OklahomaHorses Magazine March 2021

March/April 2021 • OklahomaHorses 27 horses, and when he moved to Medicine Springs Ranch on Blackjack Mountain in Pushmataha County in the early 1950s, he brought with him the small herd of Colonial Spanish horses he had acquired. Jones would continue to obtain more of these horses from Choctaw and Chickasaw families who had lived in the area for generations. Early on, Jones recognized the Colonial Spanish horses’ unique nature and began to doc- ument his herd and prevent the bloodlines from being mixed with other horse breeds. In 1977, he founded the Southwest Spanish Mustang Association (SSMA) with the goal “to preserve the few purest remaining specimens of this fine breed that exist today and prove their ability to perform as they did in centuries past. …” Jones worked with Dr. Phil Sponenberg of Virginia Tech and the American Livestock Conservancy to conduct phenotypic evalua- tions of the herd. Later, DNA testing was done by Sponenberg, which would prove that these horses were, indeed, pure and direct descendants of the horses brought over by the Spanish in the 1500s. Bryant Rickman grew up riding a Choctaw Mustang on his family’s farm near Antlers and began working with Jones in the 1980s, as well as accumulating a herd of his own. Jones and Rickman would enter into an agreement in which Jones’ remaining horses would go to Rickman upon his death. In 2014, the Oklahoma Heritage Horse Sanctuary was established with a mission “to promote preservation of the Colonial Spanish horse and other heritage animals, as well as in- crease public awareness about these horses,” and today, Rickman as well as other volunteers check on the herds—the majority of which are located east of Antlers—and feed them daily. Visitors are encouraged to come to the sanc- tuary in the spring and summer and learn about these pieces of living history for themselves. They can even purchase one of the Colonial Spanish horses. “We often sell horses for breeding and riding purposes, and we encourage all buyers to join the Southwest Spanish Mustang Association and register their horses,” said Rickman. To inquire about becoming a part of the preser- vation efforts or to learn more about these unique treasures, visit rickmanspanishmustangs.com or contact Rickman directly. The cost of feeding the horses is tremendous, and it is a 90-mile round trip to the feed store, which Rickman makes almost daily. Financial help is always needed and much appreciated. If you are interested in donating time, feed, hay, supplies or funds, please contact the Oklahoma Heritage Horse Sanctuary through its website. Your donation can make a big difference in the lives of Oklahoma’s “Heritage Horse.” “Once they’re gone, they are gone!” said Libby Chambers, secretary of the Oklahoma Heritage Horse Sanctuary. “That is why I believe we should do everything possible to preserve these horses.” DONATION AND TOUR INFORMATION: Oklahoma Heritage Horse Sanctuary okheritagehorse.com okheritagehorse@yahoo.com P.O. Box 212 Rattan, OK 74562 (580) 271-8678 Darlene and Bryant Rickman