welcome to the Sulphur Horse Ranch, home of the Spanish/Iberian Sulphur. Our ranch lays nestled in the beautiful hills of Taylorsville, N.C and we are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Sulphur horse. Our breeding program is small, we do not breed our Sulphur mares yearly and strive to keep the Spanish type, temperament, intelligence and beauty that has captured the hearts of all that know the Spanish Sulphur. All of our breeding stock are registered with the ASHA and have been DNA tested by the UoK, parentage DNA has been completed on all foals. Also, all breeding stock are in the process of being registered with the Iberian Sport Horse and Warmblood Registry.
I did not breed but one mare this year due to Lung Cancer surgery and that foal is spoken for.
Enjoy your visit and if you have any questions please feel free to email me.
